My Vietnam in Year of the Snake ??

5 min read

The solar new year is out of the way, and now in Vietnam people are stocking up on blossom, kumquat trees and decorative red envelopes to hold lucky money. T?t (Lunar New Year) is right around the corner.

Each year is represented by an animal. We’re about to enter the Year of the Snake.

The Year of the Snake is synonymous with renewal and regeneration. A chance to shed the skin of the old and push forward anew.

So what’s in store for 2025 as we march towards a new decade?

• A shift in the World Order as we know it?
• A chance for regeneration of major powers?
• The year someone buys the rights to The Expanse seasons 7 to 9?

For me in Vietnam, it has marked the year my family left Hanoi after almost a decade for me and 15 years for my wife.

We decided to move to the middle of Vietnam, between Hoi An and Da Nang. The former is known for its old town and rice paddies, while the latter is about as similar as Vietnam has to Miami, just without the flash cars, crocodiles and associated mayhem.

There is no “Da Nang Man” archetype, as far as I’m aware.

My Focus in the Year of the Snake ??

Small Wins, More Often Than Not.

"People overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate what they can do in ten years.”

This quote is often attributed to Bill Gates, although it’s probably been around for centuries in one form or another.

In 2024, I set myself audacious goals for my work, development, fitness and family. They were too audacious and while I made great strides toward some, I fell totally short of others.

This year my approach will focus on consistent small wins. The kind your partner might point out after a few months, but are invisible to the rest of the world until years later.

These small wins are directed at becoming a certain type of person rather than achieving specific outcomes. The type of person who:

• Pursues healthy habits more often than not (￡2 orange brownies making this difficult…)
• Is committed to professional and technical growth
• Reads when there is a minute
• Writes regularly, for myself and for others
• Is patient and demonstrates self-control
• Is aware of his lot and grateful for what he has
• Practices generosity where it can be spared
• Takes full responsibility for outcomes

Goals imply an end-point. But life goes on. Habits and your core identity last with you throughout your life and help to shape positive outcomes.

Financial Planning Focus in 2025

The association of a new year with fresh starts and positive habits makes it a perfect time to focus on future financial planning.

This could include making a practical budget, opening a savings account, investing for retirement, or making sure your Will is up to date.

Financial planning doesn’t take place in isolation. It is an essential component of your goals (desired outcomes) and the processes (habits) you build to reach those outcomes.

In 2025, I challenge you to become someone who is in control of their finances and making measurable progress towards reaching long-term goals.

You will overestimate what you can achieve in a year, yes.

But real planning—real wealth generation—doesn’t happen in a year. It’s measured in decades, not days.

Feel free to reach out to me if you would like a friendly, no obligation chat about your goals and your financial planning (and how the two intersect).

My desired outcome is to help as many people with this as possible—both because it gradually grows my business over time (both through onboarding clients and through generating referrals after giving people honest assistance) and because putting my skills and expertise to good use is the morally right thing to do.

Financial literacy is sorely lacking in the world today.

Whether you would like to talk about you, or even organise a workshop for students or something else. I’m happy to help.

This Year of the Snake, be open to shedding the skin of complacency and start making real progress towards your goals.

Chúc m?ng n?m m?i! ?? ??