Hi friend! Coach Will here 👋 Welcome back to another Tuesday Newsletter.

As this year wraps up, I wanted to get a little vulnerable with you before we head into the New Year ❤️

I’ve been more stressed than usual lately. I’ve felt more pressure than ever and strangely, more behind than I ever did in my early 20s… even though I’ve hit the goals I once dreamed about (and then some).

I’ve noticed how overstimulated I feel.
How hard it is to slow down 😖
And how easy it is to reach for distraction instead of just being present.

On the plane ride home from Christmas with my family, I finally gave myself space to journal. And I landed on something simple (and rather privileged)...

There’s too much in my life.

It's ironic because we’re taught that more is the answer.

• More stuff.
• More goals.
• More friends.
• More growth.

I wonder if you ever feel this too (or am I alone in this? 😅😅)

So the question I’ve been sitting with these last few days—and the one I want to invite you into:

What if we changed our approach this year?

I don’t think 2026 is the year to add more. I think it’s the year to remove and simplify.

If this resonates with you, here’s how I’m thinking about simplifying in a way that’s intentional, not just aspirational.

Not a “yeah, that sounds nice” idea... but something you can actually live out in 2026.

Step 1: Redefine what success means to you

Before we simplify anything, we have to get honest about this.

Most of us are chasing a version of success we never consciously chose.

• More achievement.
• More productivity.
• More proof that we’re doing enough.

It’s inherited, absorbed.

And it's leading to a lot of your kid's confidence and motivation struggles too 😬

So for 2026 pause and ask:

• What does a good year actually look like for our family?
• When I picture my kid thriving, what am I really hoping for?
• What matters when no one else is watching?

Clarity here is everything.

You can’t simplify if you don’t know what you’re aiming toward.

Step 2: Find the 20% that drives 80% of that success.

I’ve been having a next-level obsession with the Pareto Principle heading into 2026.

If you’re not familiar, it’s the idea that in most areas of life, 20% of actions lead to 80% of results.

And the older I get, the more painfully true this feels.

I see it everywhere:

• 20% of my habits lead to 80% of feeling good
• 20% of the stuff I own brings 80% of my joy
• 20% of what I coach leads to 80% of student wins

The problem is most of us spend our time stressing about the other 80%—the stuff that doesn’t move the needle—because we feel pressure to get everything right 😣

The quest to perfection feels productive but it’s usually just distracting.

So ask yourself:

What actually matters?

And almost every time I ask myself, the answer is a short list.

Here are a few of my personal 80/20s right now:

1. Fitness: Running 15+ miles per week.
2. Relationship: Weekly date nights and handwritten cards.
3. Business: 1:1 coaching and 3 hours of deep work in the AM.
4. Rest: Golf, long walks, movies, dinner with friends.
5. Material Stuff: Coffee, car, Lululemon hoodies, cold plunge, sauna.

Those things give me most of my energy, joy, connection, and momentum.

But if I’m honest, most of my time and energy gets spent outside of them.

Then when it’s time to run, plan a date night, or take a long walk with no agenda... I feel too tired or burnt out.

I'm putting sand in before the rocks 👇

When we don’t protect/prioritize the rocks, sand fills our jar. When we put rocks in first, we feel great AND we still have time for the other stuff too.

Finding your 80/20 isn’t about doing less just to do less. It’s about letting go of the extra (even good extra) so you can double down on what truly matters.

And this applies to parenting too!!

When kids feel pressure to do everything, they usually end up doing nothing well. But when they focus on the right few things, confidence and momentum show up fast.

If you’re wondering how to actually apply this, I'm running a free workshop in January walking through it step by step. And I don’t say this lightly—I think it could change the way you approach your time, your energy, and your family life.

Bold claim, I know… but it’ll be amazing 🤩

Reply to this email with 'WEBINAR' so I can gauge if it's something that you'd find valuable!

Step 3: Commit to one intention per month. That’s it.

This might be the most important part. I'm going against culture's push to set 10 New Year Goals and encouraging you to set 0. Instead of a 2026 intention, set a January intention.

For 30 days, commit to mastering something from your 80/20 list that you don't already do consistently.

In February? Pick another.

By the end of the year, you'll have twelve focused intentions.

❌ No piling on.
❌ No chasing everything at once.
❌ No focusing on 80% of actions that only leave you more stressed.

This is how simplicity actually sticks.

And as you already know, this approach doesn’t just reduce stress for parents. It gives kids permission to:

• Slow down
• Let go of perfection
• Focus on the process, not just results
• Build confidence through consistency

And that’s the kind of year most kids (and parents) actually need 😁

If you want to dive a little deeper into this whole '2026 is the year for less', I really encourage you to join my webinar in January on it!

More info will be coming sooooon ☺️

To to the best year yet! 🥂

-Coach Will