It’s 2019. I always say this, but I want to say it again: we’re getting older, and time passes so quickly that we don’t even have the chance to stop and enjoy the view. Every year, I’ve opened a New Year’s post like this and written something. Now I’ll quickly look back at those. If you’d like to check them out too:
2018 post: Greetings from Day 736206! – 2017 post: Welcome to 7102!

This year, I’ll continue my writing in a similar way to those two posts. Keeping a style going, a tradition, a sense of continuity makes me happy. So, let’s first check whether I accomplished what I had planned last year. The ones I fully achieved will be marked with “1,” the ones I didn’t will be “2.”

• Master English properly. (Get at least 70 on TOEFL.) → “2” Actually, I don’t really know because I didn’t take the test.
• Write the new book you had in mind. (Photoshop Manipulation book.) → “2” Instead of publishing a printed book, I now think preparing an online course is better.
• Produce more content for Udemy. (Adobe Premiere Pro course.) → “1” I accomplished this and I’m really happy about it.
• Increase blog posts to once a week, better quality. (Minimum 52 posts.) → “2” I wrote 31 posts in total, plus 2 drafts, not 52.
• Double the subscriber count in one year: from 8,000 add 16,000 more. → “2” I gained 10,903 new subscribers, but still short of the target.
• Prepare new Career Talks episodes. (26 episodes.) → “2” I managed 11 new ones, so didn’t reach the goal.
• Prepare tutorial sets for YouTube. (Camtasia 50, Illustrator 50, Java 60 lessons.) → “2” Since I started Udemy, I didn’t really produce for YouTube seriously, but I did record about 10–20 new Camtasia lessons and uploaded them.
• Read more books. (Minimum 25.) → “1” I surpassed this by July 2018, even read more than 30. I even made a video about it.
• Watch fewer series, anime, videos. (Keep total series under 5.) → “2” Honestly, I don’t think I followed this. I didn’t watch many series or videos, but I still watched a lot of anime.
• Be truly budget-conscious and consistent. (Keep an income-expense notebook.) → “2” I tried, but wasn’t really disciplined with money.
• Figure out your internship/work plans. Decide what you want to do, where to work. → “1” I think I made a decision, so this is positive.
• Accomplish 6 items from the “27 Before 27” list. → “2” I didn’t complete even one item in 2018.
• Finally, finish school, Burak. → “2” Not finished.

Out of 13 goals, I achieved 3. The rest I either didn’t do or half-did. Now Burak, I ask you: why? With so many goals, why so few achieved? The delay in finishing school bothered you, but you also did good things this year. Let this low success rate motivate you, not demotivate. Set more realistic and balanced goals. For example, instead of aiming for 6 items from “27 Before 27,” set 2. Many of those items require lots of effort and money.

Also, you didn’t only stick to the list—you did extra things. You started internships at two different companies. You gave lessons and talks at GDG Trabzon, Eyüp Anadolu High School, Rami Atatürk Anadolu High School, and Boğaziçi University. You made higher-quality videos. You joined hackathons, rocket competitions, and started new adventures. 2019 could be an interesting year—you know it, and I know it. You launched the “Gezgin Harfler” storytelling project. You gave Turkey’s first YouTube training for ages 9–11. You did many things! Even renovating your balcony into a room—something I’d normally be too scared to attempt—you pulled it off, installed your own window. So these goals don’t fully define you. You do so many other things alongside them. That’s why goals should be set proportionately, so you don’t get discouraged.

For this year, I’ll write new goals, but this time in my diary. I’ve started a new one—it’s more weekly than daily, but sometimes I write day by day.

Wishing you success in 2019. My advice: make sure you’re working both for your dunya (worldly life) and your akhira (hereafter). When both are in balance, the result will be good inshaAllah.

The simplest things you need to do:

• Work,
• Believe,
• Don’t give up,
• Be well-mannered,
• Keep your nafs (ego) under control.

That’s it. If we get to see another year together, how lucky. You’re 25 now—what are you waiting for? Remember, everyone’s time flows differently. Don’t compare yourself to others. Live your life, and help others live theirs. Stay well, and may Allah protect you! 🙂