Dear 2026

I’ve been paying attention.

To the people who opened up to me this year.
To the pressure they carried.
To the questions they whispered because they weren’t sure anyone would understand.
And to the world around us…, shifting in ways none of us can ignore.

What This Year Revealed

Amazon announced thousands of cuts.
Microsoft reshaped entire divisions.
Verizon adjusted its workforce again.
UPS, HP, Intel…, all moving pieces on the board.

Different industries.
Different strategies.
Same message.

The ground underneath people is moving.
Faster than expected.
Faster than many are prepared for.

And through every conversation I had this year, one theme kept rising above the rest:

People felt like they were losing control.

I heard it from seasoned executives.
I heard it from young professionals.
I heard it from people in transition, people searching, people trying to hold on, and people trying to rebuild.

They all wanted the same things:
Security.
Purpose.
A chance to make a difference.

But far too many believed they had no real influence over any of it.

Today is different.

Acceleration changed the landscape.
AI changed the landscape.
Decision cycles changed.
Expectations changed.

And the cost of handing your power over to someone else grew heavier than people realize.

The Year Ahead

So 2026, here’s where my head is as I approach your twelve months.

I’m entering you with a clear intention:
Help people take control back…, fully, deeply, honestly.

Because control creates strength.
Strength creates confidence.
Confidence creates direction.
Direction creates purpose.
And a person with purpose becomes very hard to shake.

That’s the work ahead.
For me.
For you reading this.
For anyone who wants a different experience this year than the one they had last year.

So here’s what I learned in 2025, and what I’m bringing with me.

1. Know yourself in a real way

This year showed me how many people walk into work each day unsure of what they’re truly capable of.

Some haven’t been asked.
Some haven’t been encouraged.
Some never had a leader who cared enough to help them see it.
Some forgot their own strengths under years of pressure.

But understanding who you are…, what you bring, how you think, how you solve, how you operate under pressure…, gives you something rare:

A foundation that cannot be taken from you.

And here’s the question I kept coming back to:

If you had to provide for your family with your own two hands, your own mind, your own heart…, if everything depended on your ability to create value on your own…,
what would you do?

Answering that question creates a different level of awareness.
It reveals instincts.
It reveals gifts.
It reveals possibilities you may have brushed aside for years.

That’s where control begins.

2. Build yourself every day

Progress is fuel.

Whether it’s my three Spartan races, the training behind them, or the moments when I pushed myself because I knew it mattered…, the goal was never the medal.

It was the growth.
The discipline.
The way it sharpens your mind.
The way it strengthens your confidence.
The way it prepares you for things you can’t see yet.

Growth creates readiness.
Readiness creates opportunity.

I want that for you.
Not in a motivational way.
In a practical, life-changing way.

3. Take control of your path

This is the heart of it.

Handing your future to a company, a boss, an algorithm, or a market condition carries more risk today than ever before.

I wrote about this in The Only Job Security You’ll Ever Really Have, and this year validated every word.

Control lives in your hands…
in your ability to create value,
to build relationships,
to communicate clearly,
to show leadership at every level,
to develop a craft,
to understand your worth,
to make moves that align with who you are and where you want to go.

This is where power returns.
This is where your story shifts.
This is how you enter a future where you decide the direction, instead of waiting for someone to choose it for you.

4. And yes… appreciate what you have

I saved this for last on purpose.

Because appreciation grounds you.
It pulls you into the present.
It lifts your mood, your energy, your clarity.
It reminds you that even in the push for more, life already holds things worth valuing.

A calm mind sees opportunity faster.
A grateful heart feels stronger.
A steady spirit moves with intention.

Appreciation doesn’t slow you down.
It steadies you for everything ahead.

So, 2026… here’s my promise to you

I’m coming into this year with a fire to help people step into control again.
To help them see their value.
To help them build confidence.
To help them stand stronger than the noise around them.
And to bring this message to more people than I ever have before.

Which means I’ll take on fewer one-on-one clients…
and pour more of my energy into the work that reaches thousands:
my talks,
my book,
my self-paced programs,
my newsletter,
my podcast,
and everything I build to help people rise.

The time is NOW!

And if you’ve been with me through all 94 weeks…
thank you.
From the bottom of my heart.

Here’s to a year where you take the pen back.
Where you write your own story.
Where you carry yourself with strength and intention.
And where control lives where it always should have:

With you.

With Absolute Sincerity,

Ed Clementi
Founder & CEO of Inspired Fire, LLC

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