New Year new me?
As we begin a new year, it’s a great time to reflect on personal growth and set some fresh goals. This year, I’m focusing on building new skills, challenging myself, and staying consistent. Instead of just making a list and forgetting about it, I’m setting actionable goals to keep me on track and accountable.
Here’s what I’ve got planned for 2025—a roadmap for growth and development.
1. Read at Least 12 Technical Books
This year, I’m challenging myself to read one technical book per month. The goal is to dive into topics that will expand my expertise as a Site Reliability Engineer, like distributed systems, performance optimization, and system design.
I’m not aiming to memorize every single detail from these books, but rather to absorb key ideas, improve my understanding, and find inspiration for projects and problem-solving. If I can finish the year with 12 great reads under my belt, I’ll consider it a win.
2. Complete 200+ LeetCode Problems
Practice makes progress, and solving 200 LeetCode problems is my way of staying sharp this year. Algorithmic thinking and data structures are core skills for any engineer, and I want to keep honing those abilities.
Beyond the technical skills, this challenge is also about persistence and discipline. Tackling problems regularly not only helps with interview prep but also keeps my problem-solving muscles active.
3. Make My First Open Source Contribution
This one’s exciting and a little daunting. I’ve always wanted to dive into the open-source world, and this year, I’m making it happen. Whether it’s fixing a bug, adding documentation, or implementing a feature, I’m keen to contribute to a project that aligns with my interests.
It’s not just about giving back to the community—it’s also a chance to learn from some seriously talented engineers. And who knows, maybe I’ll even start my own project one day.
4. Learn More About System Design
System design is one of those areas that feels equal parts fascinating and overwhelming. This year, I want to improve my understanding of it and write a few blog posts on the topic. This year, I want to deepen my understanding of key concepts like scalability, reliability, and trade-offs.
As I learn, I’ll aim to break things down into approachable chunks and share my thoughts in blog posts. Writing about these topics will not only help solidify my understanding but also (hopefully) provide value to others interested in the same areas.
5. Regularly Create Posts
This blog is an opportunity to document my journey, share my insights, and connect with others in the tech space. One of my key goals for the year is to publish posts consistently.
I don’t expect every post to be perfect or groundbreaking, but I want to stay in the habit of writing. Whether it’s reflections on books I’m reading, lessons from LeetCode problems, or thoughts on system design, I’ll be using this blog as a creative outlet to track my progress and contribute to the broader engineering conversation.
The Bottom Line
2025 is about growth, persistence, and pushing my boundaries. I might not hit every goal perfectly, but the journey itself is what matters most. By the end of the year, I hope to look back and see clear progress—not just in my technical skills but also in my consistency and mindset.