Dancing, Dumbbells, and Decisions: My 2025

The New Year’s Day has a funny way of losing its magic as you get older. At some point, it stops feeling like a reset or a day for “new year resolutions” and starts to feel like... just another day.

Yesterday was my birthday. Yes, I was born on New Year's Day.

My birthday wishes usually sound something like, “Happy New Year… and happy birthday too.” And honestly, I’ve made my peace with it. My birthday can’t hustle for fame with New Year’s Day; it will always win and take preeminence.

The wishes sometimes sound like an afterthought, and to be honest, that’s fine. Like many things in life, it’s all about perspective. The way I see it, no one can claim my birthday fell on an insignificant day, and that’s why they forgot. This translates into less excuses, more gifts… hehe.

For me, 2025 was a year of many moves.

Not dancing moves; please don't get carried away by my legit stepper skills above. Focus.

What I mean is that I made changes. Some small, some massive. Some scary, some surprisingly easy. Looking back now, I don't think at the start of the year, I could have predicted most of them.

And since we're on the topic of moves, let's talk about movement.

My Standing Desk and Walking Pad

"There's no such thing as a healthy sedentary person." I heard this on a podcast, and I froze. I paused it, took a breath, then rewound to hear it again.

As a programmer, most of my work happens at a desk: sitting, keyboard clanking, brain fully locked in on building the next thing. It’s easy to measure success by shipped features and fixed bugs.

The question I had to ask myself was: Is my health winning too?

So I made a change. My desk now lives in standing mode. Permanently. And I added a walking pad underneath it.

Yesterday wasn’t even a workday, yet I still racked up minutes just by being at my desk, doing a few things here and there. I no longer need to “go out” to walk. I walk indoors too.

And since we’re on the topic of exercise, let’s talk about weights.

My Weights

Let me tell you a secret. I own 4 kg dumbbells.

I bought them around August 2024 to start lifting weights. I had never lifted weights in my life, so 4kg felt like a sensible place to begin.

Then they arrived.

My six-year-old picked them up. Not only did he lift them; he started flexing his arms up and down with them. I panicked for a second, then paused. He looked fine.

Then my older child picked them up too. No struggle. No complaints.

I just shook my head and walked away. What was I thinking?

Funny enough, I never really committed to lifting after that. I’d occasionally pick them up after my walks and convince myself I was doing something.

Then I read a post on LinkedIn about how, as you get older, muscle becomes one of the strongest markers for longevity. That hit. If the universe couldn’t reach me through my kids, maybe a total stranger was the key.

So I doubled the weights. I got 8kg dumbbells and a pull-up bar.

As you can imagine, these dumbbells are not as friendly as the 4kg ones. My kids can’t lift them up and down anymore. I finally feel like an adult… at least until they humble me again.

The point is this: I’m intentionally pushing myself to be stronger. Being lean is good. Being lean and strong is better.

And since we’re on the topic of strength, let’s talk about the strength to make hard decisions.

Quitting My Job

In August 2024, I moved to the UK to take up a role managing engineering teams at a FinTech company approaching unicorn status. It came with a solid six-figure salary, and in my mind, I was in it for the long haul.

Late in 2024, my now co-founder reached out to me with a billing idea. Nothing had been built yet. It was just a problem he wanted to solve and a belief that I could help make it real.

My answer was an immediate no.

I had just moved countries. I had a new job. There was no universe in which I was quitting stability to build an idea that didn’t even exist yet. I wished him well and even connected him with people who might be interested.

He didn't stop.

Every now and then, he’d message me about usage-based billing and complex computations. He’d ask how I’d approach certain things, and I’d reply casually. At some point, it felt like I should start invoicing him for consulting.

Still, I wasn’t interested... or so I thought.

Eventually, I agreed to explore it on the side. Emphasis on “on the side.” I’d keep my job, keep doing well, and poke at this idea in the evenings. No harm done.

Except the more I explored it, designed systems, thought through edge cases, spoke to potential users, the more excited I became. There was something here.

What started as an internal billing idea for one of his companies quickly revealed itself as its own product; its own company. I convinced him it needed to stand alone, and that’s how Metrifox was born.

I was now a co-founder, but still, quitting my job wasn't an option.

However, reality caught up. If this was going to move fast and be done well, nights and weekends wouldn’t cut it. So, in July, I made the decision to go full-time, even though Metrifox had no money, and we were still building.

I no longer earn a six-figure salary. But I wake up excited. I talk to customers, build features, design systems, and solve problems that are mine. I couldn’t say the same about my old job.

What I learned is this: I may be good at managing engineering teams, but my sweet spot is building while managing. I’m an engineer at my core, and that’s something I’ll never give up.

Find your sweet spot. And when you do, have the courage to choose it.

Since we’re on the topic of courage, let’s talk about the courage to let go.

Letting Go of My Idea of “Security”

At the start of 2025, I set a financial goal. I had a well-paying job, and it felt attainable. By the end of the year, I was close. My plan was simple: hit the target, leave the money alone, dip into the interest when necessary, and maintain a baseline that made me feel secure.

Then an unexpected family project kicked off. On paper, it was a good move; but it meant dipping into my savings. Without a steady salary anymore, rebuilding that number would take time.

I wrestled with it. I had dreamed of that number throughout the year. Could I just let it disappear? The thought alone gave me chest pain 😭

So I called a dear friend, my finance guru, the one who had first convinced me to set this number in the first place. I relayed my dilemma. He laughed and reframed it:

"You’ve built a bank. Let’s call it Biodun Bank. Now go there, take a loan, and fund this project. This isn’t about the number. You’ve already proved you could build it. The point is, you can access it when you need to."

And he was right. I had to let go of my old idea of “security.” It had served me during the building phase, but now I was in the borrowing phase. Clinging to it would have held me back.

The lesson: life moves in phases. The mindset that worked in one phase may no longer serve you in the next. Have the courage to let go, pivot, and use what you’ve built to take the next step.

Phew! This one has felt like a long write. I could go on, but let’s save the rest of my 2025 stories for another time.

Wishing you a happy and fulfilling 2026, amigos. 'Til next time, keep winning ❤️