It’s funny how the things you once thought were a hard no end up being your biggest breakthroughs.
That’s exactly what happened when I reflected on my year and had an honest look at what worked – and what backfired – in 2025.
I recently spoke about the 7 business habits I had totally sworn off in 2025 that I’m now absolutely doing in 2026. What seems like a reversal on the surface is really a deeper lesson: growth isn’t linear, it’s a series of course corrections based on real results and real people.
Here’s what shifted and why it matters for your strategy in the year ahead.
1. Saying Yes to Opportunities That Don’t Feel Perfect
In the past, I treated every opportunity like it needed to tick all the boxes before I’d say yes.
That changed.
Turns out, perfect conditions rarely exist. What actually matters is momentum and sometimes momentum comes from one imperfect yes that leads to real learning and real relationships.
So in 2026, I’m being choosier about fear-based no’s and more curious about strategic yes’s.
2. Avoiding Live Interaction with My Audience
At one point, I swore off live Q&As and events because they felt messy and unpredictable.
But here’s the truth: live interaction builds trust faster than pre-recorded content ever can.
2025 taught me that imperfect, real-time connection is more valuable than polished but distant messaging. I’m doing live formats again and loving the clarity they bring.
3. Treating SEO as a “Nice to Have”
For a long time, SEO was something I nodded at and then promptly ignored.
In 2026, I’ve flipped that mindset.
Search isn’t just traffic, it’s a discovery path for the right people who are actively looking for what you do. That means clarity of message and discoverability.
It’s no longer optional.
4. Thinking Longer = Better
There was a time when I believed the longer the content, the more value it delivered.
Now I know better:
Value isn’t about length…
it’s about precision, relevance and actual usefulness.
Short, clear pieces that meet people where they are often do more work than long pieces that people skim past.
5. Waiting for Perfect Launch Conditions
Waiting rarely creates opportunity.
Acting with clarity does.
2025 taught me that action – even with questions still hanging – moves things forward. If clarity is there, courage follows. Perfect conditions? They’re a myth.
6. Underestimating the Power of Community Feedback
I used to think community feedback was nice, but not necessary before launch.
Now I treat it as essential.
Real people, real questions, real doubts, they help shape offers in ways I would never have seen from my own assumptions alone.
Community isn’t an audience…
it’s a partner in co-creation.
7. Believing I Had to “Earn” Every New Strategy Before Trying It
There’s a belief that you need to know everything before you adapt.
I discovered the opposite:
You don’t need to be an expert in something to start learning through doing it.
Testing early, getting feedback, iterating fast: that’s 2026-level strategy.
The Truth About Rethinking Your Approach
What makes these “sworn off” habits interesting isn’t that I reversed course.
It’s that they were based on assumptions, not evidence.
The year taught me:
- Shift when the data says so
- Be bold when clarity meets alignment
- Choose action over perfection
Those are the kinds of course-corrections that actually drive growth.
Where the work becomes clearer
If you found yourself nodding at some of these shifts or if you’re ready to rethink your strategy for 2026 with more clarity and intention, Volume is a great next step.
It’s a space where you can refine your ideas, explore new approaches with support, and build momentum in the right direction, not just the loudest one.
Growth isn’t about doing more: it’s about doing what matters.
