2016 was a year of difficult choices and useful lessons. Here is an honest account of both.
Business Model Shift
I stopped offering development as a standalone service, completing this transition by October. When coding is sold as a service, the real problem is X but the person commissioning the project thinks the answer is Y — the classic XY problem. Development should serve a larger purpose owned by both client and developer, not be an end in itself.
Productivity
Despite publishing only 26 blog posts — down from 50+ in previous years — I completed six websites and two applications. The new approach prioritises meaningful outcomes over billable hour accumulation. The metrics look worse. The work feels better.
Personal Challenges
The first half of 2016 proved difficult personally. Health suffered under entrepreneurial stress, and various relationships required individual attention and care. Simpler living proved better than overambitious pursuits. That is a lesson I keep relearning.
The Takeaway
2016 taught me to avoid problems rather than solve them when the avoidance is the smarter call. And it gave me gratitude for the people who stayed close during the harder months. Both things are worth carrying forward.