2026 Goals

Note to self: Good enough is better than perfect.

Overarching theme: A commitment to monotasking

My 2026 theme is a commitment to monotasking. I plan to eliminate distractions from my activities as much as possible in an effort to shift to a life that has more clarity, more calm, and more meaning.

Measurable goals

In addition to this theme for the year, I have a set of measurable goals and objectives that I will work on. Many of these measurable things are directly related to the wider theme and the list below might change as I work through the Three Rs. However, some of the goals below are part of my goal to constantly improve on yesterday’s success to ensure that tomorrow is the best I can make it.

Health and Fitness

Run 780+ miles
Sub-28 5K road running time
Sub-58 10K
Sub-2.18.00 half-marathon
5,000,000+ steps
500+ miles of walking
3-minute plank
3-minute balance

Travel and Adventure

16-hill walk in the Pentland Hills
Walk the full length of the Water of Leith Walkway
2x solo weekend trips within the UK or Europe
Non-family (USA) holiday trip

Professional Life

3+ academic publications
Submit a mid-sized grant application
Refresh all top-level pages on my PhD website

Personal Improvement and Skill Building

Take practical test for UK driver’s licence
Start on a memory quilt from Paul’s old running t-shirts
Refresh Just Frances website
Enjoy 12+ tech/digital-free days

Castle Ryan

A full plan for the front garden (plus start working on plan)
Redecorate dining room
Redecorate entry and stairwell (plus upper landing)
Create a plan for redecorating the living room
Create a master bedroom oasis

Miscellaneous

Hit 1,000 geocache finds
Write 30 cards and letters to loved ones
Cook at least 1 recipe from family cookbooks each month

Archived goals

2025: Overarching theme: Review, rescope, and refocus

2024: Overarching theme: Giving new life to old things

2023: Overarching goal: Simply Me

2022: Overarching goal: Seek answers, solutions, or improvement for Life, the Universe, and Everything

2021: Overarching goal: The ABCs: Accountability, Balance, and Calm

2020: Overarching goal: To be a stronger, more confident me

2015-2019: These goals are summarised here

“Big” Goal #1: To be blissfully happy (a life-long goal)
“Big” Goal #2: To earn my master’s degree (success!)
“Big” Goal #3: To publish a book (goal sidetracked by my master’s and PhD degrees, but will happen one day!)
“Big” Goal #4: To rule the world (potentially my most unrealistic goal)