It’s almost December, so it’s time to put this out there once again (Last years page for reference).  It’s that time of the year when I start thinking about my hobby progress for the current year and my hobby goals for the next year.

As some of you may know, for the past few years I’ve been running a thread like this, this, this, this, this, or this.  This is a communal place to post your hobby new years resolutions. Please set yourself some goals below, add them to the spreadsheet and post your progress across the year here.  If we can all see each others progress towards these goals then it provides encouragement and motivation for us all.  I’m looking at the progress sheet for 2024 (2024 tab at the bottom) and I can see a lot of progress ongoing, and I’ve seen lots of results in the thread, although it’s been a bit quieter than past years.  I know I’ve been focusing more on playi g that painting so I’ve had less to show off in posts.  There’s been a lot of great work though.

Here are some guidelines:

• Set yourself some realistic hobby goals for 2025, allowing yourself plenty of wiggle room to buy and focus on new stuff because its going to happen.  For example, I usually paint just north of 300 models a year, but I realise I’ve slowed down now I’m out of bulk paintables so in the past I’ve try to pledge under 150, but I’m aiming for well below 100 this year, but with contingencies to grow, depending on what I’m playing and what arrives when.  It’s early December right now and I’ve finished all the goals I could, except the paint-more-than-I-gain one.  Black Friday messed that up for me, but its a WIP.
• Don’t let this force you to do things you don’t want to do, or to paint faster or harder than you are comfortable.  It’s meant to add encouragement and fun to the hobby only, not to ruin it for you.
• Feel free to change your pledge as time goes by to keep it attainable and fun.
• Consider adding conditions, such as “I’ll only aim for this if my KS arrives before July” to give yourself options and breathing space.
• You know those models you’ve been putting off painting for a while?  Perhaps they intimidate you?  Perhaps they’re a lot of work?  Pledge to get them done.  Setting yourself a deadline and allowing yourself to feel publicly accountable for missing it can be the push you need to get them done.
• If you pledge something open ended like “hit 100% complete in my Tyranid army by the end of 2024”, do not count models gained in December 2023.  That’s not realistic, or fair on yourself.
• Don’t be afraid to change your pledge as the situation changes.  Once again, it’s meant to be fun, not a burden.  I know mine will not be static until the start of the new year at least.  I’m still working out what my goals want to be.  They largely depend on what Kickstarters arrive when.  I know I want to embrace playing more.

Anyway, here’s the link to the editable shared Pledge Spreadsheet for 2025 (2025 tab at bottom).  Get thinking about what you want to achieve, and add yourself, and post a summary below.  Tweak as you see fit until the start of the new year.  Check out last years post and sheet for examples, and my pledge below.

Let me know if the links don’t work or aren’t editable.  They work for me but it’s my sheet.