My One Word for 2026 [WRAP 202]

Hey Reader,

I’ve been thinking about my word for 2026. I pick one every year, not as a goal but like a North Star. It needs to be something I can come back to when I feel stuck, hesitant, or tempted to overcomplicate things that don’t need it.

This year’s word surprised me a little:

Dumb.

Not careless or reckless and definitely not irresponsible. Just less clever and strategic. Less interested in winning the imaginary argument in my head before actually doing the thing.

💡 One Big Idea: Be More Dumb in 2026

See, being smart has worked out for me. I like planning, thinking things through, asking the right questions, and trying to make the “best” decision.

But recently I’ve noticed that I’m trading too much certainty for speed and the possibility of just seeing what happens.

So “dumb” is my permission slip for 2026.

Dumb means I don’t need a big plan before I start. It means I don’t wait for confidence to show up first. It means I act while things are still a little unclear, trusting that action will teach me more than (over)thinking.

Because when I’m willing to be a little dumb, I move faster. When I move faster, I build momentum. And when there’s momentum, things start to feel lighter and life and work starts to feel fun again.

Most of the real progress I’ve made in life didn’t come from brilliant decisions made at the perfect time. It came from making fast, simple decisions and then making little corrections as I go along.

When I’m dumb, I move faster.

When I move faster, I have more fun.

And when things are fun, I keep going.

So when I catch myself stalling out this year, I’ll ask one question: what would a dumb version of me do right now? And then I’ll probably do that.

📹 Video to Watch:

There's a more expanded, chatty edition of this newsletter as a soon-to-be-released YouTube video. I probably won't have it all the way done until Monday or Tuesday, but as a newsletter subscriber you get the first look today!

📚 Book to Read: The Birth of Paradise​

My friend Nat Eliason wrote a prequel novella to Husk (which I recommended last year) about how the Meru Initiative first started. It's very short and compelling, kinda like if you could interview the people who came up with the Matrix (fictionally speaking). Nat also has some great commentary on modern humanity, parenting, and consciousness. Highly recommend 👏🏻

What's your one word for 2026? Reply and let me know!

Matt "dumb is fast" Ragland