I don't use many secrets in my games, but next time my character has one, I want the other players — not their characters — in on it for a better reveal.
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It's a privilege to get to play as much as I do, running games for my kids and their friends and playing with a work group, and to enjoy this hobby with likeminded folks.
I once resolved to play and read more, until reading games I'd never actually play burned me out. Now I resolve to enjoy the games I do get to play instead of chasing more.
Puzzles at the table always make me think about mercy. The solution looks easy from behind the GM screen, but players can't see how the pieces connect, so give them more hints than you think they need.
I used to reach for something different or unique when running games. Now I'd rather keep the setting thematically simple so the problems can take center stage.
As a GM I don't hand out enough burdens. Inspired by old Top Gear "gifts," I want to give my players loot that's genuinely hard to move and sell.
Charm Person is a fine spell, but actually charming a person by leveraging what you know about them is far more interesting than casting it away.
Poise is overrated at the table. I'd rather play a character who pulls the lever and picks the fight than one who hangs back looking wise.
Thinking through my Pathfinder 2e Goblin Swashbuckler, stature turns out to be less about the character sheet and more about attitude, and I'm learning I'd rather be seen than just felt.
My shelves are full and my time is limited, so discipline in 2026 means having the willpower to skip the next crowdfunding campaign instead of buying more games I won't get to play.