Hi friends,
Happy new year to you, and happy birthday to me! Today, I’m turning 36 and this is also the 300th edition of the Ness Labs newsletter! To celebrate, I have a gift for you: a short exercise to help you approach 2026 with curiosity.
Through my research, personal experience, and the thousands of stories from the Ness Labs community, I’ve come to believe that growth shouldn’t be about self-optimization but about self-discovery.
Download the template, give yourself 30 minutes to complete it this week, and I guarantee you’ll feel more excited and genuinely curious about the year ahead.
And if you’ve been enjoying this newsletter and my work in general, there’s one birthday present I’d love: would you consider leaving a review for my book Tiny Experiments on Amazon or Goodreads? Reviews are one of the best ways to help books get discovered and your words could help this work reach someone who needs it.
Thank you for being part of this journey with me. Here’s to another year of self-discovery! Anne-Laure.
Quit smoking, make more money, lose weight, wake up earlier, be more productive… The start of a new year often brings pressure to set resolutions that focus on optimization and achievement.
But what if instead of asking “How can I get better results?” we asked “How can I get more curious?” These six questions are designed to help you approach 2026 with both courage and curiosity, embracing the messy, uncertain, and deeply rewarding work of self-discovery.
1. What skill or topic am I willing to look bad at while learning this year?
As adults, we are often hired based on the quantity of answers we provide, not the quality of the questions we ask. It means there’s an incentive to look like an expert, like you’ve all figured it out. In 2026, break free from the shackles of perceived expertise and start learning in public. Pick a skill or topic you’re truly curious about, and allow yourself to make mistakes, iterate, and embrace the inherent messiness (and sometimes cringe!) of lifelong learning.
2. Who is the one person I want to get to know better?
One of the best gifts my friend Ryder Carroll gave me this year was to create a monthly recurring catch up meeting in our calendars. No agenda, just asking honestly how we’re doing, the experiments we’re running, the doubts we’re experiencing. Ask yourself whether there is one relationship you’re willing to invest one standing hour per month in, then ask this person if they’d be happy to schedule a recurring meeting once a month, whether online or over coffee.
3. What will I say no to every week this year to protect what matters most?
If you’re highly curious and highly ambitious, chances are there are many opportunities for you to explore new projects and ideas, whether they’re offered to you by others or you come up with them yourself. Instead of automatically saying yes, create a firm boundary you’ll stick to every week, whether that’s to protect your time, your energy, or your attention.
4. What is the one conversation that, if I had it this year, would most change my trajectory?
We sometimes avoid the most important conversations, perhaps because they’re uncomfortable or might bring temporary uncertainty and instability to our lives. Is there a conversation you’ve been avoiding that could change the trajectory of your career or your life in general? If so, actively explore how you can have this conversation – the earlier in the year the better.
5. What is one thing I will create and share even if it’s not perfect?
Most of us have a backlog of half-finished projects, creative ideas, or insights we’ve never shared because they don’t feel ready. This year, commit to creating and sharing at least one thing that feels imperfect, whether that’s publishing a rough draft or sharing a work-in-progress project. Choose something that feels like it’s 70% there, then put it out into the world anyway.
6. What is a tiny experiment I will run this year?
We make many of our decisions based on cognitive scripts, automated patterns of thoughts and beliefs we inherit from our family, friends, and society at large. This year, question your scripts by running at least one tiny experiment, whether that’s experimenting with the way you work, connect with others, or manage your health. Use “I will [action] for [duration]” to design a mini-protocol, and learn from the results without aiming for a particular outcome.
If you’d like to explore these questions in your own time, you can download my New Year Self-Discovery Questionnaire worksheet which includes instructions and space for you to write your answers.
These questions aren’t meant to be answered once and forgotten. Consider revisiting them quarterly, or whenever you feel stuck in old patterns. Remember: growth happens in the liminal spaces between what you think you know and what you’re brave enough to explore.
Happy New Year 🙂