As we rush to set goals for 2026, most people skip the most important step: looking back. Not to relive the year, and not to judge it… but to understand it.
At MPGA+, we hop’d on a group call and called this the Strategic Pause. Slow down on purpose so you can move forward with clarity.
This post I am writing right now matters to me. It’s the last day of the year, and it’s also a moment to say thank you for walking this road with me.
Why the Pause Changes Everything
Psychologically, you cannot decide where you’re going until you’re honest about where you’re starting.
Awareness always precedes change. When you take time to reflect:
what you’re grateful for
what challenged you
what stretched you
You shift from chasing outcomes to anchoring yourself in reality. That grounding creates calm. And calm creates choice.
There’s another layer here. When you name the weight you carried this year… the pressure, the losses, the uncertainty, it does not weaken your position. Instead, it builds resilience.
You collect evidence that you survived hard things, and that evidence becomes confidence you can trust what we call “Credible Self-Talk.”
This is how progress stops being accidental and starts becoming intentional.
What This Looks Like in Golf
Golf already understands this better than most sports.
You don’t drive by staring only at the road ahead. You glance in the rearview mirror, not to live there, but to stay oriented. Reflection works the same way.
One simple framework I use with players is Start / Stop / Continue:
Start: What’s one mental routine or technical habit you’re ready to introduce?
Stop: What’s quietly costing you strokes: negative self-talk, rushed decisions, a broken pre-shot routine?
Continue: What actually worked this year that deserves more trust?
This isn’t about fixing everything. It’s about the Power of 1%… small, repeatable actions that compound into consistency. That’s how elite performance is built. Quietly. Patiently. And On purpose.
What This Looks Like in Life
Life moves fast. Drift is easy, especially in health, sleep, relationships, and faith.
One of my favorite reflection tools is simple: scroll through your 2025 camera roll. You’ll find moments you forgot. Evidence of joy. Evidence of growth. Evidence that life was happening even when you felt stuck.
Then choose One Word for the year ahead. Not a resolution… more of an orientation.
Maybe it’s Courage. Or Presence. Or Freedom.
That word becomes a mirror. You start noticing when you chose growth over comfort. When you showed up instead of checked out. Over time, it points you back to your Why: Your North Star. And when your Why is clear, motivation becomes optional.
A Personal Thank You
This year mattered to me in a deep way.
I ended my time at NASA in July of 2025. By December, I’ve shown up here… week after week, writing this 18 Holes newsletter consistently. Not because it was easy, but because it was meaningful.
These words are part of my own pause. My own practice. And the fact that you’ve read along, reflected alongside me, and shared this journey… that means more than you know.
Thank you for being part of my life.
Looking Ahead to 2026
Reflection is the beginning, not the finish line.
If you want support carrying this clarity into the new year, I’d love to invite you into the MPGA Plus community. Today’s the last day to lock in our Founder’s Price of $89/month. Beginning January 1st (tomorrow) our price will increase to $109 a month.
If you lock in today, we are hosting a LIVE bi-monthly call tonight at 8pm (ET) to discuss the year end and I’ll be guiding each of our members through a specific exercise that has helped me tremendously.
Together, we’ll keep training the most important muscle you own: your mind.
I can’t wait to take you with me into 2026.
With gratitude,
Dr. Mat