Hello and welcome to Modern CEO! I’m Stephanie Mehta, CEO and chief content officer of Mansueto Ventures. Each week this newsletter explores inclusive approaches to leadership drawn from conversations with executives and entrepreneurs, and from the pages of Inc. and Fast Company. If you received this newsletter from a friend, you can sign up to get it yourself every Monday morning.
It’s the time of year when we all make promises to ourselves. I’m committing to read more, procrastinate less, and squeeze in an extra hour of piano practice a week. I asked other CEOs to share their 2026 New Year’s resolutions; here are seven responses, in their own words.
Omar Abbosh, chief executive officer, Pearson
“My resolution next year is to climb a tough peak in the Chamonix Valley in France. The ‘why’ is because it’s been on my list for 15 years, and it’s overdue. The ‘how’ is a detailed set of logistical, physical, mental, and family preparations.”
Guru Gowrappan, CEO, Asurion
“I am obsessed with customer experience, so my New Year’s resolution is to personally use and engage with every customer touchpoint across [device insurance company] Asurion’s products and services on a regular basis to ensure we are delivering truly world-class experiences. I am a huge user of our products—and was even before my tenure—and when I tested a few touchpoints just before joining, the insights I was able to share with the team were immediately actionable and improved real customer journeys. I am also currently going through the same training we require of all of our customer-facing employees so I can also be on the ground, supporting our customers directly.”
Marcin Kleczynski, CEO, Malwarebytes
“My life mantra is, ‘Evolve or die.’ True in business and tech, true in daily life. That means my New Year’s resolution has three prongs. For my mind, to read as many books as possible. For my body, to do 100,000 push-ups. And for my business, to talk to at least five customers a week. I want to make sure we don’t forget the power of humans in cybersecurity amidst all the focus on AI.”
Gerrit Marx, CEO, CNH
“My New Year’s resolution is to accelerate the shift toward AI-powered predictive farming. AI can now read field, machine, and environmental signals in real time, giving farmers earlier clarity to boost productivity and reduce uncertainty. When growers can anticipate issues and fine-tune inputs with precision, it strengthens efficiency, sustainability, and the long-term health of their most valuable asset—the soil.”
Penny Pennington, managing partner, Edward Jones
“My resolution is to be even better at being human. That’s different from ‘be a better human.’ There’s an active debate right now about what being human is all about, and I believe being human is an advantage and to be greatly prized. A better human means I am measuring myself against humans. To be actively part of the debate about human and machine, I would like to set a challenge for myself to be better at being what only a human can be. Fundamentally, I believe that what sets us apart is that we value and thrill at emotions [that] are uniquely human. I believe the joy of epiphany is uniquely human, and I want more epiphany in my life in 2026.”
Scott Strazik, CEO and president, GE Vernova
“The world needs much more energy than it has today, and a larger portion must be electric power for people and communities around the world to thrive. In order to deliver the breakthrough innovations that will meet surging global demand, the industry is going to need thousands of innovators, builders, scientists, and engineers. In 2026, all of us at GE Vernova are committed to investing in programs and opportunities that encourage the brightest and the best young minds to choose careers in our sector and shape the future of energy.”
Graham Weaver, founder and CEO, Alpine Investors
“My New Year’s resolution is to have more fun, be lighter, and enjoy myself more—especially at work. I think it’s easy to take life and work too seriously. But when I really reflect, life is about sharing an epic journey with extraordinary people. I know that when I look back, I’ll see this time I’m in right now as the ‘good old days.’ I want to have the awareness to recognize that while I’m in them, not just after they’ve passed.”
What will you achieve in 2026?
What are your personal or professional resolutions for 2026? Send your resolutions to me at stephaniemehta@mansueto.com. I’d love to feature some of the most compelling commitments in a future newsletter.
Read more: the best of 2025
- The Businessweek 2025 Jealousy List
- Barack Obama shares his 2025 favorites
- The best design of 2025, according to Fast Company