Ra. Ra. Blah. Blah. Another New Year.
“New year. New me.” I made it a full four days before I heard that for the first time in 2026. I must confess: I hate that term. I mean loathe, detest, abhor. Did I mention hate? I think it’s the worst form of motivational speech we offer to ourselves. This may shock you for someone who is in the space of helping others to grow and change so let me explain.
There is no question that the desire to be different is foundational. The most powerful confession I’ve ever heard a client make was a non-profit leader, who the first time I met them said, “The pain of staying the same is now greater than the pain of change.” That’s a great starting place. It’s incomplete, however. I recently was at a networking event and it was my turn to offer my 60-second introduction about who I am and what I do. I asked everyone what the difference is between the 2024 and the 2025 New England Patriots.
“The record,” one of my friends responded.
“No question,” I agreed. “Why was the record better?”
“Positive attitude. Better coaching. Culture.” And a handful of other responses.
“What else?” I asked.
“Just tell us, Josh,” someone finally begged.
“The Patriots have a plan. Everyone knows what it is and they are focused on doing their part to execute it.”
You could see the lightbulbs going off.
For the first 30 years of my life I existed on sheer willpower. I see business owners and managers doing the same thing everyday. Then they decide they want to grow and their willpower suddenly seems insufficient to the task. So what do they do? They try harder. Then their willpower, which served them so well previously, turns into overwhelm, frustration, irritability that other people don’t work as hard as they do, and a vicious spiral in which every passing day, month, quarter, and year seems like groundhog day. Ask me how I know? I have a souvenir tee shirt, commemorating that insanity.
When I left my corporate career to pursue my calling as a coach, I committed to leaving this behind. I committed to working four days per week, spending nights having dinner and playing games with my family. I committed to playing golf twice per week. (By the way, can the winter hurry up already?) I committed to my physical, spiritual, and mental health. Why? Because who cares if you have a bunch of money and no one to love you, no time to enjoy it, and no satisfaction or joy in your life.
It’s something that my clients have observed about me, and they ask more about. They initially ask me to help them grow their business, and then they learn that there is a way to create a business and a life that they love. Next, they ask me to help them find the balance. That’s another word I don’t like—though I don’t have as strong a reaction to it as I do to the “new year-new me” movement. I gently correct them and encourage them to think about what an integrated life looks like. Work is one part that integrates into a larger whole. I would argue, however, that at its most elemental function, work is meant to give us the satisfaction of completing things, the joy of doing things that matter to us, and to challenge us to grow and expand. The reward for that pursuit is money and money creates possibilities. It’s one of several tools we have in creating what we want in life. It’s what pays for golf, vacations, experiences, dinners, and other things that bring us joy. There is no question about it.
For something that I’ve made sound so simple, it doesn’t mean it’s easy. We often conflate the definitions of those words. Simple is basic in the best sense of the word. Easy means requiring little effort. In a world that can feel like it’s on fire with change happening at rates that are faster than we have ever experienced, it’s incredibly difficult to keep things simple. And we’re desperate for that simplicity. We are desperate for a life of less distractions, to have another human being to talk to who we can have thought partnership with, and to pursue things that reflect what we really want, rather than what we see on Instagram, TikTok, or what other people who have no skin in the game think we should do. The world is so noisy that we are living in various modes of dis-ease: numbness, hyperactivity, autopilot, people-pleasing, paralyzing fear, and more.
What it takes to win in 2026 is different from what it took to win in 2025. It’s actually different from what it took yesterday. Those who are willing to look in the mirror, challenge the status quo, and be incredibly honest with themselves are the ones who are going to win in 2026 and beyond. I recently read Brene Brown’s new book Strong Ground, in which she (rightly, in my view) argues that the future is more humanity, not less. Those of us who get more in touch with what it means to be a human being, to be honest about where we really are, and create the types of plans to get where we want to go—and then execute them—are going to be the ones who win going forward. What about AI? What about this? What about that? What if a unicorn shows up? What if you choose to stay the same on the one hand or try every new idea that shows up on the other?
To prevent that, I’m offering everything I know about how to create plans to win in 2026 in a program called Better Business. Better Life. In two morning sessions held locally in East Providence, Rhode Island, on Tuesday, January 20, and Tuesday, February 3, we will tackle how to win in a post-COVID sales environment, as well as how to engage with the modern workforce in a way that increases loyalty and engagement. We will talk about how to create and execute a winning gameplan for business and life. We will talk about the mindset it takes to win. I’m personally inviting you to do more than post on LinkedIN about your new year plan and be the one who actually does something about it. Act here.