Before the Year Ends, a Few Questions That Matter

One of the hardest shifts for me in moving from Econ with Dr. A to Decode Econ has been the quiet loss of the professional development content I so deeply love writing.

Decode Econ has grown in ways I’m proud of. It reaches broader audiences, tackles bigger economic questions, and is more publicly visible than my earlier work ever was. But with that growth came tradeoffs. Some of the reflective, personal, and professional development–oriented writing took a back seat.

In our recent reader survey, one response caught my attention:

“Don’t stray from topics and types of content you’re passionate about—even if there’s high demand. Personal interest naturally makes content engaging and higher quality. Most of all, it feels authentic.”

That feedback resonates with me.

So today’s post is a return to that space. It’s not about forecasting, policy debates, or breaking news. It’s about reflection—something I recommend for career growth, and something I personally believe we don’t do enough of.

Reflection

Last year, I shared a set of end-of-year reflection questions.

I didn’t know how they would land, but the response surprised me. Many of you reached out to say you paused, reflected, and had conversations you wouldn’t have otherwise had. So I’m sharing them again—this year’s version.

It’s been a crazy, busy year in the Al Bahrani household. A lot of highs—which you often hear about—and some struggles that don’t make it to social media. Some moments felt like losses at the time, but with distance, they turned into wins. There were new beginnings with Decode Econ, along with new partnerships, collaborators, and contributors who reshaped my work in ways I didn’t expect.

Congrats to Dr. Jeni Al Bahrani. On December 13th, 2025, we celebrated her graduation from NKU with a Doctor of Education degree.

8 Questions

As the year winds down, these are the questions I’m sitting with. I invite you to sit with them too:

1. What was an unexpected win this year?

2. Who or what inspired you?

3. In what ways did you grow this year?

4. What idea—from a book, conversation, or experience—changed how you think this year?

5. What are five things you’re proud of that won’t show up on a CV, metric, or social post?

6. What moment emotionally caught you off guard this year—and why?

7. Who showed up for you in new ways this year?

8. What are you willing to let go of next year to protect what matters most?

In the coming days, I’ll share some of my own reflections—including what this year taught me about Decode Econ, building community, and choosing to write more.

If you’ve been a reader of Decode Econ, whether quietly or actively, you can help shape what comes next by completing our reader survey. Thank you to everyone who already has. Your input genuinely helps guide where this work goes next.

Here’s to rest, perspective, and asking better questions before turning the page.

Share your answers to the questions with us, or post them on social media and tag us.

A Note of Gratitude

Last year, Jose Fernandez used these questions to create a series of social media posts. It became one of my favorite parts of this tradition. I learned more about who he is, how he thinks, and what mattered to him in that season of life.

If you choose to reflect publicly, I’d love to learn from you too. Leave a comment, or share your reflections and tag us. Reflection is powerful on its own, but it’s even better in community.

Thank you for being here and for always showing up!