The power of intention.

Like many people, I took the last month off. But I did something that doesn’t usually get labelled as “growth”.

I stayed put.

No flights. No itinerary. No dramatic change of scenery. Instead, I chose a staycation here in Perth. With one deliberate rule: every single day, I did something new. A different walk. A different place to spend time. A different café. A different conversation.

What surprised me wasn’t just how recharged it made me feel, but how much perspective it gave me. We’re often told growth lives in disruption and distance, yet this break reminded me that freshness doesn’t always come from going further.

Sometimes it comes from paying closer attention to what’s already in front of us.

Be Remarkable

We’ve now had a full month to test our best laid plans for the year.

The New Year arrives carrying hope, ambition, and a long list of things we swear will be different this time. Better focus. Better habits. Better leadership. Better communication. More gym, better foods!

And yet, beneath all that optimism sits a quieter truth: intention is fragile. It’s easily hijacked by noise, urgency, and old patterns. We don’t fail because we lack desire. We falter because distraction is constant, and sadly discipline is human.

Being remarkable in 2026 won’t come from grand resolutions or louder promises. It will come from intention made visible. From choosing, again and again, what truly matters and then communicating that clearly to ourselves and to others.

Psychologically, clarity beats willpower. When purpose is vague, behaviour drifts. We’ve all been there. But when intention is precise, decisions simplify.

Remarkable leaders don’t try to do more. They decide what deserves their attention, name it, and design their communication around it. What they say yes to. What they say no to. What they repeat. What they let go.

In a world that constantly pulls us off course, intention isn’t a nice idea, it’s a leadership practice.

So as the year opens, the question isn’t What do I want to achieve?

It’s What will I be intentional about when distraction shows up?

Because 2026 won’t become extraordinary by accident.

It will become remarkable by design.

Be Remarkable — Final Thought

This is a big one. It’s challenging and a little confronting — but it’s a technique I use with many of the people I coach.

It’s simple, yet it requires real thought. If you do it properly, a few clear actions should emerge.

Ask yourself this:

If 12 months from today I’m doing pretty much the same job, with the same person, living in the same house, and doing the same things… is that OK with me?

And if you’d like to share your thoughts, I’m always happy to hear them.