2025 has been a year of expansion and mastery, building upon the momentum of 2024 while venturing into exciting new territories. This year brought profound achievements in my professional journey and enriched my personal life in meaningful ways. In this post, I’ll reflect on the defining moments that shaped my year.
Professional Achievements
Advancing SAP Expertise
2025 marked my return to full-stack development with a modern technology stack. After years of working primarily with SAPUI5, I embraced new challenges by:
- Deep diving into SAP CAP for Node.js to build microservice architecture for our Next-Generation Solution
- Getting back to Angular development after a long hiatus, bringing fresh perspectives to frontend architecture
- Mastering the full-stack development workflow with SAP CAP and Angular on SAP BTP Platform
Result: This technical evolution equipped me with comprehensive skills across the entire development stack, enabling me to architect and implement complete solutions from backend to frontend with confidence and efficiency.
Leading Next-Generation Solution
Building on last year’s user experience revolution, I became deeply involved in designing our next-generation solution from the ground up. This experience taught me invaluable lessons about enterprise project planning:
- Participating in extensive technical discussions to architect the solution from scratch
- Leading evaluation phases from cost estimation to pros and cons analysis to finalize the most suitable approach
- Learning the intricate process of initiating long-term project for enterprise companies
This initiative not only shaped our product roadmap but also gave me insights into strategic decision-making at the organizational level.
Expanding Technical Horizons
My technical journey continued to evolve as I balanced innovation with practical application:
- Implementing numerous requirements in Spring Boot to support and enhance our current product
- Leveraging AI tools like Vibe Coding to accelerate my learning in software development and solve daily challenges
- Using AI for Angular component development, significantly reducing development time while maintaining quality
Each new tool and technique I adopted enhanced my productivity and opened new possibilities for solving complex problems efficiently.
Personal Growth
Moving to a New Apartment
In 2025, my family and I made a strategic move to a new apartment in the commune area of Binh Chanh, Ho Chi Minh City. This transition was driven by practical considerations:
- Significantly reducing our apartment rental costs, easing financial pressure
- Discovering a vibrant community filled with trees and young people who share similar dreams and aspirations
- Finding that food costs decreased substantially, though the tradeoff meant a longer commute to work
This move taught us that sometimes stepping back geographically can mean moving forward financially, and that community matters as much as location.
Pursuing New Skills: Journey to a Driver’s License
In March 2025, I embarked on a practical new challenge—learning to drive and pursuing a C1 truck driver license in Vietnam. This decision was driven by a vision to enhance our family’s mobility and quality of life:
- Completing the DAT (Distance and Time) section of the training course by October 2025
- Developing a new practical skill that opens doors to greater independence
- Planning to take the examination in 2026 to obtain the license
- Setting a goal to purchase a used car in the future, giving our family more flexibility and reducing commute stress
This journey represents more than just learning to drive—it’s about investing in skills that will serve our family for years to come and creating new possibilities for weekend adventures and easier daily logistics.
Nurturing Family Bonds
Despite the changes and challenges, our family continued to flourish. The new environment provided:
- A greener, more peaceful setting for our children to grow and play
- Connections with like-minded neighbors building their futures
- Quality family time that remained our top priority despite longer commutes
The balance between financial wisdom and quality of life proved to be achievable with thoughtful planning.
Property Investment Progress
Our Long An Province investment brought both learning experiences and positive returns in 2025:
- Just one month after receiving the apartment, the province was administratively changed from Long An to Tay Ninh Province—an unexpected development that added an interesting chapter to our investment story
- Successfully leasing the apartment with 3% ROI to help pay down the bank debt
- Receiving the Certificate of Land Use Rights just 4 months after getting the apartment—a remarkably fast process thanks to Nam Long’s efficiency
- Gaining invaluable knowledge about the loan process through working with BIDV Bank, securing an excellent interest rate of 5.5% per year
Result: This favorable financing allows me to pay off the debt within 3 years without financial pressure, turning what could have been a burden into a manageable and strategic investment.
Lessons Learned and Growth
2025 reinforced and expanded my understanding of what matters:
- Adaptability in technology: Returning to familiar tools like Angular with fresh eyes, while mastering new frameworks like SAP CAP, demonstrates that continuous learning keeps skills relevant
- Strategic planning matters: From apartment moves to loan negotiations, thoughtful analysis of options leads to better outcomes
- AI as an amplifier: Leveraging AI tools doesn’t replace expertise—it amplifies productivity and accelerates learning
- Financial wisdom: Smart decisions about where to live and how to structure investments create freedom and reduce stress
- Investing in practical skills: Learning to drive is an investment in family quality of life and future convenience
Looking Forward to 2026
As I stand at the threshold of 2026, I’m energized by the possibilities ahead:
- Continuing to deepen my expertise in SAP BTP, SAP CAP, and Angular to become a true full-stack architect
- Contributing to the successful delivery of our next-generation solution
- Exploring more AI-powered development tools to stay at the cutting edge of productivity
- Completing my driver’s license examination and taking the next step toward purchasing a family car
- Potentially upgrading to a more convenient location as our financial situation improves
- Managing our Tay Ninh property investment strategically while exploring new opportunities
- Creating more meaningful family experiences despite busy professional commitments
The foundation built over the past two years positions us perfectly for even greater achievements.
Conclusion
2025 has been a year of strategic pivots and calculated risks—from embracing new technology stacks to relocating for financial efficiency to investing in practical skills like driving, every decision was made with intention and long-term vision in mind.
My deepest gratitude goes to my wife, whose unwavering support and partnership make everything possible, and to my children, who adapt to changes with resilience and fill our home with joy. To my colleagues and mentors, thank you for the collaborative spirit and shared learning experiences that made this year’s technical achievements possible.
I’m grateful for every challenge, lesson, and triumph that 2025 brought.
What were your defining moments in 2025? What bold moves did you make to advance your career or improve your life? Share your thoughts in the comments below—I’d love to hear about your journey. Here’s to making 2026 our best year yet!