A newsletter by

January 3rd, 2026
A newsletter by Anne-Laure Le Cunff

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Hi friends,
Happy new year to you, and happy birthday to me! Today, I’m turning 36 and this is also the 300th edition of the Ness Labs newsletter! To celebrate, I have a gift for you: a short exercise to help you approach 2026 with curiosity.
Through my research, personal experience, and the thousands of stories from the Ness Labs community, I’ve come to believe that growth shouldn’t be about self-optimization but about self-discovery.
Download the template, give yourself 30 minutes to complete it this week, and I guarantee you’ll feel more excited and genuinely curious about the year ahead.
And if you’ve been enjoying this newsletter and my work in general, there’s one birthday present I’d love: would you consider leaving a review for my book Tiny Experiments on Amazon or Goodreads? Reviews are one of the best ways to help books get discovered and your words could help this work reach someone who needs it.
Thank you for being part of this journey with me. Here’s to another year of self-discovery!
Anne-Laure.

🏔️ A Year of Self-Discovery
Quit smoking, make more money, lose weight, wake up earlier, be more productive… The start of a new year often brings pressure to set resolutions that focus on optimization and achievement.
But what if instead of asking “How can I get better results?” we asked “How can I get more curious?”
These six questions are designed to help you approach 2026 with both courage and curiosity, embracing the messy, uncertain, and deeply rewarding work of self-discovery.
1. What skill or topic am I willing to look bad at while learning this year?
As adults, we are often hired based on the quantity of answers we provide, not the quality of the questions we ask. It means there’s an incentive to look like an expert, like you’ve all figured it out. In 2026, break free from the shackles of perceived expertise and start learning in public. Pick a skill or topic you’re truly curious about, and allow yourself to make mistakes, iterate, and embrace the inherent messiness (and sometimes cringe!) of lifelong learning.
2. Who is the one person I want to get to know better?
One of the best gifts my friend Ryder Carroll gave me this year was to create a monthly recurring catch up meeting in our calendars. No agenda, just asking honestly how we’re doing, the experiments we’re running, the doubts we’re experiencing. Ask yourself whether there is one relationship you’re willing to invest one standing hour per month in, then ask this person if they’d be happy to schedule a recurring meeting once a month, whether online or over coffee.
3. What will I say no to every week this year to protect what matters most?
If you’re highly curious and highly ambitious, chances are there are many opportunities for you to explore new projects and ideas, whether they’re offered to you by others or you come up with them yourself. Instead of automatically saying yes, create a firm boundary you’ll stick to every week, whether that’s to protect your time, your energy, or your attention.
4. What is the one conversation that, if I had it this year, would most change my trajectory?
We sometimes avoid the most important conversations, perhaps because they’re uncomfortable or might bring temporary uncertainty and instability to our lives. Is there a conversation you’ve been avoiding that could change the trajectory of your career or your life in general? If so, actively explore how you can have this conversation – the earlier in the year the better.
5. What is one thing I will create and share even if it’s not perfect?
Most of us have a backlog of half-finished projects, creative ideas, or insights we’ve never shared because they don’t feel ready. This year, commit to creating and sharing at least one thing that feels imperfect, whether that’s publishing a rough draft or sharing a work-in-progress project. Choose something that feels like it’s 70% there, then put it out into the world anyway.
6. What is a tiny experiment I will run this year?
We make many of our decisions based on cognitive scripts, automated patterns of thoughts and beliefs we inherit from our family, friends, and society at large. This year, question your scripts by running at least one tiny experiment, whether that’s experimenting with the way you work, connect with others, or manage your health. Use “I will [action] for [duration]” to design a mini-protocol, and learn from the results without aiming for a particular outcome.
If you’d like to explore these questions in your own time, you can download my New Year Self-Discovery Questionnaire worksheet which includes instructions and space for you to write your answers.
These questions aren’t meant to be answered once and forgotten. Consider revisiting them quarterly, or whenever you feel stuck in old patterns.
Remember: growth happens in the liminal spaces between what you think you know and what you’re brave enough to explore.
Happy New Year 🙂
👀 Into the Mind of...

MAYA SHANKAR

Each week I ask a curious mind about their habits, routines, and rituals. This week we learn from cognitive scientist Maya Shankar, creator of the podcast A Slight Change of Plan and author of the upcoming book The Other Side of Change.

1. One daily practice you can’t do without? I start every morning by making a steaming hot cup of Indian-style tea, with freshly cut ginger, Assam tea leaves, cream and sugar. This small, consistent ritual is profoundly comforting. I fiercely guard these fifteen minutes every day, whether I am at home or traveling the road.

2. One strategy to restart your creative engine? I try to invite moments of “moral elevation” into my daily life. Moral elevation is the warm, fuzzy feeling we get in our chests when we witness someone’s outstanding behaviors – their courage, self-sacrifice, resilience, or kindness, for example.

3. One mindset shift that transformed your work? One technique I use religiously to help me accomplish my work goals is temptation bundling. You might allow yourself to listen to your favorite podcasts only while you're on a run. Or in my case, you might allow yourself unlimited candy only during your deep writing sessions!

Read her book

🛠️ Brain Picks
• Spark productivity and discovery in 2026. 24 hours left to sign up! Join me with Ali Abdaal for a virtual weekend summit tomorrow where we will reflect on the past year and design tiny experiments for the year ahead.
• Break free from inbox overwhelm. Your inbox wasn’t built for reading. In 2026, move to Meco to wake up to a personalized news briefing crafted from your newsletters and use smart filters to ensure you always surface the most relevant content at the right time.
• Build a home for your community. Circle is the all-in-one community platform. This year, connect deeper with your audience by bringing together engaging discussions, members, live streams, chat, events, and memberships.
Many thanks to our partners for supporting the Ness Labs newsletter! Want to appear here? Please email support@nesslabs.com.
🗓️  Events of the Week
If you enjoy the newsletter, you’ll love our community of curious minds conducting tiny experiments within a safe space and learning together. Here is an overview of upcoming events (full calendar):
• Design your new year experiment. The beginning of the year provides an amazing opportunity to start afresh. Don’t use that energy to create unsustainable New Year resolutions! Instead, join me for a 45-minute workshop to design your first experiment of the year.
• Rediscover your inner compass. There are seasons in life when the old ways no longer fit. Join this workshop with Paula Amiama to slow down, map where you are in your own creative season, and tune into what’s most alive for you now.
• Start the new year with an experimental mindset. Join Gosia Fricze for a one-hour interactive session where you’ll use metacognitive reflection prompts to explore the start of the new year with curiosity.
• Host your own workshop (anytime!). Do you have an idea for a short presentation and Q&A or a workshop you’d like to trial? Test your first iteration in the Ness Labs community and get feedback. We promote all sessions here in the newsletter.
Join the community
All of these and future events are included in the price of the membership (only $49 for one year), as well as access to our courses, workshop library, and a dedicated space to track your tiny experiments.
Until next week, take care!
Anne-Laure.

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Ness Labs: A Year of Self-Discovery 🏔️