Even though we've been talking about it for weeks, even though it's a time when people are making resolutions to stop procrastinating, though the deadline was clear, it's the last two days of the year where we see the most signups for The 2026 Daily Stoic New Year New You Challenge. Like far and away the most registrations.
It's ironic…it's also revealing. Because this is what we do, isn't it? We think about doing something…we set a goal or an intention, we know there's something that would do us good...but we put off actually doing it until the last minute.
Why? To give ourselves an excuse to not have to follow through? Because maybe we want to hear that we can't, that the window has passed. Because we overestimate our ability to follow through or follow up?
Maybe it's just that timeless thing that all fools have in common, as Seneca said, that they are always getting ready to start. We say: I'm going to get to it…just not quite yet. I'm going to do it…I just need to take care of some other things first.
You know you'd like to eat better. You know you'd like to get in better shape. You know you'd like to get more organized. You know you'd like to complete that creative project or learn that instrument or reconnect with that old friend. You know you're capable of more.
And when will we do this? Eventually. And then what happens? Time sneaks up on us.
In Meditations, Marcus rebukes this tendency—not only as lazy, but arrogant and entitled. To act "as if you had endless years ahead of you." is crazy…and not true.
No, he writes, death overshadows you. None of us should take the future for granted. While you're alive and able he said, be good. If it's good to do, do it now.
Stop telling yourself, "at some point." Stop being arrogant and entitled. Stop acting as if you have endless years ahead of you.
You don't. Memento Mori. You are mortal. You don't have unlimited time.
How many New Years have you watched pass with the same list of things you'd "get around to?" How many times have you told yourself "this is the year" only to find yourself, twelve months later, in the exact same place?
If you don't want 2026 to be another year of putting things off, we created the New Year, New You Challenge for you. It's 21 actionable challenges, presented in an email per day, built around the best, most timeless wisdom in Stoic philosophy.
We'd love to have you join us and thousands of other Stoics around the world getting better on January 1st.
It's 3 weeks of waking up each morning, opening the email, and taking action toward becoming who you know you can be.
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