29. The Quiet Lie of Fresh Starts

January sells a comforting story.

That change begins from 1 January.
That turning a new leaf is easy.
That a new year suddenly creates new behaviour.

For leaders, this story is especially tempting. After a demanding year, January feels like permission to reset without looking back. You have new priorities and new momentum.

But after years of watching how change actually happens inside organisations, I’ve learnt something that rarely gets said.

Real change almost never begins on January 1, and pretending it does is one of the most common ways leaders delay the hard conversations that actually create change..

Why Fresh Starts Feel So Appealing

Fresh starts feel optimistic.

They allow us to look forward without revisiting what was previously heavy. They replace reflection with intention. They offer relief from explaining why something did not work.

In leadership roles, carrying unfinished decisions, strained dynamics, or unresolved fatigue into a new year is uncomfortable.

So leaders rebrand priorities, refresh strategies and signal optimism.

None of that is wrong, but it is often incomplete.

What Actually Carries Over

Pressure does not just disappear without change.

Unclear ownership does not dissolve in January.
Fatigue does not reset with a new plan.
Risk tolerance shaped by last year’s strain influences decisions going forward.

In audit and governance work, this shows up clearly. New frameworks are introduced while old behaviours remain. Controls are updated, but judgment patterns stay the same. The language changes but the dynamics and culture do not.

This is why so many “new year initiatives” feel heavy by February. They are built on unresolved context and you lose one month ‘feeling good’ instead of fixing the underlying issues to start the year strong.

The lie of the fresh start is not that change is impossible but that change can happen without consequences.

Change Begins Earlier Than We Admit

Most meaningful change begins in the uncomfortable middle.

It starts when leaders notice friction they can no longer explain away. When decisions feel heavier than they should. When confidence exists on paper, but unease lingers underneath.

That moment rarely aligns with January and often happens quietly, late in the prior year.

A conversation that felt avoided.
A risk that felt tolerated rather than managed.
A control was added because trust felt thin.

Those are not failures but signals of what needs to change.

Leaders who treat January as a starting line often miss the chance to understand what those signals were pointing to.

Why Leaders Skip This Step

The reason is timing.January feels like a moment to move and not to pause. There is pressure to appear decisive. To energise teams and to project certainty.

Looking back can feel like slowing things down. Or worse, like reopening things that everyone is eager to leave behind.

Courage aids clarity which can then provide better directions.

Without this, all the hope and momentum you start the year with just leads to disappointment in a few weeks.

A More Honest Reset

A real reset begins with truth.

Before committing to what changes this year, leaders benefit from asking:

What from last year am I still carrying into decisions right now?
What am I hoping will resolve itself without being addressed?
What patterns am I repeating under the banner of a fresh start?

What do we need to complete or change from last year, so we have better results this year?

These are not abstract questions. They shape how leaders manage risk, and respond under pressure.

In audit terms, this is the difference between closing the period and understanding the drivers or root causes of issues.

Why This Matters in Leadership

Leadership is cumulative because each year builds on the last, whether acknowledged or not. When leaders skip clarity, they unintentionally recreate conditions they meant to leave behind.

When leaders pause long enough to name what actually carried over, something shifts. Decisions become better and conversations become more direct.

Change stops being performative and becomes real.

That is the reset that lasts.

Closing

January can be a tried of incredible change and potential but you have to address what is unresolved and what is ready to change. Leaders who use this time for clarity rather than symbolism enter the year better.

If this resonates, I’d be interested to hear what you noticed carrying over into this year before it had a chance to disguise itself as a fresh start. That awareness is often where real change quietly begins.

That’s all for this week.
See you on Tuesday!

– Jonathan

P.S. Fresh starts are appealing because they promise relief. Clarity delivers something better. Stability. If you’ve been sensing that this year requires more honesty than optimism, a simple conversation can often surface what needs to be acknowledged before it can change. Reach out to me. I’ll guide you.

Disclaimer: This newsletter is intended for general informational and reflective purposes only. It does not constitute financial, legal, or professional advice. Please consider your own circumstances and consult an appropriate professional before making decisions.