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Every January, we feel it: fresh starts, new motivation, and the quiet confidence that this year will be different. We make lists, set goals, and imagine a better version of ourselves waiting just around the corner.
And yet, for many of us, a few weeks or months later, we’re right back where we started—discouraged, frustrated, and wondering why change feels so hard.
If you’ve ever told yourself “This year will be different” and then watched nothing really change, this post is for you.
Where the Belief ‘This Year Will Be’ Different’Comes From
The belief “this year will be different” usually comes from New Year’s euphoria. Everything feels possible. Our goals feel exciting instead of heavy. It’s like standing at an all‑you‑can‑eat buffet of goals—career, health, habits, relationships, spiritual growth—and piling our plates high.
This belief also shows up anytime we start something new:
- A new habit or routine
- A new time‑management system
- A new food or exercise plan
- A new Bible reading plan
- A new season of life or relationship
We assume that because the thing is new, the outcome will be new.
But there’s one thing we forget.
The Part We Carry Into Every New Start
No matter how new the system, plan, or habit is… we bring ourselves into it.
If we approach new goals with the same patterns, the same expectations, and the same mindset we’ve always used, the results won’t change—no matter how fresh the calendar feels.
As the saying (often attributed to Einstein) goes:
“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
So the real truth is this:
This year will only be different if we approach things differently.
Why ‘This Year Will Be Different’ Usually Fails
Let’s be honest about some common patterns that quietly sabotage our goals.
1. Too Many Goals
Many of us create long, impressive goal lists—so long they’re impossible to sustain. The result? We complete the easy or fun goals and ignore the rest. The unfinished goals linger all year, quietly fueling guilt and discouragement.
2. Relying on Willpower Alone
We assume writing a goal down will magically produce motivation. But willpower is unreliable, especially in areas we’ve never been consistent in before. Expecting sudden willpower is setting ourselves up to fail.
3. Doing It All on Our Own
Some goals can be done privately with God alone, but many are easier—and more sustainable—with support. Isolation often makes change heavier than it needs to be.
4. Expecting Fast and Easy Change
When change doesn’t come quickly, we interpret struggle as failure. Discouragement sets in, and quitting feels logical—even inevitable.
What Actually Makes ‘This Year Will Be Different’ Come True
If we want this year to be different in a real, lasting way, we need to change how we approach change itself.
1. Choose Fewer, Smaller Goals
Instead of a full year packed with resolutions, consider quarterly goals. Shorter time frames make goals feel more realistic and manageable.
A helpful structure:
- One main goal ( a one and done goal even though it may require upkeep – could do 2/3 if you’re an advanced goal accomplisher)
- One habit goal (an ongoing habit)
- Maintain a few habits you already have
Less is often more.
2. Combine Practical Tools and Spiritual Renewal
Most meaningful goals require both:
Practically:
- Break goals into small steps.
- Learn routines and time‑management skills
- Create systems that reduce decision fatigue
- (I teach all of these in my How to Stop Procrastinating course.)
Spiritually:
- Renew your mind when you can’t make yourself work on your goal.
- Identify the beliefs fueling your habits.
- Partner with God instead of relying on sheer effort.
- (I teach how to do this in my How to Stop Procrastinating course.)
Scripture reminds us that transformation happens through the renewing of the mind—not just trying harder.
3. Expect It to Take Time (and Include Failure)
Lasting change is a process. You will fail along the way. That doesn’t mean you’re incapable—it means you’re human.
Failure becomes destructive only when we let it lead to quitting. With God’s help, failure can become feedback instead of a verdict.
4. Don’t Do It Alone
Support matters. Whether it’s a local group, an online community, or structured accountability, having others alongside you lightens the load.
That said, the most consistent support comes from walking closely with God—talking honestly with Him, renewing your mind, and persevering together.
A Word of Encouragement for the Journey
The goal isn’t instant transformation. The goal is faithful perseverance.
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” — Galatians 6:9
Your future self will thank you—not for being perfect, but for not giving up. More than that, the journey itself draws you closer to God, who is ultimately in charge of the results.
This year can be different—but not because the calendar changed.
It will be different because you approached it differently, with honesty, wisdom, and God’s help.
How to Stop Procrastinating Course
If you’d like help with a difficult goal—so that this year really can be different— my online course will help. In addition to on-demand videos and practical, hands-on assignments, I’ll also be hosting some online “work parties” in January of 2026 for those enrolled in the class to work on your hard-to-make-yourself-do goals! Click on the image below for more info.
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Do you have any podcasts that transcribe it for us so we can read it instead of listening to it? I loathe podcasts for multiple reasons, but it’s the least effective way for me to learn. Do any of these platforms transcribe the conversation?
Hi Tasha, my iphone podcast app has podcast transcripts. If you go to the individual episodes and scroll down you’ll see a heading that says Transcript. Click on that and you should be able to read them.
The android one may have an equivalent. If you google it, I bet you’ll be able to find out how to get that. I don’t have anything at my website though.