About Mission 52
Hey, I’m Gerry. I’m a designer. A bloke on a boat with a dog and a journal.
Mission 52 didn’t arrive fully formed. It grew slowly, messily, out of real life.
When I heard Sam Harris ask:
What would you do now if you knew you only had one year left to live?
I realised I didn’t have a clear answer.
Not because I lacked ambition, but because I hadn’t defined what truly mattered to me.
Around that time, life was already nudging me to pause.
Depression. Addiction. A creative career that had lost its meaning. A marriage that unravelled once I stopped pretending.
None of it happened overnight. It was gradual. Quiet. But undeniable.
Something had to change.
This began back in 2020, when I started unpicking old patterns and trying to live with more honesty. What evolved wasn’t a grand reinvention, but a slower practice. Less about fixing. More about noticing.
By the start of 2025, that practice had taken clearer shape. I began tracking my weeks, journalling with more intention, and refining the rhythm that now sits at the heart of Mission 52.
Set. Live. Reflect. Return.
What started as a personal experiment has grown into something I hope can help others slow down, reflect, and realign with what matters.
I’m not a teacher. I’m a designer. A bloke on a boat with a dog and a journal.
I’m building this in real time. If any part of it helps you notice sooner or drift less, then great!
Looking Ahead
Mission 52 will keep evolving.
It now includes a growing set of journaling guides. Simple, practical ways to explore your values, awareness, and reflection practice.
A small reflection tool is also taking shape behind the scenes. If you’d like to follow its progress and hear when it’s ready, you can join the mailing list below.
Slow, thoughtful updates. No noise.
If You’re Curious
If any of this resonates, or you simply want to ask a question, feel free to reach out.
You can email me directly at hello@mission52.co.uk.
Stories from the journey
Below are a few reflections that shaped Mission 52. Personal stories from the early days of the practice and the lessons that surfaced along the way.
The pillars that ground me
Over time, journaling gave me clarity. Not about goals or plans, but about values, what actually matters, what keeps me steady when life moves fast.
That clarity lives in six guiding pillars that have grown with me, touchstones I return to whenever I drift. They are personal, evolving, and often the quiet link between what I write and how I live.
The tools I lean on
In the last few years, three simple tools have done most of the heavy lifting for me: mindfulness, journaling, and Stoic philosophy.
They help me tune in, make sense of what I find, and act in ways that feel aligned with my values. They are practical, repeatable, and form the backbone of how I meet my days on and off the page.