Corey L. Stokes | December 2025
As the 2025 winds down, it’s a perfect time to step off the treadmill of daily tasks and look back at the ground we’ve covered. This year has been about intentional living, moving from the theoretical to the actionable, and building systems that allow us to succeed on autopilot.
So far, we’ve navigated 13 issues together, covering everything from the importance of finding joy to battling financial debt. If I had to summarize our collective journey, it would be this: We learned that massive results are simply the accumulation of disciplined, small steps.
1. The Three Pillars of Our Growth
Our reflections throughout 2024 and 2025 generally clustered around three critical areas: Mindset, Movement, and Money.
Pillar I: Mindset & Resilience (Jan, Sep, Oct 2025)
We started the year (Jan ’25) focused on Taking Action and overcoming inertia, emphasizing that strength is found in small steps. Later, in September, we explored the Unbreakable Spirit and the Power of Resilience, reminding us that setbacks are part of the process. Most recently (Oct ’25), we introduced the ultimate life inventory: The 5 M’s of Success (Mindset, Motivation, Massive Movement, Money, and Management). The takeaway? Without a strong inner game, the external victories won’t last.
Pillar II: Massive Movement & Sustainable Change (Apr, May, Oct 2025)
The journey of change is a long one. Our April newsletter on Sustainable Changes gave us the blueprint for Lasting Growth, emphasizing habits over short-term fixes. This was followed by reflections on The Long Road (May ’25), underscoring the need for patience and Deep Conversations to maintain relational health. The core idea here is that all movement—physical, career, or relational—must be built on consistent, healthy habits. This includes making space for joy and The Lost Art of Having Fun, which we know is crucial for long-term sustainability.
Pillar III: Financial Decisiveness (Mar, May, Jun, Aug 2025)
Money management requires both decisive action and cautious planning. We covered everything from Planning for the Inevitable (March ’25) to addressing Financial Autopilot (May ’24). In August, we tackled the heavy topic of Battling Financial Hurdles, linking financial stress to issues of bravery and belonging. Ultimately, we concluded that financial freedom starts not with budgeting hacks, but with Redefining Success (June ’25) on your own terms and then building systems to support that definition. The key is to stop the Spending Spree and use your money as a tool, not a measuring stick.
2. Looking Ahead: The Core 5 Framework
While the 5 M’s provided us with a great diagnostic tool this year, 2026 is about refining our execution and finding the bedrock principles that drive sustained success. We are evolving our approach to the Core 5 Framework—the essential pillars I’ve relied on throughout my military career and into the work I do today. This is the foundation upon which I have always built my most significant achievements, and I believe it can do the same for you:
- Clarity: Defining your target with zero ambiguity.
- Courage: Taking the first step despite fear or uncertainty.
- Consistency: The daily, disciplined effort that creates momentum.
- Capital: Managing your resources—time, energy, and finances—as strategic assets.
- Control: Focusing your energy only on what is within your sphere of influence.
We’ll be exploring each of these pillars in depth throughout the coming year, unlocking the principles that govern how we build lasting careers, create resilient finances, and lead intentional lives.
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Listen and Learn More: I dive deeper into these topics on my podcast, “Catching up with Corey.” You can listen on corey-stokes.com, where I also provide a more in-depth summary of the conversation and key takeaways. You can also watch the episodes on YouTube at @CoreyLStokes.
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Happy Holidays, and see you in the new year!
Corey Stokes 