Structure

An idea that I have been thinking about a fair amount recently is the lack of structure in post-graduate, newly-employed life. Without the clockwork of annual exams assessing how well you have progressed (academically) each year it can be dangerously easy to lose track of the years. After all, I have been graduated two and a half years now and I have yet to properly sit down and reflect on how much has changed since then. Of course, a lot has changed. But without a teacher-given mark at the end of the year for x modules completed, it's trickier to pin down all that change. To help bring that structure back into my life, I am being more proactive with stating my goals in an effort to stick to them better and to give me a point of reflection. By the end of 2026 I will be able to look at the following list and milestone my life with the things I have achieved in that year.

Resolutions (goals?!)

I break down my goals (I prefer this language to a "resolution", a word with connotations of change rather than growth) into broad categories: personal, physical and professional. Each goal is designed to be attainable - I want to achieve a lot in the following year whilst not being unmotivated to meet outlandish targets and setting up a platform for the future. Where appropriate, I have also provided my current progress and rationale.

Personal

Take at least one in-person language (German) course. The idea is to be conversational by the end of the year.
Pass my driving test. Note, this isn't the same as learning to drive (is what I tell myself)....
Read 12 new books, at least 3 of which to be non-fiction.
Travel to one of the two (reasonable) remaining continents. 2024 saw travel to 10 distinct countries whilst 2025 saw a significant downturn with the number dropping to just 2. This is understandable in the context of growing responsibility but the desire to explore remains the same. Having not been in the Southern Hemisphere yet, South America and Oceania are both on the travel list in 2026.
Do more maths. And write about it too. Aim for three pieces on here, financial mathematics or otherwise.
>2.5% to charity, in line with Zakat. ≥ 2 volunteering days (as with work).

Physical

Total 500 in powerlifting at a sub-15% bf. Current: Squat e1rm of 170kg, achieved 165kg before injury. Bench 1rm of 100kg. Deadlift 1rm of 210kg. Total 475kg at 18-20% bf (approx 74 kg).
Run a 20-minute 5K. Current: reasonably sustainable pace of 5 min/km for >5K distances but pacing, both slower and faster, needs work..
1 muscle-up. Current: none.
Try not to get injured once! Better to take a week or two rehabbing rather than pushing through and spending an extended period of time rehabbing.

Professional

FRM Part I passed and FRM Part II at least sat and ideally passed.
Full data engineering stack established. Python dashboarding.
Six-figure threshold passed in TY 2025-2026.

These are, I think, a reasonable set of goals to strive for this upcoming year. I will revisit this time next year with hopefully a positive reflection on what I have achieved and what I am aiming for next!

With that, Happy New Year.