Out of Control. December 2025 Newsletter

We love to pretend we have control over things we absolutely do not.

Not just because it’s comforting, but because it keeps us busy.
Busy gripping the wrong levers.
Busy intervening where our influence is weakest.

Driving is where this shows up most clearly for me. That’s why I bought a self-driving car this year.
And then I barely used it.

I’d turn on the self-driving feature, feel my body tense, and disengage it within a minute.
After a few months, I let the subscription lapse entirely.

Earlier this month, we went to Palm Springs. We’d gone to unwind, to recharge after a nonstop year.
A week before the trip, a free self-driving trial landed in my inbox…too coincidental to ignore. With a route cutting through the mostly empty roads of the Mojave National Preserve, I ran out of excuses.
If I was ever going to let go, it was going to be there.

The drive was anything but relaxing. I was constantly inventing reasons to take back control.
Against my best worst-case scenarios, we made it without incident.

Then one morning, while poolside, I cracked open a new book that completely rewrote my perception, and allowed me to finally let the computer take the wheel.

I guess life lessons don’t abide by out-of-office autoresponders.

Tiny variables like temperature, mood, time of day, and recent experiences, quietly distort how we interpret risk and make decisions.

It’s called noise.

And it’s why systems matter.

Good systems minimize error, not by eliminating judgment, but by reducing the noise that pushes us toward the wrong decisions.

They free our focus to expand beyond the boundaries dictated by fear.

We can’t play our way safely to success.
We can’t single-handedly shift market forces.

Because even when we think we’re fully in the driver’s seat, we’re anything but.

Now, onto December’s rundown:

Must Watch Videos: 

I released a video every single week this year. While you really should watch all of them, this is the short list of what to watch to get up to speed so you’re geared up and ready to win in 2026:

• Google’s New AI Makes Beautiful Ads. That’s the Problem.
• ChatGPT Just Killed Your Business (Unless You Do This...)
• The AI War That Will Change How Customers Buy
• Amazon Sellers Are Missing This. Don’t Be One of Them.
• The Search Bar Just Died. This Is the New Way to Win in E-com

New videos drop every week! Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on any knowledge bombs.

End of Year Tradition:

Every year around this time, I like to reflect on the last 12 months: what worked, what didn’t, and what I want to do differently next year. I often start with Tim Ferriss’ past year review. It’s a simple framework that transforms last year’s lessons into a foundation for planning and goal setting.

After running my own review, a few categories stand out as highlights:

• Collaborative partnerships that made this year feel like just the beginning
• Speaking and educating businesses around the world
• Live entertainment (concerts, theater, and comedy, oh my!)
• Quality time with family and friends
• Exercise that pushed me to my limits

What were some of your highlights? I want to know!

Top Reads:

I spent more than half of this year in perhaps the longest reading slump of my life. I’ve since rebounded, but it’s been a rocky reading year. In spite of a lot of duds, I was lucky enough to also read some true standouts. These are the best:

• An epic adventure tale through my very own backyard.
• A love story about creating worlds, and the people we create with.
• A beautiful ode to friendship that will tug at all of your hearstrings.

Ride or Dies:

I love hearing about the products that people use and love. These are some that have become indispensable parts of my routine:

• Juicy pens with a smooth glide that makes journaling, list making, and planning a joy.
• This camera’s quality and ease of use is bananas.
• After constant frustration from a fancy shmancy coffee machine, I’m loving my analog coffee morning routine powered by these two beauties: a great grinder and a french press that keeps my second cup hot until I’m ready to drink it.
• The only editing and recording software that actually makes usable short clips. It’s not perfect, but it’s a big upgrade from my last tool.
• The best barefoot shoes I’ve found for weight lifting.
• I love concerts and live entertainment, but I also love my hearing. These are comfortable and preserve the sound quality for a great audio experience.

Out and About:

• I’m kicking off the year at CES. Let me know if you’ll be there, too!
• Want an engaging speaker for your upcoming event or podcast? Let’s chat!

Liked what you read? Have some feedback? Need help growing your business? Reply back to this email to let me know!

Wishing you a wonderful finale to 2025 and a prosperous 2026!

- Emma


P.S. If you’re new here: I’m Emma Schermer Tamir, an e-commerce conversion strategist and speaker trusted by 2,500+ brands to simplify complexity, sharpen strategy, and turn good businesses into unforgettable brands.


If you want clarity before the new year hits full speed, hit reply. Your competitors won’t wait.