The embers of the decade are growing cool as we head into the twenties. I’m always reflective around this time of year but the inevitable talk of the end of the decade and the fact it is also the end of my fourth has dialled this up. Rollercoaster doesn’t really cut it.

  • I got married to my long-term partner.
  • I had some stories published.
  • I had the worst 12 months of my life, culminating in the loss of our eldest child who died during labour in 2013. The fallout from this continues to impact our day-to-day lives.
  • Following our loss, we had two wonderful rainbow children who are both fucking awesome (and very, very, funny).
  • I left the business I spent most of my career working for to return to Wales with mixed results.
  • We sold up in London and bought in Wales providing a modicum of security we’ve never had before.
  • I ran three half marathons and a bunch of 10ks to raise money and awareness for SANDs.
  • I built an editorial team, refined one of my novels with them, found a cover artist, and put my first novel out. In the last year, I earned more from writing (… still a very small number before anyone gets excited…) than the rest of the decade combined.

Someone, possibly Tim Ferris, once said that most people overestimate what they can do in a year (guilty as charged) but underestimate what they can do in a decade (also guilty as charged). A decade is actually a really long time. My goals for the coming decade are simple:

  •  Raise my children while trying not to mess with their heads.
  • See how far I can push my writing/publishing.
  • Try to help people as much as I can.

The lesson from the decade for me is that none of us are really in control of much and so much is a by-product of chance. It’s a miracle any of us are here at all. So be kind.

Have a good end-of-year.

Button with his dad.

Like what I do? Sign up for my latest updates and receive occasional free fiction.