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40 Questions to Ask Myself at the End of 2024

· 6 min read
Pitt Wu
Pitt Wu
Software / Product Engineer

A year-end summary for 2024. Continuing last year's format, reflecting on the year by asking myself questions once again.

1. What did you do this year that you've never done before?​

  • Joined HexSchool's tutoring program and actually started recording teaching videos and doing trial lectures. After procrastinating for two years, I finally took the first step.
  • When I moved back to Taipei, I found a rental place near the mountains. Waking up to a mountain view every morning was nice in itself, but the misery of commuting completely overshadowed that comfort. I left after six months.

2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions?​

I didn't even set goals at the start of the year -- I was too busy looking for a job and in survival mode. If I had to name one, staying alive was the goal.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?​

No.

4. Did anyone close to you die?​

No.

5. What cities/states/countries did you visit this year?​

Nowhere. This year was too hectic to plan any trips.

6. What do you wish you had next year that you didn't have this year?​

  • A better quality of life -- not just the cycle of making money and raising a kid.
  • Actually launching my personal brand. I can't keep putting it off; this is the third year now.
  • A career pivot toward Software / Product Engineer.

7. What date will remain etched in your memory forever? Why?​

The day at the end of July when I left the Taipei company and got the fully remote offer. Half a year of commuting finally paid off.

8. What was your biggest achievement this year?​

  • Successfully switched back to fully remote work in the second half of the year, with better pay.
  • Joined HexSchool's tutoring program and started recording teaching videos and doing trial frontend lectures. For someone who's been procrastinating on this for years, that was a real breakthrough.
  • At that company with barely any structure, I met a group of solid frontend colleagues who became friends.

9. What was your biggest failure?​

My personal brand still has no concrete output. I did start doing trial teaching, but it's still in the "practice" phase -- nothing public-facing.

10. What difficulties did you face?​

  • In the first half of the year, I moved back to Taipei with my wife and son. Rent costs skyrocketed, and commuting drained both my energy and time.
  • We sent our son to daycare at first, but he kept getting sick so often that we gave up and found a nanny instead. Fortunately, we found a really good one.

11. Did you get sick or injured?​

The kid got sick pretty frequently.

12. What was the best thing you bought this year?​

Nothing particularly memorable.

13. Whose behavior deserves celebrating?​

My wife endured so much this year -- moving, childcare, adapting to a new environment. She worked really hard.

14. Whose behavior shocked you?​

Nothing in particular.

15. Where did most of your money go?​

Taipei rent and the kid. Same as last year -- my son is still the biggest expense.

16. What were you really, really, really excited about?​

The moment I got the fully remote offer.

17. What song will always remind you of this year?​

I didn't particularly follow any songs.

18. Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder? Thinner or fatter? Richer or poorer?​

About the same. No dramatic changes in life -- just oscillating between stability and exhaustion.

19. What do you wish you'd done more of?​

  • Personal brand output, whether videos or writing.
  • Technical depth -- not just completing work tasks, but understanding the fundamentals.
  • Exercise.

20. What do you wish you'd done less of?​

  • Pointless anxiety.
  • Procrastination.

21. How did you spend the holidays?​

At home with the kid.

22. Did you fall in love this year?​

My wife and I kept our usual rhythm.

23. Is there anyone you disliked this year that you didn't last year?​

No.

24. What was your favorite show?​

Nothing I followed in particular.

25. What was the best book you read this year?​

I didn't finish a single book. All my time was fragmented.

26. What was your biggest musical discovery this year?​

None.

27. What was your favorite movie?​

Nothing memorable.

28. What was your favorite meal?​

Can't remember. Every meal this year was rushed.

29. What did you want and get?​

Fully remote work.

30. What did you want and not get?​

Traveling abroad. Last year we went to Japan; this year we went nowhere.

31. What did you do on your birthday?​

Had a simple meal with my family.

32. What one thing would have made your year more satisfying?​

If I'd found a remote job at the start of the year, I wouldn't have had to move to Taipei and then move back.

33. What was your personal fashion style this year?​

Same as last year -- comfort and simplicity.

34. What kept you sane?​

The friends I made through HexSchool's tutoring program, and that group of great frontend colleagues. In a company with barely any structure, mutual support among coworkers mattered even more.

35. Which celebrity/public figure do you admire most?​

No one in particular.

36. What political issue stirred you up the most?​

None. My attention to politics hit an all-time low this year.

37. Who did you miss the most?​

My wife and son.

38. Who was the best new person you met this year?​

Those frontend colleagues and the people from HexSchool's tutoring program.

39. What was the most valuable life lesson you learned this year?​

Similar to last year: many things are far harder than expected, but if you push through, looking back it's really not that bad. In the first half of the year, commuting felt like it was driving me insane. After going back to remote in the second half, that period turned into a decent story in hindsight.

40. What quote sums up your year?​

"Done is better than perfect" -- the first half of the year was about survival; the second half was about slowly getting back on track.