My resolutions for 2026

The Memo from the Desk

I’ve always loved the tradition of setting resolutions for the new year.

Looking forward. Luxuriating in the clean slate of 365 fresh days ahead. I get excited for the potential. The opportunity for new things. The absence of others. The promise of growth.

The dawn of a new year almost forces us to reflect on what we want and need out of life (and what we don’t, which is often just as important).

And I get it. Running a busy studio doesn’t always allow you the time do this reflection and introspection. Finding these moments feels more like a luxury than a need.

But I’ve learned something about myself over the years: without a goal, without a mission, without a north star, I tend to flounder. I work best when I’m working toward something.

It’s why we set goals as one of the very first exercises in Maker Division. Not to create pressure. But to create clarity. To give us a vision of what we’re building toward and why.

We sat down as a family today to talk about things we want the new year to bring. It’s safe to say that my house is stoked for 2026:

• Olivia, my 6-year-old, set a goal to get 6 holographic Mega EX Pokemon cards.
• Willow is determined to make a whopping $500 from her neighborhood poop-scooping business. She’s ten.
• August, who is almost two, wants to eat more “greeps,” his favorite food (grapes).
• Elise (my wife) decided that this is the year she’s launching her bakery.

Then it was my turn. And I hit a wall.

2025 was a hard, wild, fast year. A mad sprint to start Maker Division. An epic client project. A busy campaign schedule. Working through weekends. Getting back on stage. Hosting an in-person retreat. It was a lot.

And there were moments where it felt like I was holding on by my fingertips.

I ended the year exhausted… but not in a bad way. More like the tired satisfaction that comes after doing something meaningful and demanding. I worked hard. I did a lot. I survived.

The last two weeks of the year gave me space to breathe after a job well done.

And when New Year’s Eve rolled around, I wasn’t quite ready to check back in. The idea of setting goals felt overwhelming. Heavy. Almost intimidating.

What finally helped me break through that resistance wasn’t a goal list.

It was a Not-Do List.

I started writing down the things I wanted to stop doing. Or at least do less of. And almost immediately, the wheels started turning.

Instagram was at the top of that list.

I’m addicted to the endless scroll of short-form content. My finger feels magnetized to that little rainbow-pink icon. I can’t tell you how many nights I snapped out of a “quick scroll before bed” only to see the clock blinking 2am.

And here’s the thing: making reels doesn’t actually satisfy my need to create.

Posting disposable content that evaporates after 48 hours feels more like feeding an algorithm than creating something meaningful.

But YouTube? Long form? That hits differently for me.

And just like that, a resolution appeared.

Less consuming. More creating.

I can work with that.

Once I had that first not-do, something interesting happened.

Instead of feeling stuck, I felt momentum. Each thing I wanted to do less of revealed four or five things I actually wanted to do more of. And before long, I had a list that didn’t feel heavy.

It felt energizing.

When I looked at it as a whole, patterns started to emerge. These weren’t just tasks or targets. They were themes. Principles. A way of thinking, working and living that felt right.

That’s when the resolutions became clear.

REsolutions

These aren’t goals. They’re operating principles. Filters I can run decisions through when things get busy, noisy, or unclear. If something doesn’t support one of these things, it’s probably not for me this year.

Create more. Consume less.

From this point on, I will spend more time actively creating than passively absorbing. That means more making, writing, designing, woodworking, and building… all things that leave me feeling energized and accomplished.

Publish progress. Not perfection.

I can’t tell you how much good work my perfectionism has kept hidden. This year, I’m choosing momentum over polish. Sharing things before they feel “done.” Accepting that all things can be iterated upon and sharing things before they feel “done.”

Build ahead. Not from behind.

Last year, I spent a lot of time reacting. Counterpunching. Prioritizing short-term things that felt urgent, but may have just been loud. Not this year. This year I’m choosing proactive, long-term moves. Building systems, products, habits, and platforms that reduce future chaos instead of responding to it. Prioritizing building the vision instead of putting out fires.

Live better. Not just busier.

I don’t just want the work to move forward… I want life to feel better too.

And that means investing more into my health, my home, my family, and my daily experience. Strengthening the relationships that matter. Feeling proud of my environment. Of who I see in the mirror.

Creating a life that feels good to live in.

Commitments

These are the things I’m actually committing to doing this year. They’re all within my control. They create momentum. And they’re how I’ll execute my resolutions and strive towards the outcomes I want.

Relaunch the Maker Division website

Last year, I put together our existing site in about two weeks - this single page website has served us well, but it doesn’t feel like us anymore, and we want it to carry more weight.

Host two live Maker Division retreats

After the smashing success of Maker Vegas in 2025, we’re hooked. More live, in-person events that hit harder and make a bigger impact inbound.

Launch four Maker Division free resources

I know how powerful a freebie can be. I’m committing to dropping four new, high-value free resources this year designed for those who create.

Finish overhauling the primary Maker Division curriculum

Stephanie and I started this project last year, and this year we aim to finish it. New content, more impactful action-items, and more resources added to the already-stacked curriculum.

Launch two new Maker Division products

Two brand-new, top-secret, never-before-seen products are coming your way. Want to guess what they are? Hit reply and lemme know. We’ll pick one correct answer to win access.

Grow the Maker Division team

In order to accomplish our company goals, we’re going to need some help. We’re building our plan for scale internally during Q1.

Launch Watson MVP

I’m working on launching an all-in-one business management software for creative professionals called Watson. We’re kicking off the MVP with a client portal, project and task management, approvals, and file storage. Our goal is to launch in Q1 this year.

Launch Watson Invoicing & Payments

As a fast-follow to the Watson MVP, we will be building a simple way for creatives to send invoices and accept payments from their clients.

Publish twelve YouTube videos

My personal channel has been long-neglected. That changes this year - I’m going all in on YouTube, and abandoning all other platforms (Instagram and LinkedIn included).

Relaunch my personal website

Another project that has been tabled for too long. I’ve got a lot of work that needs a home, including some design case studies that have never seen the light of day.

Finish ten woodworking projects

More time in the shop?! Hell yes. I’ve got a whole host of project ideas, from office shelves to tool holders that are dying to break out of the sketchbook.

Monthly dad-venture with all three kiddos

Between working most weekends last year and a crazy soccer schedule, I didn’t get to do many one-on-one dad-ventures as I wanted to. We’re bringing that back this year.

Daily water, walking, sleep routine

It’s kindof amazing how much this stuff matters. Getting eight hours of sleep, drinking enough water, and walking daily helps me feel so much better (and lose weight).

Finish the Lord of the Rings walking challenges

I’m walking to Mordor, peeps. I signed up for the Lord of the Rings walking challenge with The Conqueror last year. This year, I’ll arrive at Mt. Doom.

Complete four 5k races

I hate to start running… but I absolutely love it when I get going. I love the 5k race scene - it’s such a fun thing to do as a family on the weekends.

Take on two intentionally-chosen client projects

Last year, I took on one incredible client project: Refreshing the Mode brand identity with Matthew Encina. I’d like to work with two clients this year, but these projects will be intentionally chosen and will fuel the other initiatives

Renovate home office

I’ve spent two years in this office, and I’m grateful for it. But… the space isn’t well used, and the deep dark green walls are starting to feel a little cave-y. Time for a change.

Outcomes

These are the results I’m working toward through the commitments. They aren’t something I’m chasing day to day. They’re a scoreboard. Metrics I’ll use to check whether the strategy is working.

These don’t define the year. They measure it.

Outcomes also last on the list for a reason. I’ve chased certain outcomes at all costs before, and I know where that road leads. It’s not the life I want to live. This year, I’m prioritizing how I think and what I do before the outcomes… because that’s how we actually experience this wild life.

Increase Maker Division revenue by 42%

There are more than a few sub-goals within this, like increasing our member count, reducing churn, and launching new efforts. We had a solid first year in 2025, and we’re going to build on that strong start.

Award two members the six-figure project badge

In the Division, we award badges for significant milestones in the creative entrepreneur’s journey. It’s a great way to celebrate together, and a great way to make sure what we do… works. I’d like to see two people win a six-figure project (Over $100k in revenue) this year.

Award 20 five-figure project badges

Landing a project valued more than $10k is an extremely important milestone for a creative. It is quite literally a game changer. We’ve handed out 62 of these badges over the last two years, and I’d like to see at least twenty more this year.

Reach 20k subscribers on my Youtube channel

Honestly, subscribers are a vanity metric. View count, watch time, and view duration are far more important tactically… but here’s why it matters to me: subscriber count means that someone watched a video, enjoyed it, and wanted more.

Lose 50 (more) pounds

Last year, I lost about 30 pounds. Nothing special, just eating right, moving more, and trying to get good sleep. I’ll be 40 years old this year, and I’d like to ring in that decade at a healthy weight.

Bring in Watson’s first dollar in revenue

Watson is currently pre-revenue. In 2026, my goal is to see the first dollar processed by Stripe. That will be the first indication that we’re building something great.

Closing Thoughts

Look I don’t think all of our goals need to be set in public. But I do think that sharing them can help drive clarity and resolve. That’s what this newsletter did for me.

I’d encourage you to take a few hours and set some concrete goals for your year. Set your resolutions. Commit to actions. Label your outcomes.

And if that feels overwhelming, try starting where I did. With your not-do list. With the things you’re ready to let go of, that no longer serve you.

See what shows up when you create a little space.

Sometimes the clearest path forward starts with deciding what you’re done carrying.

I don’t know exactly how this year will unfold. Things will break. Plans will change. Life will do what it does.

But I do know how I want to show up.

And truthfully… I’m excited.

Here’s to a year of intention, progress, and building ahead… not from behind.

Sincerely,

Ben Burns

Co-Founder, Maker Division

P.S.We heard that the Jan 1 deadline was a little inconvenient for some of you. So we extended legacy pricing an extra two weeks - Join before Jan 15 to lock in current pricing.

Analog Productivity by Simon Carl Köber

The Watchlist

It's not often that the Youtube algorithm brings me a video from people I know… much less from a Maker Division member! Check out how member Simon Carl Köber manages his world with analog tools.

Watch the video

Jessy May

Artist We Love

More member love! Jessy May is one of our 2025 Showcase winners. Go check out her profile for bold lines, vibrant colors, and splash of grit and chaos.

Follow on instagram

“My Blood” by Tyler Joseph

On Repeat

This is not only a great song, but it's an awesome acoustic rendition of it. All heart from a dude and a grand piano.

GIVE it A LISTEN