Hey solo boss,

As we run full speed towards the new year, it’s tempting to jump straight into goals, plans, and new ideas. But let’s take a moment before any of that and answer one simple question:

What do you want your business to feel like next year?

Think about the kind of work you want more of, the clients who bring out your best, the sort of days that leave you satisfied.

To help with that question, I use a five-part framework called the Fulfilment Roadmap. It is a set of exercises that allow you to:

• Reflect on what worked this year,
• Use those insights to set standards and goals for next year, and
• Create a simple operating playbook for your business.

By the end, you’ll have your own 2026 guide you can lean on for clearer decisions and feel‑good boundaries.

I’m sharing a summary below. Follow the links to dive into each step with easy-to-complete, practical exercises.

Five steps to shape your best year yet

1. Collect data and notice patterns.
Scan the past year for projects, clients, and decisions that felt good and the ones that quietly cost you more than they gave back. This first step helps you identify which projects, clients, and milestones from this year you want more of. So when you sit down to plan 2026, you’ll know what works for you.

Part 1: The Harvest ​An hour of reflection to save a year of repetition. Read full story →​

2. Turn your patterns into clear boundaries.
Decide what “good work” and “good clients” mean for you, and what you’re no longer willing to say yes to. In the Compass exercise, you’ll create a simple filter you can use whenever new opportunities, ideas, or requests arise.

Part 2: The Compass ​From knowing what works to knowing what to pursue. Read full story →​

3. Define your priorities.
List what you’d like to achieve next year, then narrow it down to 3-5 specific goals, based on what you discovered about yourself in the previous steps and what you want to experiment The Map exercise helps you identify your top priorities for next year. So, instead of trying to do everything at once, you'll decide what gets your time and what goes on the “not now” list.

Part 3: The Map ​Deliberately choosing priorities for next year. Read full story →​

4. Create your decision-making guide.
Bring your insights and goals together in a reference document that you can revisit when you feel pulled in too many directions. In this step, you'll define the questions to ask yourself before saying yes to anything new.

Part 4: The Engine ​Create your decision-making playbook. ​Read full story →​

5. Create space and time to recharge.
Your future plans should always include sufficient rest, so you’ll have the energy to pursue your goals. Looking at what has recharged you this year, block time for more of it in 2026. In this last step, follow the Fuel exercises to identify which activities energise you most and how to make more room for them next year.

Part 5: The Fuel ​Create space and time to recharge. ​Read full story →​

You don't need a perfect plan or revolutionary goals. You just need a clear sense of where you're headed, what you want more of, what you want to avoid, and a few simple rules to guide you when things get noisy.

The new year is a fresh start, and as a business owner, you're allowed to focus on what matters to you in a way that feels sustainable.

Take some time with these questions over the holidays. Let them simmer while you rest. January will arrive soon enough, and when it does, you'll have your own compass ready.

The Solo Boss perspective

Theory is great, but what about practice? Here's how the Solo Boss team members approach the New Year in the real world:

Wrapping up for the year…

Speaking of rest, at Solo Boss, we’ll be switching off from 19 Dec to 5 Jan. We’ve been working hard since summer, and need the downtime to read, walk, clear our heads, wrap some gifts, and remember what it feels like to not be in response mode.

I hope you’ll carve out some downtime too and enjoy every minute of it.

See you in the new year, Reader, refreshed and ready.

Merve

​

PS. Before you leave your desk, don’t forget to set your out-of-office reply. Bonus points for adding a personal touch AND pointing people to something they can explore while you’re away, such as your blog, a podcast appearance, or a useful resource. Give them value while you’re switched off, and give yourself permission to actually switch off.

PPS. Follow us on socials for inspiration, tips, and updates.

​​

​