Health – 2026 – The year of intentional thinking

Over the holidays, I picked up Clear Thinking by Shane Parrish. As a regular listener to his podcast, The Knowledge Project, during my commute, I was eager to dive into his latest book. It’s an unapologetic synthesis of insights from the many brilliant minds he’s interviewed, blended with his own practical applications. Reading it prompted me to think (no pun intended): we make countless decisions – big and small – every day, yet we’re rarely taught how best to think, in order to get the best outcome.

In the spirit of Parrish’s approach – distilling wisdom into actionable ideas – here are a few key lessons from the book that I’m carrying into 2026, along with my own reflections on how they apply to life and work.

Make decisions, not just choices: At first, the distinction wasn’t obvious to me, but it comes down to effort. A choice is simply picking from available options, often on autopilot. A decision, however, involves deliberate reasoning: weighing pros and cons, considering consequences, and committing thoughtfully. When outcomes truly matter, invest the time. I’ve been married to Sonya for 18 years, and we have an unspoken rule: I exhaust my “decision quota” during the workweek. By Friday evening, when anyone asks about weekend plans, I’m often drawing a blank – decision fatigue is real! In 2026, for the things that count, I’ll prioritize decisions over quick choices.

Direct your energy toward what you can control: A close friend and early business mentor, Arthur Neely, once gave me tough but invaluable feedback after a major business change I could have handled better. He said, “You can spend time involving people upfront, or spend time putting out fires later – choose where to invest your energy.” I’ve applied this ever since in our clinics. This echoes a core idea in Parrish’s book: focus on the controllable factors that position you for success, rather than wasting effort on the uncontrollable. In 2026, I’ll remind myself to channel energy strategically.

Simplicity is the result of hard work, not the starting point. (Often attributed to historian Frederic Maitland in variations.) We’re frequently in a hurry to tackle complexity or leap to the next level. True mastery, however, comes from automating the fundamentals – the mundane basics – through relentless practice. Whether in a profession, sport, hobby, or trade, excellence starts with nailing the essentials.

There is no perfect moment – only the ongoing desire to wait for one. I’ve long believed there’s rarely a “perfect” time for major life steps; there are always trade-offs. We can rationalise for or against almost anything. The real perfect moment? It’s now. Waiting often stems from fear disguised as prudence.

In 2026, I’m committing to applying these lessons – and others from the book – daily. When facing decisions in life or business, I’ll aim to pause, clarify options, and create space for clear reasoning. Practical rules I’ll adopt: never say yes to a first-time request over the phone (buy time to think), and always draft emails, then review them the next morning before sending.

Here’s to 2026: a year of conscious, clear, and decisive thinking for us all!