January Is Where Goals Go to Die
If it mattered, you’d already be working on it.
New year, new goals - right?
That’s what I was taught growing up in church.
New year means you sit down, write out your goals, and work on your goals.
So I did that.
As a kid. Through high school. Even into early adulthood.
I wrote goals because I was supposed to.
Not because I was ready to follow through.
They lived on paper, not in my life.
And over time, I realized something important:
Setting goals is good. But waiting for a new year to start is optional - and often dangerous.
The Moment That Changed Everything
About three years ago, I hit a breaking point.
I was borderline obese.
Uncomfortable in my body.
Ashamed of how far I’d drifted.
And I didn’t have some dramatic New Year’s epiphany.
It was early December.
I looked at myself and said, I’m done.
Not “I’ll start soon.”
Not “I’ll wait until January.”
Done.
I set one goal: get back in shape.
Specifically - I wanted a six-pack.
So I acted immediately.
I messaged a friend I trusted.
We talked.
I hired him as a coach.
We built a plan.
And then I followed it.
Action Creates Momentum - Not Dates
I cut out junk food.
Tracked calories.
Started showing up to the gym four times a week.
Not because it was a new year.
But because I was ready.
A year later, I hit the goal.
Six-pack.
Over sixty pounds gone.
A completely different relationship with discipline.
And ever since then, I cringe a little when I hear people say:
“I’ll start in the new year.”
Because most of the time, that’s just procrastination wearing a party hat.
Waiting Is a Decision
If you’re willing to wait to start, what makes you think you won’t wait again?
If “later” feels safer than “now,” that same instinct will show up when things get hard.
There is never a perfect time.
Waiting doesn’t make goals easier - it just makes quitting more familiar.
If you’ve already set goals this year and you’re slipping, don’t panic.
That’s feedback.
Cut the Fluff
Ask yourself this honestly:
Which goals actually matter - and which ones just make me feel productive?
Most people don’t fail because they lack discipline.
They fail because they overload themselves.
Ten goals sounds ambitious.
It’s usually a setup for disappointment.
In my life, the goals I’ve achieved have always been singular.
One or two at a time.
That’s it.
Focus creates follow-through.
Start Where You Are
If something keeps coming to mind - if there’s one change you know you need to make - that’s the goal.
Cut the rest.
You don’t need permission from a calendar to begin.
You can set goals when you need them.
And if you need one now, start now.
Don’t wait.