This isn’t a year-end reflection.

It’s a deliberate continuation.

Not a pause. Not a tidy conclusion. It’s a build – an endorsement of the last few months, and in truth the last twelve – and a clear statement of intent for what comes next.

As leaders, we often talk about momentum, ambition, and delivery. As people, we feel the pull to say yes – to opportunities, to communities, to requests to speak, host, chair, mentor, and inspire. Panels, workshops, talks, events. Some for ourselves, many for others. For diversity. For visibility. For progress. For doing the right thing.

That work matters. I still believe that deeply.

What the last year sharpened for me is this: contribution without direction isn’t leadership – it’s erosion. Of time. Of energy. Of focus.

That realisation showed up most clearly in the biggest decision I made – choosing to leave NCC Group. It wasn’t a dramatic exit or a failure of capability. It was a conscious acknowledgement that I was no longer adding the value I expect of myself, and the joy had gone. Staying would have meant drifting. Comfortably paid, yes – but steadily eroding my own momentum.

Money matters. But it isn’t always the point.

I’ve always known I can give a lot. I’ve done it consistently, for decades. The risk has never been effort. The risk is sustainability – knowing when effort stops compounding and starts draining.

So I made different choices.

I stepped back from some commitments. I stepped forward into others – but with clarity, structure, and firm boundaries around my time. Not because I care less, but because I care enough to do things properly. To show up with energy. To add real value. To last.

I love my work. That hasn’t changed.

I love people. I love technology. I love building things that matter. I love helping others thrive. What I’ve had to reinforce is that my happiness, wellbeing, and focus are not optional extras in that equation. They are the foundation.

The last year reinforced a few truths.

I’ve learned to be direct without losing compassion. I’ve learned to let go when I can’t add value, or when the cost is higher than the return. I’ve learned that business and money matter, and so do fairness and integrity. None of this is soft. It’s disciplined leadership.

So I’m not resetting. I’m building.

Building on the clarity, intent, and momentum of the last months – and the years and decades of learning behind them. Building with focus on what genuinely matters. Directing energy where it compounds, not where it drains. Channelling drive toward outcomes, not noise.

Right now, that means Relentica.

Building it thoughtfully, sustainably, and with standards and values I won’t compromise. Choosing impact over volume. Progress over activity. Long-term success over short-term comfort.

Not burning out. Not over-committing. Not confusing busy with effective.

Just doing the work that matters.

That’s the intent.

And that’s how I’m starting the year.