It’s 2025, and I’m done holding back.

For the past few years, Aaron Francis has been a quiet force in my life—his approach to work and life feels electric. Phrases like “You can just do things” and “What if you just tried really, really hard?” aren’t just words for him. They’re a challenge. A call to action. He even named his company Try Hard Studios, as if to underscore the point: effort isn’t just an idea; it’s a way of living.

And yet, I’ve let hesitation fill. There’s a constant thought in the back of my head: “Why bother? Someone’s already done this. It won’t matter.” That voice has stopped me in my tracks more times than I’d like to admit. It’s crept into my work, my ideas, even my personal life.

It’s that moment when you have an idea for a side project but immediately dismiss it because the market feels saturated. Or when you think about sharing a thought or piece of work online and stop, fearing criticism or indifference. Even in personal decisions—like reaching out to an old friend or signing up for something new—that same doubt lingers: “What if it’s not worth it? What if I’m not good enough?” It’s easier to sit on the sidelines, wrapped in the safety of inaction, than to risk failing in public.

But then there are those moments that snap things into perspective. Like when someone said to me, “You’re going to miss picking up your kids’ LEGO blocks one day.” That hit me. Those little moments are the ones that slip through your fingers the fastest. It’s not just about doing the big things; it’s about being fully present in the small ones.

Aaron once wrote about the stigma around trying hard. He pointed out how people avoid effort because of the fear of looking like they care too much. Cool kids don’t try; they just float effortlessly from one success to another. Except, that’s a myth. Watch any documentary about someone great—a Lionel Messi, a Taylor Swift, a Kobe Bryant—and what stands out is how hard they worked. These aren’t stories of coasting; they’re stories of grit, of putting in extra hours when no one was watching, of trying harder than anyone else around them.

This year, I’m done with the hesitation. I’m saying yes—to ideas, to opportunities, to messes, to diving deeper into podcasts, to showing up more in the Laravel community, to hugging my kids longer, to writing that blog post that’s been stuck in my head, and to taking on challenges that scare me. Especially to hugs. I’m going to try hard at being present with my family, even when I’m exhausted. I’ll try hard to tackle projects that feel daunting. Even when it’s uncomfortable or uncertain, I’m going all in. Because maybe Aaron’s right: what if I just tried really, really hard?

Trying hard doesn’t mean perfection. It doesn’t mean success every time. It means putting weight behind the things that matter, both big and small. It means silencing the voice that asks, “Why bother?” and replacing it with one that says, “Why not?”

So here’s to 2025. Here’s to going hard as possible. Here’s to trying, failing, and trying again. Here’s to being fully present in the moments that matter. Here’s to saying yes.