Stirring Point

It’s hard to quantify the last year of our lives when the metrics are mostly anecdotal. Without hard data, we look back upon memory through an emotional prism that both colors and taints our view. Pride and regret bookend our spectrum, while the center remains a mess of guesswork. “Pride” helps us celebrate the accomplishments of the last 12 months. “Regret” reminds us of our shortcomings. We had goals and plans. Some held on; some were lost.

Our goals matter, but finish lines are less meaningful in the rearview. Grieving loss or celebrating success both deserve their moments of reflection. And in those reflections, we exhale the sickness, the fights, and the injuries the year heaped upon us. We also expel the clinging to our past successes, ensuring they’re not enshrined as measurements for today’s identity. And when there’s no air left in our lungs, we inhale deeply to fill our chests. With fresh air, we see new days ahead to rewrite our meaning. We forget about finish lines and think about starting lines. We focus on progress, and we focus on process. 

“A new year, a new start” is a hopeful trope, but with honest commitment, it can prove to be true. We see the stories of dramatic weight loss or new business ventures that find footing and flourish. We feel jealous, wishing we too could flip the script and change our trajectory in a meaningful way. If we performed an autopsy on our past shortcomings, we’d find the things we can’t control for: poor timing, blindsiding winds, and unexpected devastations. But we’d also find things we can control, like our consistency and our commitment to self-improvement. And with guardrails like these in place, our growth is all but guaranteed. 

Step into the new year with the “relentless forward progress” your growth demands. There will always be timing issues, winds to battle and devastations to navigate. But an effort that flies the flag of consistency is undeniable. Establish your desire for growth, write it across every window in your mind and repeat it like a mantra when resistance bares its teeth. Let consistency be your north star and use it to build your habits. Once your habits are locked in, break them only when you absolutely must.

Commit to anything positive this year that brings you joy. See the world with a little less fear, a little more calm and walk toward your challenges. Be a risk-taker when it leads to growth. Forget about your narratives from the past that have held you back. Start fresh. Resolutions fail when they meet resistance. But resistance fails to stop us when it meets our consistency. So hold the reins of consistency and don’t stop moving, even when the results are slow. Relentless forward progress will get you there in 2025. Be relentless with your effort. Utterly and entirely relentless.