Looking Forward with Reason | Rule of Reason Ep. 24

As we step into 2026, this episode of Rule of Reason is a moment to pause, reflect, and look ahead with clarity.

In this New Year’s episode, I reflect honestly on 2025 — what I hoped to achieve, what I learned, and why laying foundations mattered more than numbers or growth. I also share what I’m aiming for in 2026, including more long-form conversations, more stories, and a continued focus on meaning and hope.

This isn’t a political podcast. It’s a space for thoughtful conversation, for sharing real stories, and for reminding people that they’re not alone — even when life feels busy, overwhelming, or isolating.

We close with a simple but important question as we enter the new year:

What’s one thing you could focus on that would genuinely make your life — and the lives of the people around you — a little better?

If you’re interested in reflection, responsibility, faith, relationships, and building a meaningful life in a noisy world, you’re in the right place.

📺 YouTube: @RuleOfReason

📸 Instagram: @theruleofreason

🎵 TikTok: @rule.of.reason

🐦 X (Twitter): @TheRuleofReason

📩 Contact: ruleofreasonshow@gmail.com

Transcript

G'day, everyone, and welcome back to Rule of Reason.

And my summary episode for 2025.

And I, the reason I'm posting this on the 1st of January is because I also want it to be an episode talking about what to expect in 2026.

I'm just gonna be honest and raw with you in this episode.

As you can see, uh, I'm gonna hand hold the mic today just because the setup that I have here is not fantastic, uh, but also, I'm surrounded by tiles and glass.

I'm outside, and there's a lot of people around, and so I'm trying to minimise as much background nose as possible, so the audio quality for you is good.

The other thing is, as you can see behind me, I'm in a very beautiful part of the world, and I thought it would be nice for you to all be able to see the backdrop, so the camera is focussing on, uh, that from a lighting standpoint, rather than on me.

And I have no lighting gear.

So, if my face is not lit up well, and so it all looks a little bit terrible, I apologise for you to those of you who are watching.

But we're going to make the best of what we can with what I have with me here.

If you're wondering, I'm in Samoa.

So I will be spending my New Year's.

Today's the 31st, and yeah, I will be one of the 1st people in the world to welcome 2026 because of where it is compared to international Dateline.

Anyway, so, got a few notes here on the iPad just to keep me on track so I don't waffle too much, but, Just to reflect on 2025, Honestly, did I reach the goals that, hey, I had hoped to achieve?

Um, I will say no, but the reason why I hesitate is I'm really proud of what I managed to achieve.

I mean, I did 3 interviews, long form interviews.

I would have liked to have done more.

But I also have a full-time job, which is the reason why I'm here.

I'm married, I have 4 kids.

I have a lot of other Um, things that I've committed to in my life.

And so adding this podcast in certainly adds a lot of extra time and effort that I'm committed to doing to make it watchable and, um, you know, the audio quality that is not painful to listen to.

And it's not an Arabic expertise for me.

So I'm learning a lot, 2025 certainly was a year of just getting started and creating something that was good enough for people to watch and to listen.

I had no expectations of going viral, had no expectations of anyone even watching.

Um, I think on YouTube, my average videos are 10 views, um, Some of the shorts maybe are over a 1000 views, but in the social media world, a 1000 views, it's not very much.

So, What I created in 2025 was a platform.

It was a foundation to build on.

So that gives me something going in 2026 where I've already started, which is the hardest part. 2026, then allows me to establish a more consistent base.

Uh, yeah, so, what I really wanted was a year of foundation and building, and...

I actually listened to a podcast yesterday with Chris Williamson, and one of the things that I really...

Gave me confidence was that he mentioned, and he's for those of you who don't know, he's done a 1000 podcast episodes. Is in the top 10 podcastcasters in the world.

And he talked about how his very 1st episode, which was him and a mate.

Filming with a blue Yeti Mike, and an iPhone. And talked about wanting to, I think it was kayak across the English Channel or something, you know, from humble beginnings to being one of the biggest creators in the world, it gives me comfort that everyone starts somewhere.

So...

Uh...

Yeah, the last thing I'll say about 2025 is it was also a really good year for me to really work out exactly what I wanted this show to be.

Um, As I've said in other episodes, I did an episode, I think last week, a week before, saying what rule of reason is and what it isn't.

Uh, and while it will have political views occasionally mentioned, this is not a political podcast.

This is a podcast for discovering meaning for discovering hope.

For hopefully being able to relate to some of the guests.

The reason for having different guests from different backgrounds, some people might one day be famous, some, probably most would just be average, everyday people.

But the reason for that, and my heart behind that is by sharing stories.

Hopefully you listening and watching will be able to relate to these people and see that you're not alone, that in this world where it's so easy to feel trapped and isolated and alone, that there are other people out there like you.

So that you can have that hope that you are not doing this alone.

That's why number one, my number one desire for this show is to share meaning and hope and.

Whether you're Christian or not, you know, I've said to you all that I am.

The hope that Jesus Christ gives me and gives everyone, and the truths that he shared through his parables, I want to emulate that, not because I am Jesus, but because I want to model his example for the world.

So, going into 2026, I'm hoping to do a lot more interviews.

I'm hoping to, I have a few lined up.

I've got, um, The dates yet to be set, but I have one with a retired Qantas captain, share a lot of his flying career, and he's the last in the line of his family, um, of aviators, so it'll, it'll spell the end of 100 years of aviation.

I'm really excited to talk about that.

I've lined up a 6 ton Paralympic World champion, gold miller, silver medallist.

She also has to be a friend of mine.

I'm very excited to speak to her.

She's the kind of person who people should be emulating in their life, not most of the influences on the internet.

So I'm hoping to share her story, um, to inspire people.

I have people lined up who are pioneers in education.

I have, yeah, a whole sway of people that I really want to talk to.

I have a list on my iPad. Of people that I would love to interview.

So it's just a matter of reaching out to these people.

Hopefully them responding and saying they're willing to come and chat with me, and then finding a time that works.

So, I'm hoping to do a lot more of that, the long form interview is more what I enjoy.

The talking directly to camera is not my comfort zone.

So if it looks awkward or feels awkward, that's why, and maybe that's something I can work on in 2026 is getting better at speaking to the camera.

Uh, But, um...

Yeah, I don't know.

I mean, obviously, for any of you, whether it's just 5 or 10 of you that watch this or listen to this, if you have any critiques, if you have any, obviously constructive criticism, I've talked about that before, I don't have an issue with any of you having an issue with what I do here.

But respectful discourse.

So, there's, I, there's no, There's no room for just attacking me or my guests just because it's fun.

If you genuinely have constructive criticism, please, I'm keen to hear it.

I want to do the best that I can and any help that any of you can.. Constructively criticise me for, then that would be good.

Um, and also, anything that you think you would like to hear or see things that you would like me to talk about or people that you would like me to interview.

Please leave them in the comments so that I can, um, yeah, potentially reach enter those people or get people in touch with me.

I think it's on my YouTube page, but real reason rule of reasons show at gmail.com is the email address for the show.

If you have people that you think would like to be interviewed by me, get them to get in touch with me, and I'll definitely do what I can to reach out to them as well.

Um, But what I think I'll do, just to try and stay on brand because I've waffled a little bit in this episode.

I wrote a question to work towards, and so I'll just read it off the iPad and then look at the camera, but it says, as we step into 2026, And this is a question for you as much as it's a question for me.

What's one thing you could focus on that would genuinely make your life, and the lives of the people around you, a little better?

And...

I was thinking about this a little bit yesterday, 'cause the Chris Williamson podcast, he was doing it with Stephen Bartlett on Diary of a CEO, so 2 of the biggest podcastcasters in the world.

And they're both highly successful and they're talking about how they wake up feeling behind the eight ball already, because they've got so much they want to achieve, and they're forever striving and grinding, and.. Funny, I...

They were talking these sorts of questions as well.

You know, if you could ask yourself at the end of 2026, what you could have done better in the year that you wish you knew now.

And it, everyone who's, whether it's just you like me, and you're a family man, woman, you've got a career, life is busy, or you are one of these people, is high achieving, you're a billionaire, or you're influencer, or you're whatever, and you're working really, really hard.

The common thread seems to be.

I wish I spent more time with the people that were important to me.

And I spend as much time as I can speaking to elderly people, because.. They've walked the path.. That I'm on.

You know, yes, everyone's lives are slightly different, but there's wisdom there in the elderly, looking at the struggles that we all have going, Well, I've done it, if you just ask me, I'll tell you.

It's just a matter of leveraging the right questions.

And.

I'm yet to find someone, at the end of their life, who has said, gee, I wish I worked harder.

Gee, I wish I had spent more hours at work.

I wish I had strived more.

No, the common thread I see is I wish I had made more time for the people in my life who met the most to me.

You know, it's really common to hear people say, I was so busy with my own life. That...

I'm...

I did make time for those, like, my parents, for example.

And now my parents are gone, and I've got so many things I wish I'd asked them or things that I wish I'd done with them.

But it's too late.

And that's a really common one.

Um, but likewise, with your kids, there's just, there's time is not guaranteed for anyone.

I think that's my big thing.

If...

What one thing you could focus on?

Yeah, if one thing that I would focus on to make the lives of people around you better, time is prioritising time with people.

For me, with my wife and my kids, I already try really hard to spend as much time with them as I can.

But being honest, just with all of you here, my New Year's resolution, my goal is to put my phone down way more.

Um, so that it's not a distraction because there's one thing about being with people, but then it's another thing to be present with those people because you're not distracted by things around you.

And I, we're the 1st to admit that I can grab my phone and be distracted when I'm in the middle of a conversation, and it's rude, and I know that, and I, I should be better.

I think that's something that everybody can do better.

Um, But I think that would make my life and the lives of those around me better if I did that.

And I think that's potentially something that we could all do.

But, um, Yeah.

Yeah, 2026.

Lets try and spend more time with our loved ones, with the people that are important to us.

Not just because we don't want to waste any time with them, but because it also shows them that they're valued, that you're willing to give them your time.

Um, Yeah, that's enough waffling for me.

I'm saying like Oscar Piastro now, saying, um, yeah, um, yeah, for those of you that like Formula One, you'll get that reference.

But thank you for those of you that are here with me at the start.

I hope one day, maybe the end of 26, maybe at the end of 27, who knows how long?

But I'm planning on doing this a long time and if this show does become successful for those of you that are here right now and there's only 10 of us.

Awesome.

I really hope one day we can all get together and look back and go, can you believe all those years ago there was just 10 of us and now there's, I don't know, 10 million, who knows?

But I hope that you've all had a good 2025.

Thank you to all of you who have been with me in 2025.

Stay with me in 2026.

It's gonna be exciting.

I think this is gonna be a year of growth as the channel gets more consistent and really narrows into where it is strong.

And I will see you all on the very next episode.

In 2026, a rule of reason.