A good song to accompany you while reading this review:
Tranquility by SawanoHiroyuki[nZk] and Anly

Writing a review like this has its benefits. For one, it provides a good opportunity to reflect on what happened, the setbacks, and how everything unfolded.

The format might change in the years to come, but for now, I'm dividing it into several sections to better map out and present the whole picture.

Business

I’m starting with this section because there were a lot of plans I made but didn’t execute.

First, Yukimedia. I planned to expand beyond subtitling anime, venturing into other languages besides Indonesian, Malaysian, English, and Japanese. I also aimed to branch out into comics, light novels, and game translations. Unfortunately, none of these plans went beyond listing potential clients and contacts. I didn’t move forward because I felt I needed to assemble a portfolio first. However, despite having worked on hundreds of anime this year, I spent too much time perfecting the portfolio and ended up dissatisfied with the result. I should have focused on one expansion at a time and followed through. Additionally, I tried recruitment, but it didn’t meet my expectations.

Next is the game top-up website, Yukimisu. I’ve been neglecting it, only occasionally checking orders. While it still generates revenue, it barely covers costs and sometimes even falls short. I’ve already covered expenses through the end of the year, but I don’t have any plans to actively manage or promote it again. The margins are too small, and the competition is too intense. Unless I find a better niche or a firm value proposition, there’s not much I can do here.

Finance and Investment

This area exceeded my expectations. I doubled (or even tripled) my personal target for the year, mainly through early investments in cryptocurrency. I also resumed stock trading (both Indonesian and U.S. markets) and achieved around 50% growth on my initial investments.

Cryptocurrency performed well because of the market cycle, my Indonesian stock picks were focused on blue chips and dividend giants, and my U.S. stock investments were centered on technology. Overall, my approach was pretty conservative.

Health

No drastic changes here. Just tweaks here and there. Fixing my sedentary lifestyle has been challenging due to the nature of my work, but I’ve made some progress.

Regarding diet, I’ve significantly cut back on sugar and ultra-processed foods. This was something I used to do inconsistently, but I’ve been more consistent over the past few months. I’ve also reduced my meals to once a day. It is not strictly fasting/intermittent fasting, but it is close enough.

As for workouts, I could’ve done better. My efforts have been on and off, but I’ve been more consistent lately because I’m focusing on building the habit rather than forcing myself to stick to rigid plans.

Sleep remains a long-standing issue. I still need to fix my schedule.

I’ve never cared much about appearances, but I’ve started putting in some effort recently, which is a big step considering I didn’t care at all before.

Overall, my health is better than last year or even the years before. I feel stronger, more energized, and capable of accomplishing more throughout the day.

Relationships

Nothing to write or update here.

Still single as f*ck.

Please send help.

Education

This section requires a deeper reflection. I could’ve done much better, but my refusal to take responsibility and my tendency to procrastinate have made it worse. I’m still coping with it but have started seeing progress recently. I should’ve been able to finish my studies this year, but I’ll definitely need more time. Hopefully not beyond Q2 next year.

Personal Growth, Mindset, and Hobbies

I’ve rediscovered my love for reading and writing, and I’m really enjoying it. Mainly reading about self-development and finance/business.

I planned to learn guitar earlier this year but neglected it. I also intended to learn Mandarin, but that fell through just like the guitar.

AI development in coding assistants has been exponential this year. I picked up on it early, and it’s helped me execute ideas and automate a lot of my work.

The Verdict

2024 has been a roller coaster. It brought plenty of challenges, a few regrets, and a lot of lessons. While I didn’t accomplish everything I aimed for, I learned the importance of execution over planning and how small, consistent steps can make a big difference. There’s still a lot of room for improvement, but I feel better equipped to tackle what’s ahead.

Next year, I want to experiment more, embrace failure as part of the process, and see where it takes me. It’s not just about achieving big things. It’s about iterating, growing, and enjoying the journey.

Here’s to doing better in 2025.