The Nocturnal Newsletter

A Better Reset Than “New Year, New Me”

It’s that time of year again.

If we had a dollar for every time we heard “New Year, New Me,” we could fund all the abandoned goals from years past.

The phrase promises a clean slate. But most of us know how this story goes.
By February, enthusiasm fades.
By June, priorities shift.
By December, we’re setting new goals instead of asking the more uncomfortable question:

What happened to the old ones?

The truth is, most goals don’t fail because they were bad ideas.
They fail because life got busy, capacity shrank, or motivation ran out. And instead of revisiting them, we quietly abandon them—convincing ourselves that starting over is easier than circling back.

For business owners, this pattern is almost baked into the job.

January starts with vision decks, planning meetings, and ambitious targets. Everyone leaves energized. Then the year unfolds. Clients need attention. Fires pop up. Revenue takes priority. And those once-important goals slowly drift into the background until they become “that thing we talked about last January.”

Looking Backward to Move Forward

As we head into Q1 of 2026, maybe the better question isn’t:

What new goals should we set?

But rather:

Which goals deserve another look?

Often, the strongest reset isn’t a shiny new vision.
It’s a renewed commitment to something you already knew mattered.

Before adding anything new, take 20 minutes to review last year’s goals and sort them into three categories:

• Completed → Celebrate these. Most people skip this step and miss the motivation boost.

• Clearly obsolete → The business changed. The market shifted. Let them go cleanly.

• Incomplete but still relevant → These are your goldmine.

Most momentum doesn’t come from reinvention—it comes from finishing what was already important.

How to Re-Anchor a Goal So It Actually Gets Done

If you decide to carry a goal forward, don’t just re-label it for a new year. Anchor it differently.

Use this three-step reset:

1. Name why it matters now
Timing matters more than intention. Write one sentence answering:
“Why does this matter in the current version of my business?”
Clarity increases follow-through.

2. Shrink it to the smallest meaningful action
Your brain engages once it senses progress.
Not “revamp operations,” but “map the current workflow in one doc.”
Momentum beats motivation every time.

3. Assign visible ownership
Goals fail in abstraction. They succeed when someone owns the next step and others can see it. Whether that’s you, a team member, or an external partner—make it socially real.

Small structural shifts like these dramatically increase the odds that intention turns into execution.

Ditch the “Should” Goals

Here’s where most goal-setting quietly collapses.

Modern research shows that goals driven by “should” are often externally imposed and neurologically draining. According to Self-Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan), goals rooted in obligation trigger guilt and resistance rather than sustained motivation.

Behavioral and neuroscience-adjacent thinkers (Huberman-style frameworks; Brené Brown’s work on shame and motivation) point to the same pattern:
“Should” language activates a low-grade threat response in the brain. Even when the goal is completed, satisfaction is reduced—and burnout increases.

As you review last year’s list, ask yourself:

• Is this goal aligned with who I am now?

• Does it reflect my values (or someone else’s expectations)?

• If no one were watching, would I still want this?

Let the “shoulds” go. Make room for goals rooted in choice, identity, and alignment. Those are the ones that stick.

A Better Definition of Progress

Progress doesn’t always come from starting over.

Sometimes, it comes from circling back; this time with clarity, structure, and commitment that lasts beyond January.

Before you set a single new goal this year, revisit the old ones with fresh eyes. You may find that the path forward has been waiting for you all along.

What’s one goal you’re revisiting—not because you failed, but because it still matters?

🦉

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