As we prepare to exit the holiday season and enter the new year, there's a natural temptation to dive straight into ambitious new initiatives. But I've learned that sustainable momentum isn't built on dramatic bursts of energy—it's created through intentional rhythms and clear focus.

How to Create Momentum That Lasts

Step One: Convert Reflection into Real Action

The quiet moments of the holiday season often bring valuable insights, but those insights only matter if we translate them into practice. Rather than creating an overwhelming list of changes, choose one or two key insights to focus on first:

• Notice which reflections keep surfacing

• Identify what feels both important and actionable

• Start with the change that would make other changes easier

• Define what "progress" looks like in concrete terms

For example, if you've realized during the holiday pause that your best strategic thinking happens when you have uninterrupted time, don't just resolve to "protect your calendar better." Instead, identify one specific block of time you'll protect each week and define exactly how you'll use it.

Step Two: Design Your Operating Rhythm

Resolutions often fail because they fight against our natural patterns instead of working with them. Creating sustainable momentum means designing rhythms that feel natural:

• Build in recovery time alongside push periods

• Create triggers that prompt desired behaviors

• Link new habits to existing routines

Think of it like a natural cadence rather than a forced march. What rhythm would make a desired change feel like a natural part of your week rather than another item on your to-do list? For me, I’ve discovered that quality time with family is important in the evenings, lingering around the dinner table chatting… but so is my workout.

Doing both in the evening makes both feel like a chore, so I’ve moved my workout to early morning, which means I’m waking up a half hour earlier. That’s not necessarily my ideal desired wake up time, but it makes the workout feel more naturally a part of the week than frenetically trying to bust out the weights and resistance bands right after the dishes go into the sink. It’s all an experiment, and you may have to design and then redesign as things shift and change.

Step Three: Maintain Clarity as You Build Speed

One of the biggest challenges with momentum is that increased speed can blur our focus. Stay clear on what matters by:

• Regularly reconnecting with your core priorities

• Checking that efficiency isn't compromising effectiveness

• Creating pause points to assess direction

• Adjusting course before small deviations become big problems

I do a weekly review every single week, on Sunday. This includes reviewing what went well and what didn’t last week overall, what my goals are for the year, and what needs to happen this week to make progress toward those goals. If something is out of alignment or not working, or a goal needs to change, I catch it quickly and am able to course correct, because there’s a pause point every single week.

The goal isn't to move fast—it's to move forward consistently in the right direction.

One Thing to Ask Yourself This Week:

"What rhythm would make my most important priority feel natural rather than forced?"

One Thing to Try:

Choose one insight from your holiday reflection time. Instead of turning it into a resolution, design a simple weekly rhythm around it. What's the smallest regular action that would build momentum in this area?

Remember, sustainable momentum isn't about dramatic changes—it's about consistent progress in the right direction. As we move into the new year, let's focus on creating rhythms that support our growth rather than resolutions that fight against our nature.

Until next week,

Lauren