Episode Overview
Podcast: Help Wanted
Episode: The One Decision That Shapes My Entire Year
Hosts: Jason Feifer & Nicole Lapin
Air Date: December 25, 2025
This episode centers on Jason Feifer’s annual practice of setting a single, guiding theme for the upcoming year—a ritual he credits for bringing clarity, intention, and flexibility to both his professional and personal life. Jason shares the origins of this practice, its powerful impact, and offers listeners a practical, two-step method to create their own year-defining theme for 2026.
Main Discussion Points & Insights
1. Purpose and Power of a Yearly Theme
Timestamp: 03:53 – 06:45
- Jason discusses the concept of giving each new year a central theme, rather than rigid goals, to help focus efforts and filter decisions.
- The theme acts as a long-term priority rather than a specific objective, reducing the pressure to chase quick, sometimes short-sighted wins.
Quote
"When you declare a theme, you are really declaring a full year priority and you're making it hard to forget. ... It becomes a filter for decisions."
— Jason Feifer [06:19]
2. Jason's Personal Journey with Themes
Timestamp: 04:30 – 06:45
- 2024: "Year of Opportunity Creation": Spurred by the end of two major income contracts, Jason chose to focus on expanding visibility and partnerships.
- 2025: "Year of Opportunity Balance": Having overcommitted the previous year, he shifted to prioritizing balance, saying no more frequently, and stabilizing his commitments.
- He highlights how these themes allowed him to customize his response to changing circumstances each year—a flexible strategy instead of pursuing narrow, potentially irrelevant goals.
Quote
"...by the end of 2024 I had done it. But I was also completely exhausted ... So I decided that next year would have a different theme. 2025 was going to be the year of opportunity balance."
— Jason Feifer [05:45]
3. Why Themes Work Better Than Goals
Timestamp: 06:45 – 07:25
- Jason contrasts goal-setting (e.g., "earn $100,000 more") with themes ("opportunity creation"), highlighting that strict goals can lead to shortsighted decisions (like chasing quick cash) rather than addressing underlying needs.
- Themes, in turn, offer room to explore different strategies and discover what truly works.
Quote
"Goals can blind us to the big picture, but themes keep us oriented while we move."
— Jason Feifer [07:20]
4. How to Create Your Own Theme
Timestamp: 07:25 – 08:56
- Step 1: Identify a single, central problem you want to solve in the coming year.
- Step 2: Set an intention, not a specific outcome; keep it short (fewer than five words).
- Suggests asking yourself what general, positive statement you'd like to be able to make about the year once it's over.
Example Prompts:
- "At the end of next year, what general statement do you want to be able to make?"
- "It should feel both aspirational and achievable. It should excite you to think about and also be broad enough to pursue in multiple ways."
— Jason Feifer [08:47]
5. Jason’s Theme for 2026
Timestamp: 08:57 – 10:09
- Shares his personal reflection: Despite loving his work, he misses meaningful social interaction and feels depleted by constant meetings and solo computer time.
- Jason's 2026 Theme: "The year of less work, more people."
- He intends to focus on lunches, coffees, walks, and collaborative projects—anything that deepens connection and reduces isolation.
- Emphasizes he doesn’t have all the specifics figured out, but trusts the theme will provide a guiding compass throughout the year.
Quote
"2026 is going to be this. It's the year of less work, more people."
— Jason Feifer [09:40]
6. Encouragement for Listeners
Timestamp: 10:09 – 10:50
- Encourages listeners to craft their own theme, ensuring it's broad, flexible, and aligned with what genuinely matters to them—whether that's "taking risks," "slowing down," "building something," etc.
- Invites feedback and responses from the audience, especially via his companion newsletter, One Thing Better.
Quote
"Whatever it is, it should feel both aspirational and achievable. ... Tell me. I would love to hear your theme."
— Jason Feifer [10:07]
Notable Quotes & Moments
- "It becomes a filter for decisions. And critically, themes don't lock you into specific outcomes."
— Jason Feifer [06:23] - "At the end of 2026, I want to be able to say I spent more time with people and I built deeper relationships."
— Jason Feifer [08:40] - "When I do take on new projects ... I'll prioritize ones that are socially additive. More collaboration, more connection."
— Jason Feifer [09:57] - "Look, we've got a whole year ahead of us. A year of opportunity, a year of creation, a year of growth, and we can maximize it together. But to do that, we have to be focused on what matters most."
— Jason Feifer [10:37]
Key Timestamps
- 03:53 — Jason introduces the concept of a yearly theme.
- 04:30 — Explains the personal origin of the ritual.
- 06:19 — Describes the impact and value of declaring a theme.
- 07:25 — Outlines concrete steps for creating your own theme.
- 08:57 — Shares reflection and his 2026 theme: "less work, more people".
- 10:09 — Encouragement for listeners to create and share their themes.
Takeaways for Listeners
- Setting a theme for the year is an adaptable, motivating way to give direction and intention to your decisions, sidestepping the traps of narrow, rigid goal-setting.
- To get started: Identify a broad problem you want to solve, turn it into a concise and compelling theme, and share it to cement your commitment.
- Jason’s practice exemplifies how these themes can evolve, responding to life’s demands, and helping maintain a balanced, fulfilled approach to work and life.
How to Participate
Listeners are encouraged to subscribe to Jason’s newsletter One Thing Better (onethingbetter.email) and reply with their own themes for 2026. Jason reads and responds to submissions personally.
For anyone seeking a simple but powerful strategy to shape their next year—professionally or personally—this episode serves as both inspiration and a practical roadmap.