Full disclosure: I struggle to know how to begin this year in review.
It’s the honest truth. 2024 is finished, but unlike previous years, reflection on the year was a battle. More on that in a moment.
It’s interesting how seasons of life change, and you change along with them. I know I’m not who I am going to be yet, but I also know I’m not who I was.
I’m caught in the in-between I suppose, confident I’m going somewhere and fully aware I’m not there yet.
Can you relate?
(You can read all my year in review posts here: 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2014)
In 2023, I recounted how the year felt like it was two halves: the first one exceedingly hard, and the second one light and hopeful.
In 2022 and years past, I answered a few questions about the year, detailing what went well, what didn’t and where I wanted to go in light of those answers.
Although the reviews were structured differently, the common thread was that they were birthed from many moments of reflection over the course of the year.
I’ve not had those times this year, hence the real struggle to find the words to write.
So, I’m putting forward a vulnerable proposition: I’m going to let my journal do most of the talking.
My journal is a window into my soul. It’s messy, not manufactured; raw, not filtered; authentic, not polished. It’s a memoir about the man I am becoming, for better or worse.
Sidebar: You are becoming someone too. The little actions you take every day, the small moments that seem insignificant, shape the person you will be. Do you like the trajectory you are on?
As the journal excerpts and entries speak, I’ll reflect in real time with you. They will be in chronological order, starting from January through December, so you can see the peaks and valleys along the way.
And of course, I’ll share plenty of stories and pictures too, in 4 separate parts:
- Recap & Stories
- 2024 Highlights
- 2025 Dreams
- Bonus: My Favorite Pictures of 2024
As with all my reviews, I’m candid and open about my faith, my business, my wins, my struggles and my hope for the future.
Let’s dive in!
January
I love you Father. Today is a new year, and I hope it is marked by me saying no to sin more often and yes to what the Spirit leads.
Journal entry on January 1, 2024
Ugh, I don’t feel great. Feel bleh, like I am coming down with something. Not the way I wanted to start the new year!
Journal entry on January 2, 2024
I began with high hopes – I’m an optimist by nature.
My mind was telling me yes. My body was saying no.
As I’ve grown older, I’ve become more concerned about being a man of character and integrity and less about being a man who is smart and successful. I strive to close the gap between who I say I want to be, who I actually am and who people experience me to be.
And so I wanted the year to be marked by fighting against sin with greater vigor and leaning into what the Spirit would lead me to do as I read and prayed through the Bible. The Thomas that does that is more like the Thomas I am supposed to be.
But let me tell you: it’s easy to say, difficult to do when you are well and torture when you are sick.
The upshot: sickness has not been a prevailing theme for me or my family this year. Praise the Lord!
In mid-late January, my family went with my business partner Syed and his family on a trip to Mexico. We had a wonderful time enjoying the beautiful resort area in Punta Mita.
Jude was sweet with Miles today. He shared part of his cookie with him. He is also becoming very independent and able to do a lot of things himself, like put on his pull-up and clothes all by himself. I’m very proud of him and love him so much!
Journal entry on January 21, 2024
Good news: Jude is now fully night trained! Pour one out for this parent that has exited the diapers phase of parenting.
It’s fun to watch your kids grow up, even if there are some bumps along the way. Jude began the year struggling to obey, but he has ended the year developing a sweet, nurturing temperament.
And while disobedience is still a regular issue to address, I’m seeing the fruit of loving discipline in both of my boys. I love them both very much. I’m proud of them and excited to see them transform from little boys to young men.
Father – I am so stressed with everything going on. Please lead and guide me. I’ve still not even started putting together the presentation outline for the men’s training event on Thursday. I want to do a great job there, but I feel so underprepared.
Father – you see me. You know how concerned and frightened that I am. But remind me of the truths of your word, that your burden is easy and your yoke is light. I am casting all my cares to you because where else can I go? Nothing else will receive them.
You are steadfast and immovable. You are perfect in nature and holiness. You hold everything in your hand, even a thing as small as this. And I know that I can trust you, and I am bringing to mind the truth of your word as I look to you.
I am seeking your face, asking for this cup to quickly pass, and if not, then grant me the patience and faithfulness to endure well. I want to receive the crown of glory. Purge me of sin and deceit and make me more holy and pure like you.
I love you Father. I want to be near to you. I want to see you and hear your voice and talk with you like I would my wife or my friends or any other person.
Make yourself known. Grant great favor and mercy.
Journal entry on January 27, 2024
I was involved in two exceptionally difficult situations in January. I felt the immense weight of the pressure of both.
In fact, just a couple days later, I remarked that “it feels like I am crumbling under all this pressure and I know it is not good for my health”.
And yet here I am today, still standing and walking down the path God has called me to (albeit with more wrinkles and gray hairs). It’s a clear reminder that he has sustained me thus far, and he will continue to sustain me in all things.
February
Often, many people overestimate the risk of making a bad decision and underestimate the risk of making no decision.
Journal entry on February 14, 2024
I’ve never been afraid of making hard decisions, nor have I necessarily been afraid of making bad decisions.
Most decisions are reversible: yes, a bad one might be painful, and it may even totally reshape your life…but you are resilient. You can recover.
And yet most people fear the potential of loss due to a bad decision and so “choose” the equally risky decision of doing nothing at all.
But, when a decision must be made, I believe doing nothing at all is worse. In that circumstance, you forfeit your endowment of agency. You let someone or something else do it for you.
It’s a total failure of personal leadership (at best).
PSA – When pressed with a decision: assess the risk, make the decision, be humble enough to learn from the success or failure of it and keep moving forward.
At the end of February, Laura and I took a brief trip to Key West with some friends. We visited the southernmost tip of the US, traveled around in a golf cart (I love doing that), rode bikes, played games and laughed a lot with great people.
March
It’s been a good week here in Istanbul. I miss my family and I am ready to be home with them. But I am also very energized by the things that I have learned and the ways in which I can leverage AI to make advancements in work.
Journal entry on March 7, 2024
I visited Istanbul for the first time in March. It was the semi-annual meetup with the other founders, partners, presidents, and general managers of the various business units and investments at Awesome Motive.
We stayed on the European side of the Bosphorus, but I did get the chance to step in Asia for the first time as well while there.
I’d never been in a city quite that large (17m+ people) or expansive. It was fun to experience a new culture and see some old world architecture, including the Hagia Sophia.
At one point during the trip, Spencer (one of the product leads at AM) and I were walking through the Turkish Bazaar…well, actually, we were trying to figure out where in the world we were, as it was so easy to get lost inside of it.
But we came upon a large crowd, and as I got close, I could see a man dressed in a suit that got all of the attention. I snapped a quick photo, and then we walked away.
It was only many months later that we realized it was Turkish President Erdogan himself!
Where am I extracting value from the person and discarding the rest of who they are as a human?
I need to make sure I don’t do that but value all of the person, not just what value they bring.
Journal entry on March 26, 2024
I own and operate many businesses, so it’s easy for me to make the mistake of viewing people as resources to be mined rather than humans to be cultivated.
I’m glad that God is not transactional with me. He is so patient, bearing with my many faults and extending forgiveness to me through Jesus. I need to remind myself frequently to do the same with others.
Gro-Rite officially launched on Thursday, March 28, 2024!
What a wild 48 hours it has been.
Journal entry Excerpt on March 30, 2024
We (my business partner Justin from S&K Greenhouse) launched the pre-sale of Gro-Rite Raised Garden Beds on Thursday, March 28.
We had no idea how it would perform. Our hope was that we’d sell 50 that first month. If we achieved that milestone, we’d feel good.
We sold 50 in the first hour. We sold 250 in the first 2 days. And we completely sold out in less than 2 weeks!
The response was nothing short of miraculous.
We weren’t “winging it”…but kind of. I’m familiar with software, not physical products. And while Justin is familiar with physical products, he wasn’t as familiar with selling physical products digitally.
But we relished the opportunity to rise up and meet the demand. Those two weeks were a blur.
Here’s a picture of us at our launch celebration dinner. We were STOKED.
April
Father, I’m tired. And when I am tired, I have less ability to fight sin. Please keep sin away from me, and keep me pure before you. I need you!
Journal entry on April 10, 2024
I’ve slept a ton the last few days, and I am feeling a little more back to normal again.
I don’t know if I would say I am totally caught up, but I am definitely in the more caught up than not category.
I napped for 2.5 hrs on Friday. I went to bed early on Saturday. I napped for another 2 hrs on Sunday, and I went to bed early Sunday night.
Journal entry on April 22, 2024
I often discount the value of rest and sleep until it all catches up with me (to my shame).
By this point in the year, the grind of work and life had caught up to me: really difficult situations in January and February, travel in March, the launch of Gro-Rite and preparing our home on the lake for a big retreat in April.
When the end of April came near, I was exhausted. It felt like I needed to sleep for 3 days straight.
And, well, I almost did.
The rhythms of my life were out of whack. Not only was I exhausted – I couldn’t keep to commitments that I had made, which was unusual for me.
I was in the fog of “working” 24/7, frequently zoning out during the middle of conversations with my wife and kids.
I knew I needed to say “no” to more things, and I did. But I often said “no” to the wrong things, leaving my family to get the rest of me instead of the best of me.
It just left me more stressed and overwhelmed.
I learned over the course of the year that my first and best “yes” must be to my wife and family.
May
Good question for operators: What is not working?
And if they can’t tell you, they are not aware, and rule #1 of operations is awareness.
Journal entry on May 9, 2024
What decisions led to the results that we are experiencing?
Journal entry on May 10, 2024
I’m confident you’ve heard the phrase “smartest person in the room”.
I can’t say that that has ever been said about me. But I will freely say this about Syed anytime I am in a room with him. We had multiple great conversations during the course of the week, and those two journal entries are just a small glimpse of the insights he shared.
Our annual company retreat was in Mexico again this year, and it was a fabulous time. Nearly 200 of our people descended on the resort for a week of inspiration, connection and brainstorming about the possibilities of the future.
(I thought I had more pictures, but I only have 2 on my phone. I must’ve taken 50+, just all on other people’s phones!)
You are either becoming someone by default or by design. You are formed by what you pursue. You won’t become more like Jesus by “winging it”.
If you don’t consciously pursue the virtues in 2 Peter 1, you will subconsciously pursue the passions of the world.
Journal entry Excerpt on May 27, 2024
I asked myself a simple question over and over this year: What am I pursuing, Christ’s kingdom or my own?
I think it’s an important question to ask, and it needs an honest answer.
My tiny, temporary kingdom on earth will pass away. Everything earthly that I create, build and cultivate will either tarnish, ruin or be given to someone else.
But Christ’s kingdom is enormous, eternal and unstoppable.
I say I want my reward in heaven to be great…but do my actions align with my desires? Would those who know me say I care more about building Christ’s kingdom than my own? What would those closest to me say?
The reality is that I am always becoming someone, the most important of which is if I am becoming more like Christ or not. And when I hotly pursue building my own kingdom of the world rather than his kingdom of heaven, it’s not rocket science to see who I’m not becoming more like…
For me, it often boils down to my lack of love and vision.
I get so engrossed in my own little world, thinking of vision in terms of my own resources and limitations, rather than expanding and upgrading it to align with the expanse of the love and vision of God, which is free of any kind of limitation I can think of.
Ultimately my love and vision will be formed by what I pursue. And if my vision is to invest in building the eternal kingdom of Christ that will never crumble, my pursuit must be of the greatest, most loving and most powerful king ever to exist: Jesus himself.
June
Father – thank you for this amazing day on the ocean of Naxos. You are so good and kind. Thank you for the gift of enjoying your beautiful creation. It proclaims your majesty and power. I love you!
Journal entry on June 10, 2024
Laura and I took a trip with our friends Jake and Hannah to Greece this summer.
It was the best trip we’ve ever taken. The company was great, the places we visited were incredible, the activities we did were some of the most fun I’ve had and the food was out-of-this-world good.
It’s hard to recap the main highlights of the trip, but if I had to give my top ones:
- The food (all of it)
- Driving ATVs around Santorini
- Private catamaran cruise off the coast of Naxos
- Seeing Coldplay at Olympic Stadium
- Swimming, snorkeling and diving at a secluded beach off the coast of Hydra
- The food (whatever “all of it” didn’t cover in point #1)
I know you like seeing pictures, so here’s a bunch of them from our amazing Greece trip.
At the end of June, we went with our best friends to Dollywood, TN.
It had been 25+ years since I had been to any kind of theme park outside of Disney, so when I arrived, I wasn’t sure how my body would handle real rollercoasters.
The first ride we got on was Lightning Rod. My friends told me it was nothing to be concerned about. Only after the ride was over did I discover that Lightning Rod was the fastest wooden rollercoaster in the world.
Great friends.
As I nervously made it to the top of the drop, I put my hands in the air and thought, “How bad can it be?”
Not bad. In fact, it was GREAT. I kept my hands up the whole time.
I LOVED IT.
And I rode as many of the rollercoasters as I could that day.
The brief trip was a ton of fun, and we even had a pretty close encounter with a black bear at our cabin!
July
Congratulations – you’ve successfully reached the halfway point of 2024 in my review!
To celebrate, here are a few of pictures of my boys at the lake over the summer. 😎
August
These are deep waters that I am swimming in now.
Journal entry on August 4, 2024
Literally and figuratively.
We took a trip up to our property in the mountains for a family reunion the 1st weekend in August.
It was refreshing in so many ways.
Laura and I had some deep, meaningful conversations about our future as a family and how to embark on the journey to better (and more healthy) life rhythms.
While at the mountains, we fished, we played in the river, we enjoyed time catching up with relatives, we rocked on the porch, we played games and we watched movies.
Little did I know that it would be the last trip of that kind to our mountain property…
September
What if the delays of God to answer my prayers are but a trial of faith to refine it, to grow it, to mature it, to strengthen it, such that my faith in him might excel more greatly because of his delay in responding to my petitions?
Journal entry on September 3, 2024
It says in Hebrews 11:6 that without faith, it is impossible to please God.
That’s strong language.
I want to grow in my faith because I want my life to be pleasing to God.
But the challenge of faith is that in order for it to grow, you must be placed in circumstances where it can be exercised…and then you must exercise it.
I wrote this as I reflected on reading the book “Answers to Prayer” by George Muller. The book is a compiled list of excerpts from his “Narratives” journal where he shares prayers and answers to prayer throughout his life, primarily centering around his work with orphanages.
If you’ve never read the book before, I highly recommend reading it. It will ignite a desire in you to walk with God in great faith and see him move in mighty ways, just like he did in George’s life and work.
So much of my time is wasted on seeking out and reading the words of uninspired men rather than the declarations and oracles of the Living God of the Bible.
Journal entry Excerpt on September 17, 2024
Oh how stubbornly often do I look first to the writings of people rather than the inspired Word of God!
I’ve grown to realize I have this tendency because of a strong desire to discover immediate tactics from the hands of men rather than receive a timely revelations from the mouth of God.
I must turn to the Living God first, then after seeking his face, look to other places to see his handiwork and provision.
Easy to say. Hard to do.
At the end of September, Hurricane Helene ravaged Western North Carolina.
It was by far the most devastating natural disaster the area had ever experienced.
Unfortunately, my property in the mountains (which has been in my family line for hundreds of years) was also in Western NC.
While our house fared well because it was on a hill, the rest of the property and the bridge across the river in front of the house did not.
The bridge was destroyed, and the property was littered with trees, cars (multiple), river rock and other debris.
As I write this today, the bridge is still not repaired, and we don’t have a clear timeline yet as to when people will be able to stay at the property again.
Laura and I would go back up the mountains to help with relief efforts in October, and we partnered with more people to continue to bring relief to our area of Western NC.
We’ve forged some great relationships with many of the locals because of the storm, and although the community has a very long road to recovery (I would say a decade at minimum), we are committed to walking with them down that road in whatever ways we are able.
October
I had so much fun playing at Muirfield today.
Journal entry Excerpt on October 6, 2024
My friend David invited me to play golf in a Collegiate-AM event at Muirfield Village in Dublin, OH.
Muirfield is nicknamed “Jack’s Place”. It’s the creation and home course of Jack Nicklaus, one of the greatest golfers of all time.
It was by far the nicest and most difficult track I’ve ever played.
It was fun to play alongside some of the top D-1 golf athletes and still be competitive. I shot 80, which given the conditions for the day (sustained winds of 15mph+) felt like a win.
On the way home, I got the chance to enjoy a really awesome breakfast sandwich at Fox in the Snow with Angie Meeker (the General Manager of OptinMonster).
In the middle of October, Laura and I went to Chicago for the weekend.
We didn’t realize that when we booked the trip, we booked it on the same weekend as the Chicago Marathon. 😅
When we arrived at the Chicago airport, we were shocked to see so many people in running clothes. “Maybe we have been living outside of the city for that long?”, we thought. But no, just 50,000+ runners all coalescing into the same location as us to run around the city. 😅
Despite the various road closures, detours and hoopla around the event, we had a lot of fun touring the city, visiting the Natural History Museum and watching Sleeping at Last perform with the Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra.
November
Had a great time on the bourbon trail with Jake and Justin!
Journal entry Excerpt on November 3, 2024
I went on a trip the first of November to Kentucky with my friends Jake and Justin to do part of the bourbon trail.
We visited Willett, Angel’s Envy, Heaven Hill, Maker’s Mark, Castle & Key, Woodford Reserve and Buffalo Trace.
We ate some fantastic food and were even blessed with the ultra rare double allocation when we visited Buffalo Trace: we got to purchase one bottle of Eagle Rare AND Blanton’s!
One of the highlights of the trip was that we found a gym near our Airbnb and worked out each morning before starting our day. It was a ton of fun to pump iron before going to taste bourbon (or at least it made us feel better about it).
It’s so nice to be here up in the mountains this weekend.
The condo is great, restful. Just chilling here with the family.
Thank you Father for this time together. Put my heart at rest and at ease before you.
Journal entry on November 16, 2024
It was early on a cold, brisk morning.
I was sitting on the back porch of the little 2 bedroom condo we had rented in Blowing Rock, NC.
As I sipped on my coffee overlooking the scenic pond, I pondered about life, work and all the things in-between. It was the first time I had dedicated space to think and reflect all year.
Then the door opened, and one of the boys walked out onto the porch. Reflection time over. 😛
I snuggled him and then went back inside, and we continued on with our weekend.
We thoroughly enjoyed our time together. We went up to our property to check on the status of the cleanup and repairs from Helene. We played at the park in downtown Blowing Rock and ate ice cream from Kilwins every night.
It was a blast!
Remember those better, more healthy rhythms I mentioned earlier?
The impact of one change in particular surprised me.
In order to reduce stress for me (I thought it might be cathartic) and Laura (she wanted the help), I took over dish duty. No matter who made the mess, I was responsible for dishes: washing, putting in the dishwasher, unloading, putting away, etc.
I did indeed find it cathartic, as I would listen to music or podcasts while doing it. But I also noticed Laura’s desire to cook increased, presumably because she knew I would handle the dishes at the end.
She loves to cook (she’s a fabulous cook by the way), and now we both get the experience more of that wonderful cooking, all because I suggested that I take over dish duty.
Who would’ve thought?
December
Journal entry Excerpt on December 2, 2024
Father God – you are on your throne, and you are in control.
Laura and I attended a marriage retreat just outside of Charleston in early December. Neither of us had ever done anything like that before, but we thoroughly enjoyed the “set aside” time to reconnect with one another, discuss the present and dream about the future together.
We met some great people and even sparked some new relationships with other couples.
While eating lunch at the hotel one day, we saw a painting that captivated our attention, so much so that we purchased it and hung it above our bed at home.
For both of us, that painting was a clear reminder that God is in control, and he is the source and provider of all good things.
It was our “Ebenezer”, because it was by his help that we had come thus far, and it was by his help that we would continue to go.
We finished off the holiday season in high spirits, and although both the boys developed pretty nasty coughs toward the end of the year, it didn’t deter us from having a great Christmas and New Year’s with family and friends.
2024 Highlights
I hope that what I have shared with you so far has provided a brief glimpse into my world in 2024: the ups and downs, the highs and los.
Jesus has been faithful and patient with me through it all, even though I am so undeserving. He walks with me each day, leading and guiding me gently down paths that are good for me and pleasing to him.
No matter where I find myself, I know who I am becoming: a man of God more and more ready to be faithful and obedient when he calls.
Apart from the general stories and updates I have shared, there are quite a few notable highlights from 2024. They are in no particular order, but they are all meaningful and impactful in some way.
Personal
- Gro-Rite Garden was officially launched! We had the pre-sale in March, began fulfilling the orders in April and then received the next shipment in September. And wow, I never expected the response to be so strong. It has continued to sell exceptionally well with more than 40+ 5-star reviews. We’ve also signed a deal with a major digital retailer to carry the bed in 2025. I believe 2025 will be a huge year for Gro-Rite.
- I bested my putts per round again in 2024 with 29.35. Although I was not able to play much golf at all in 2024 (and averaged 74 over all my rounds), my putting performance on the course continued to improve and was a half stroke better vs. 2023. I played the least amount of golf in 2024 that I have played since 2016. That was hard for me, as I find great joy in both the practice and play of the game.
- We hosted the first retreat at our property on the lake, Rock Water Retreat. The vision of the home is for leadership teams who either serve in ministry or non-profits who serve the ministry to get clarity on their plans, articulate those plans and then be energized to accomplish the plans once they leave. It’s spacious with gorgeous views of Lake Norman. Reading the guestbook entries has been a true source of joy for me this year. If you are a church or a non-profit that works in ministry and are interested in learning more, please contact me.
- We sent the “WOW” girls off to college. Laura has been investing in four girls since 6th grade, with them coming over to our house most Sunday nights throughout their high school tenure. They call themselves “Women of the Word”. Three of the four graduated in May (the other will graduate in 2025) and went off to college in August. Although I spent most of the time on the periphery, I did get to enjoy all the yummy meals they cooked, and I sometimes got to speak into boy or life drama. I’m proud of them and pray they continue to do great things for Christ in college.
- I bench pressed 185 eight times for the first time in forever. That may not sound like a lot, but I’m only 170. It felt like a great accomplishment for me to do it once again (last time was in my mid-20s, I’m 36 now). I’d love to get to where I can bench press 225 eight times, but we’ll see. My frame isn’t exactly built for lifting that kind of weight, but I won’t let genetics stop me from trying!
- I spent the first half of 2024 doing intensive public speaking training. I enjoy public speaking, but I am well aware that I am missing both tactics and practice to be as dynamic of a speaker as I would like to be. I learned quite a lot, and I got to be pretty good at using frameworks to come up with stories and answers on the spot. I’d love to put these skills to the test in 2025, so if anyone reading has a podcast that they’d like to invite me to be on, reach out and let me know.
Business
- We acquired BuddyBoss. BuddyBoss is a popular online learning and community platform for WordPress. It was a big acquisition, given the breadth of the software and size of the team.
- We crossed over 30m active websites using Awesome Motive software. It’s hard to believe that this many people are using software created by our incredible team.
- We hit the 400 employee mark. Wow, that’s a lot of people! Our business doesn’t work without great people building and supporting our products. AM is filled with exceptionally gifted and talented people, many of whom I have the privilege to work with every day. If you are looking for a remote job in tech at a great company, we’re always hiring.
- We invested heavily into using AI in our products. I don’t have enough room to share all of the awesome ways in which teams at AM integrated AI in their product workflows, but I can tell you that they are game changing for many of the products. Our value of laboring for simplicity really shines through in our efforts around AI.
Reading
Reading ebbed and flowed for me this year, and although I read more than 10 books, they came in spurts. Sometimes I’d read 3 in one week, and then I wouldn’t pick up a book for 2 months.
I’d like for that to be more consistent though, because I find that when I read, I am more likely to be in good spirits and productive.
Here are a few books that I read (outside of the first one, in no particular order):
- The Bible. This was my 5th time reading through the Bible in a year. Unless I am physically incapable of reading, I cannot imagine ever going a day without reading the Bible or a year without reading it cover to cover. It’s too valuable not to. It’s my true source of life, the connection point of the truth about the God whom I love dearly and serve fervently.
- Answers to Prayer by George Muller. I cannot tell you how many times I teared up reading this book. I want to be a man like that, one who is so confident and dedicated to following his Lord and King that he would chronicle and praise his mighty works up until the day he dies. His faith was extraordinary.
- The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer. I want to pursue God in the way this man clearly did. “Men of the breaking hearts had a quality about them not known to or understood by common men. They habitually spoke with spiritual authority. They had been in the presence of God and they reported what they saw there. They were prophets, not scribes, for the scribe tells us what he has read, but the prophet tells us what he has seen.” I want to be the kind of man that speaks from what he has tasted and seen, not what he has read about and come to understand.
- The Torn Veil by Gulshan Esther. This autobiography chronicles the captivating story of a young disabled Pakistani woman in the 1960s who was completely healed by Jesus in a radical encounter with him. She would then endure harsh persecution from her Muslim family, nearly being killed for being a “Christian”. But later in life, her family would experience healing unlike anything they had ever heard of, and many of them would in turn reject Islam to follow Christ.
- Confessions of a Real Estate Entrepreneur by James Randel. I’ve been interested in commercial real estate for a long time, but I’ve never dipped my toes into it. This year, I committed to learning more about it, so I read this book and a few others. I enjoyed the stories, and although I can’t say I’m 100% confident in my ability to do all the math and spreadsheet work yet, I am confident that the general principles from being a software entrepreneur do carry over into commercial real estate as well.
- Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl. This book recounts the harrowing story of the author as he survives the atrocities of the Holocaust. “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”
Writing
For the past few years, I’ve set a goal of writing 6 articles throughout the year. It’s been a reasonable goal, and I once again hit it this year. I published 11 articles, down from the 18 I published last year.
While it’s less than 2023, what’s important is that I hit publish at all. You can’t get better without practice. Writing is no different.
- My 2023 Year in Review – I recount the tale of two halves, with the first half of the year being dark and moody, and the second half being light and hopeful.
- How to Create a Year-in-Review Template – A simple outline to help you reflect on the previous year and get the most out of the next one.
- My Powerful Employee Performance Review Template + Examples – A straightforward template for conducting employee performance reviews, along with some helpful examples.
- How to Deal With Feeling Overwhelmed at Work: 13 Tried and True Strategies – Everyone gets overwhelmed with work at times. I share 13 different strategies that help deal with overwhelm and rediscover balance in work. I even used a couple of them this year for myself.
- How to Write an Authentic and Thorough Self-Evaluation – I believe self-awareness is one of the most important characteristics of anyone looking to grow in their career. This article will help you understand how to perform a self-evaluation that actually catalyzes personal growth.
- Boss vs. Leader: Which One Are You? – Boss is a title; leader is an earned responsibility.
- 8 Examples of Managing Up: Get Ahead by Getting Aligned – Managing up is just as important as managing down. But managing up is hard because it takes proactivity, and most people don’t have it.
- The Magic Wand System: A Proven Way to Make Any Process Better – I never fully liked the name of this, but the process itself is so powerful. It details how to avoid the “Never Again!” trap, which is deadly inside of organizations.
- Discover 9 Common Work Personalities (And How to Lead Each Successfully) – I went through the Enneagram personality types and gave actionable advice for how to lead each one.
- Growth Mindset vs. Fixed Mindset: 5 Examples to Help You Foster a Mindset for Mastery – A growth mindset is the belief that dedication, hard work and a willingness to learn will produce greater abilities that help achieve the desired result. A fixed mindset assumes that abilities are unchangeable and can’t improve.
- The Better Leader Newsletter (Words of Wisdom Explained) – I take time to explain a few of the words of wisdom from one of my most popular articles, Words of Wisdom for My Sons.
Let’s see how the traffic to my site changed from 2023 to 2024:
2023
Pageviews: 134,467
Unique Visitors: 82,673
2024
Pageviews: 175,745
Unique Visitors: 105,142
My most popular article in 2024 by traffic was Words of Wisdom for My Sons, and the article with the biggest improvement in traffic and rankings in 2024 was People Quit Bosses, Not Jobs: Why Employees Are Frustrated With Leadership.
Although some of my writing is public on this site, most of my writing is done in my private journal.
I journal constantly (more than 300 days a year). I’m always working to make sense of what is happening around me, honing my ability to see patterns and understand how my perceptions match up to reality (or not).
I really don’t want to be a person who talks a lot and says nothing.
Journal Entry on March 22, 2024
I also write frequently because I don’t want the above saying to be true of me. Writing helps clarify my thoughts, so that when I do speak, it is more powerful and persuasive than it might otherwise be.
Like with past years, I’d like to publish at least 6 articles next year. I’d also like to publish a few more issues of The Better Leader Newsletter (I only did 1 this year).
What do I want 2025 to look like?
My word of the year for 2024 was simple. My life was anything but simple in 2024, but the goal of simplifying was accomplished to some degree.
My word of the year for 2025 is faithful. I just want to be faithful and obedient to whatever God calls me to do.
I do have a few goals for 2025:
- Go on two overnight trips with Laura. We did it last year, and we enjoyed it so much, we want to do it again in 2025.
- Muscle growth and definition improved by 10%, and body fat below 15% by end of June. Oddly specific, but purposeful. For 10+ years, I have exercised regularly to keep my body in good shape. In 2025, I’d like upgrade my overall physique while reducing body fat. I’ll need to adjust my diet and increase my days in the gym to average 4 a week, both of which are very doable.
- Maintain muscle growth, definition and body fat percentage from July through the rest of 2025. And just as important, I want to keep those improvements for the remainder of the year. I’d like to find homeostasis here, as I think this is generally maintainable for a very long time.
- One “YES” day with each of the boys individually. I ask them what they want to do, and whatever they want to do (within reason), we do it for an entire day.
- Full body health scan. With my dad passing away from cancer at a relatively young age (and others in my family doing the same), I’d like to get a full body health scan as a baseline moving forward. I already have to get a colonoscopy at 38 (2 years away), so I may as well get the baselines for everything else so I can keep an eye on it as I age.
There are other healthy rhythms that I want to continue maintaining, such as reading and praying through the Bible each day, working out regularly and being the man I know I can and should be.
BONUS: My Favorite Pictures from 2024
These are some of my favorite pictures from 2024!
Thank you for reading my 2024 year in review. If you enjoyed it, comment below and share it with your friends.
And I’d love to know about your 2024. How was it? What do you want 2025 to look like?
To being faithful and obedient in 2025,
Thomas
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