Have you made a New Year’s resolution? January has never felt like the start of my year for me. I understand the tradition, but my internal sense of “beginning” comes from other rhythms. That is why New Year’s resolutions often miss for me. They assume January offers space and simplicity. For many leaders, January is already crowded. It is budgets, board work, planning cycles, and teams who are still carrying the weight of year-end. Trying to force a big personal reboot in a month like that can set you up for frustration. It turns “I chose the wrong goal” into “something is wrong with me,” and that is not accurate.

A better question is not “What will I change this year?” It is “When is the best opportunity for my next reset?” Some people get that in January. Others get it at the start of the school year or right after a big board meeting. There are also opportunities on the first day of a new role or at the start of a fiscal year. Those are moments when there is a transition to the next state. Change becomes more practical because the environment supports it.

If you want change that lasts, match it to the season you are actually in. Pick the start that is real in your life, not the one you feel obligated to follow. The point is not to manufacture a fresh start. The point is to recognize the ones you already have and use them well.