Are you a brake or gas guy? An always-accelerate gal or not so much? Maybe you never look back. Or ahead. Nevertheless, it is time for our annual year-end review and fresh year forecast. We could analyze 2025 water under the bridge. But let’s not. We’re talking 2026, a clean slate and year. It’s all good, right?
An executive coach is part shrink of necessity, and this one will cut to the chase about those voices in your head. You know… the “can’t,” “don’t,” “didn’t,” reminders that smack talk shortcomings, failure, never-going-to-happen. At no charge, three tips urging you to accelerate and the first one is big.
Talk But Never Listen
Our 2026 coaching session, pep talk, call it what you will is not about audible voices but rather thoughts. Your thoughts… the one’s that seem near permanent or at least constant. They’re about career, relationships, and whatever is ahead, or maybe behind. Perhaps they’re positive or hopeful thoughts, and if so, good. But for many, returning thoughts replay under one human nature heading. Doubt. You know better, want to win the mental gymnastics… but what do you do when Doubt keeps yapping? Here it is…
Talk to yourself but never listen to yourself.
That’s right… ponder the thought a bit. Remind yourself of who you are, what you can do, how you get it done. Talk to yourself about your achievement, blessings, opportunity and whatever fits your life narrative that got you this far. Is it all tidy and perfect? Absolutely not, and everyone’s in the same boat as you.
Aloud if you must but talk to yourself from that positive perspective. And the counter side… do not listen to doubt. Simply commit to not entertaining the negative no matter how loudly Doubt knocks. To be clear, this is not a license to reject good advice and constructive criticism. That would be foolish. This is about that devil named Doubt. Don’t let him in. Talk… don’t listen.
Accept, Accelerate, Capitalize
If the talk-listen concept seems soft, here’s some straight talk. Accept your reality. 2026 will be a year of extremes. Technology, government, and culture will drive it.
Artificial Intelligence may end your job… or inflate your IRA.
If you’re about solar/wind energy there’s reason to worry… or celebrate if fossil fuel signs your checks.
The Wall Street bubble is the biggest ever… until it isn’t.
You can fill in the blanks on your story.
Media… consolidation.
Auto… EVs out.
Government… deregulation in.
We could go on. Make the commitment to get two or three steps ahead of your reality, fine tune a plan, execute. The key is to capitalize on the reality where you find yourself. No tea leaves are needed. You can… and should anticipate in order to capitalize.
Have Some Faith
Lastly, you must believe to succeed. This is more complex than a jab from your buddy, “Have some faith, man.” Faith in what? Humanity, fate, chance, God? Each of those four is actually a religion unto itself and only the last one survives the test of time. Belief has here-to-eternity consequences. But let’s stay in 2026. Or better, go back a century to hear a voice of certain reality and capitalism.
“Whether you think that you can, or that you can’t, you are usually right.”
It’s the distant voice of Henry Ford who schooled himself to industrial icon status. Mass produced cars… check. Convert to WWII plane production… check. The Edsel… uh oh… check. The Mustang… check… well after Ford’s day… but just in time for another auto giant named Lee Iacocca.
Three Steps to Accelerate Legacy
Remember you’re going to leave a legacy too… but let’s just get through 2026 for now.
Talk to yourself but never listen.
Accept reality, accelerate, and capitalize on it.
Have some faith.
Here’s to a great 2026 on your end. Happy New Year to you!
