I was never really the type to set annual goals—mostly because I knew I’d forget them entirely by the end of the year. Somehow, though, I’ve found myself setting targets, making predictions, and making promises these years. Is it just to save myself from writing one long newsletter?
Actually, it’s two: once you have goals, you get to write another post at the end of the year to review them.
Last year, I set eleven goals and only managed to finish four. This year, I’m following the path of least resistance—not by trying harder to finish the other seven, but by ruthlessly cutting the list down to four. Don’t hit me; as I said the year before last: “I used to want to dabble in everything; now I want to let go of more.” Life is counting down (don’t worry, I don’t have a terminal illness—at least not that I know of). Only by abandoning side quests and “dungeons” can I focus on the Main Quest.
1. A Weekly Newsletter, Come Rain or Shine
As long as I can still write—and write in a way that is still distinguishable from AI—this will remain my baseline goal every year.
I don’t stick to a weekly schedule because I think readers will lose sleep if they miss an issue. On the contrary, judging by the drop in open rates during holidays, I suspect many readers are actually hoping for a break. But I don’t let anyone rest, because I know that if I stop for even one week, “not writing” will gradually become a habit, and eventually, I’ll find I can’t write at all.
The rhythm stays, but the format is up for negotiation. Especially this year—at least for the first half—I’ll be simultaneously editing and writing Attack on Freedom. I don’t want the new content to appear in the newsletter before the book is published, so the style of the newsletter might change. I’m not sure how yet; perhaps it will be more lifestyle-oriented, “Diary of a Fool” style, or just more rambling. If I do stick to my “Three Pillars of Freedom”, it will likely be Financial Freedom related, or topics like privacy and decentralized identity.
Take this week, for example: I wrote about 8,000 words for the Attack on Freedom manuscript, and on top of that, I was hit by an avalanche of LikeCoin v3 support queries. I honestly couldn’t squeeze out a long-form newsletter. Fortunately, since it’s the start of the year, I can get away with using “Annual Goals” as filler.
Wait—is the idea that “only long-form counts as a newsletter” just my own wishful, outdated thinking?
2. Complete Attack on Freedom
The other Main Quest for 2026—you guessed it—is publishing Attack on Freedom. Although the IBO (Initial Book Offering) introduction was cleverly vague about the official publication date, I can’t exactly drag it out until 2027.
Besides, even if readers are kind enough not to mind buying “book futures” in 2025 and only receiving the book in 2027 (which is actually quite fast compared to off-plan property!), I’d worry about the variables. Who knows if AI will be able to “one-click” a book by then, or if having the word “Freedom” in a title will have become illegal? The above is just nonsense—but I fear it’s the kind of nonsense that isn’t too far from the truth.
As an “imperfectist,” my goal for Attack on Freedom isn’t “perfection”—that’s a goal that only leads to unfinished projects. However, I have raised my personal expectations for this work. Beyond having more original text and a heavier editorial touch, the layout will be richer than the previous two volumes. Although it’s being published through the brand-new IBO model, the final product should feel very traditional—at least the physical copy will. And with 100 co-publishers contributing their collective wisdom, the production time will likely be longer.
btw, the first editorial briefing is scheduled for the end of this month online. I hope all 100 co-publishers will be in place by then. We’ve sold 88 copies of the IBO so far, with 12 left. If you want to participate in the first IBO in publishing history, now is the time.
3. Build and Consolidate LikeCoin v3 + 3ook.com + JustBooks
If you’re looking at my four goals and wondering which one I’m dropping—LikeCoin, 3ook.com, JustBooks, DHK dao, or writing—thank you for knowing me so well. But you’ve been fooled again. By covering three “pits” under one goal, I don’t have to abandon any of them. Cheating is shameful, but it works.
But calling it “cheating” isn’t entirely fair. The truth is, I’ve been working toward this for years, and I’ve finally dug these three pits into one giant crater: LikeCoin is the underlying DeBook protocol; 3ook.com is the 3rd gen bookstore application built on top of it; and JustBooks is the specialized storefront for 3ook.com, providing ebook previews and technical support. You could call it a legal quibble, but before the v3 upgrade, no matter how much I argued, it was hard to link these three elements together.
Furthermore, Attack on Freedom is being distributed on 3ook.com, and DHK dao just migrated to the Base chain last week. The communities on the LikeCoin and DHK sides will have much more interaction. If I were thick-skinned enough, I could even claim I’m being incredibly focused and only doing one thing.
Then again, if I say that everything I do is more or less related to books, I wouldn’t be wrong.
4. Conditioning My Body
Yet the final goal for 2026 is not about books. I have to refocus on my health, which I’ve basically given up on for quite a while.
I hesitated when writing the sub-header. “Conditioning” sounds like a verb reserved exclusively for old people, doesn’t it? But I couldn’t find a more suitable word, and I can’t deny my age any longer.
What exactly is wrong? I can’t say for sure. As far as I know, there are no urgent or fatal issues, but at the same time, everything feels like it’s deteriorating. I have minor ailments all over, and my stamina has plummeted; I get tired easily. Moreover, my muscle strength has regressed sharply. Not long ago, I could do ten push-ups. After being inactive for just “a while”—less than two years, I think—I suddenly can’t even do one. It feels like I looked away for a second and aged from “zero to one.” It’s a strange feeling, meeting this version of myself that is so physically incapable.
Whether this rapid weakening is purely due to lack of activity or perhaps eating too little meat, I’m not sure. Regardless, I must face it this year. Otherwise, I’m afraid next year’s list won’t have four goals—it’ll only have one left.
P.S. There are only 24 days left until the LikeCoin upgrade deadline. Since unstaking takes 21 days, I’ve been spending this week writing while simultaneously mass-notifying users who haven’t upgraded yet for the N-th time. For those with larger holdings, I’ve been sending emails manually from my own account in batches. Even though I deliberately paused between every hundred emails, I still triggered Proton Mail’s nerves and got banned from sending for 13 hours. That might go down as my longest record for not sending an email in a very long time. Email is too important to me; I can’t afford to play with fire like that again.
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