At the start of a new year, I take the time to set my focus for the coming year. By being selective about where I direct my energy, I believe I can achieve results that are exponentially greater than if I split my attention. More details about the process are in this blog post and you can review the results from past years here. 2026 Theme: (en)courage Of all of the ‘en’ words, this one is my favorite. I especially love the contrast between the two words. Courage stands bold and classically masculine – a warrior going into battle, a knight going to fight the dragon. Encourage, in contrast, seems softer, like words from a cardigan sweater wearing kind old neighbor. But both words share the same root. They are about acting in the face of difficulty. As someone said, “Courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph