A vision without a decision is just a nice thought.

Barely a week has passed since the start of the new (working) year. The Christmas and New Year holidays—which our SOS team rightfully took from Christmas until the first Monday of January—already feel far away. Honestly? It feels as if they never happened. Huh. Is that good or bad? Both.

Good, because the year started with plenty of inquiries. Bad, because I’m already back at full speed and have completely forgotten what “off” even looks like. It’s interesting how you look forward to a break—any break—only for it to pass in the blink of an eye, and suddenly you’re back in motion. And every year, it feels like that motion is faster.

Of course, I also ask myself whether this is just my perception. Maybe I simply have less energy each year. We’re not getting any younger. Aging is real. That, too, may be part of the story.

Still, I can’t shake the feeling that the rushing is intensifying. The world feels increasingly uncertain. At least in Europe, there’s a strange mix of fear and courage, combined with a collective observation of what politicians, driven by their egos, will cook up for us this year. How do I notice this? Simply put—there’s a lack of decisiveness.

Decision-makers are taking more and more time to decide. They wait for guarantees. For proof that something will definitely work. That it will deliver results. But 100% guarantees don’t exist. They never have. And they never will. At least not in the real world.

So why do individuals—acting on behalf of companies—take so long to make decisions?

The truth is probably a combination of all of the above. And something more: a lack of courage, desire, and vision.

Uncertainty itself is not a threat. It’s an opportunity—for those who can recognize it in time and transform it, through strategic thinking, into a competitive advantage.

My friend Peter Thommen thinks along similar lines in his recent newsletter Smart Perspectives – Insights from retail & shopping destination experts. If you haven’t read it yet, I recommend it:
https://smartgifty.com/why-predictions-for-2026-are-already-wrong/

Back to the core. Desire. Courage. Vision.

That’s the key difference between those who move forward and those who prefer to complain and look for reasons why something can’t be done. Of course, we all complain sometimes. I do too. Sometimes simply because we objectively don’t feel like it. Simple as that.

Of course, you get burned. I have—more than once. But that’s not the point. The point is what you learn from it and whether you keep going. Whether you get back up. Continue. Everything depends on how strongly you believe in your goal and how much you’re willing to invest to make it happen.

I only wish this energy would last longer than two weeks. That it wouldn’t follow the pattern of most New Year’s resolutions: gym, enthusiasm, 14 days. Third week—problem. And then we forget we ever promised ourselves anything.

What do I wish for 2026?

- More courage

- More vision

- More collaboration

- More positive decisions

And personally? Of course, all of the above—and also:

- To be present in (at least) three new markets with our SmartGifty solution, which—without—false modesty—is certainly one of the best gift card solutions in the world

- To continue working so well with the SOS team and to expand it further

- To manage to take more time for myself and for rest

- More days in the mountains with my wife and more moments where there’s no one else around—just the two of us, our picnic, a freshly brewed coffee, and silence broken only by the wind as we look out into the distance

These are not just wishes; they are my goals for 2026. And courage? For me, courage means returning to one of the Middle Eastern countries where I had already founded a company before Covid—for a concrete business opportunity that once had me sitting at the table with high-level individuals, ministers included. I invested a significant amount of money and lost it—for various reasons—but the time has come to continue the story where I left off.

And you?

Have you already set any goals? Even just one small but clear goal. Decided today. And one you know you will follow through on.

I wish you health, laughter, joy—and above all, courage and vision.