Maj Gen Sanjeev Dogra (Retd)
sanjeev662006@gmail.com
As the final pages of the 2025 calendar turn, a familiar ritual begins. We reach for fresh journals, draft lists of resolutions, and promise ourselves a renewed pursuit of fitness, focus, or fortune. We look back, tallying our woes and wins, and look forward with hope. Yet, as we stand on this threshold, a pressing question arises: In a world that spins with such ferocious and unpredictable speed, does this old ritual still serve us?
Consider just the year now closing. When 2025 dawned, who could have sketched its tumultuous contours? Who foresaw the geopolitical tremors of events like Pulwama and the paradigm-shifting response of Operation Sindoor? Who predicted the sharp turns in international diplomacy-the imposition of steep tariffs, the steadfast navigation of energy policies against global headwinds, or the sudden realignments between old allies and new partners? In Gaza, the haunting continuance of conflict defied repeated proclamations of impending peace. These were not minor plot twists; they were seismic shifts in the global order, reminding us that constancy is now the exception, not the rule.
This is not an age for brittle resolutions. This is an age for resilient mindsets. The central challenge of 2026 and beyond is not merely to set a course, but to master the art of recalibrating it-incessantly. It is the time to evolve, not just to resolve. Charles Darwin’s axiom, often simplified to “survival of the fittest,” finds its modern expression not in physical strength, but in adaptive intelligence. The fittest now are those most agile in thought, most willing to align and realign.
Imagine our time as a vehicle hurtling down a frenetic, foggy highway. Within it, we find three kinds of travelers.
The first, overwhelmed by the speed and uncertainty, simply chooses to get off. They forfeit the journey, the destination, and any agency in their trajectory. The second, white-knuckled and braced for impact, remains fixated on the destination but are consumed by fear. They see only the looming collision, not the open lane. Their energy is spent on endurance, not navigation.
Then, there are those who move forward to the driver’s seat. They do not deny the road’s dangers, but they engage with them. Their hands are on the wheel, their eyes on the horizon and the mirrors, constantly adjusting speed, changing lanes, and anticipating the moves of others. They are the navigators. They understand that in volatility, leadership is not a title; it is a conscious act of participation.
To survive and thrive in 2026, we must all aspire to be navigators. This means evolving beyond personal, static goals. It demands that we help our communities, our teams, and our families evolve alongside us. The greatest skill we can cultivate is learnability-the ability to skill, de-skill, and up-skill in a continuous loop. The professional aim you set today might be rendered obsolete by a technology unveiled tomorrow. The question, then, shifts from “What is my goal?” to “How fast can I learn and adapt?”
Nowhere is this more evident than in the face of Artificial Intelligence. The existential question of our day is not “What will AI do to us?” but “What will we do with AI?” To be a navigator is to lead the technology, not follow it. AI excels at optimization and execution, but it cannot generate the fundamental spark of human need, empathy, or visionary purpose. Our role is to be the idea-generators, the ethical compass, the connectors of disparate dots. We must command the tool, ensuring it follows the paths we chart, driven by human wisdom and values. The leader must be the human being.
This is not a call to chaotic, reactive change. It is a call for intentional evolution. As John Kotter illustrated in Our Iceberg Is Melting, success belongs not to the strongest, but to those who best perceive the changing environment and mobilize others to act thoughtfully. It is about building a collective agility.
As we enter 2026, let us then replace our list of resolutions with a commitment to a navigator’s mindset. Let us build our psychological shock absorbers. Let us cultivate curiosity over certainty, and resilience over rigidity.
The great poet Ghalib, with his timeless wisdom, offered a couplet that resonates deeply here:
Dekhiye paate hain khushhaak bhuton se kya faiz,
Ek barah-man ne kaha hai ki yeh sal achchha hai.
Do not expect substantive rewards from passive hopes or hollow rituals; a “good year” is made, not merely forecast by others. This couplet challenges us to reject passive optimism and the inertia of tradition. It underscores that in a time of great change, we cannot simply wait for blessings or rely on predictions; we must actively build our future through adaptation and leadership.
Therefore, let 2026 be the Year of the Navigator. Let us resolve not to specific ends, but to adaptive means. To learning over knowing, to agility over fixed plans, to collective uplift over solitary ambition. The road ahead is unwritten, fast-moving, and ours to travel. Let us not just brace for impact. Let us take the wheel, adjust our sights, and move forward-not with fear, but with the fierce, optimistic determination of those who are evolved enough to shape their journey. The new year isn’t just coming; it’s waiting to be built by the adaptable, the courageous, the navigators. Let’s build it well
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