And how to set yourself up for a different kind of 2026
Read time: 5 minutes
The LinkedIn Authority Accelerator begins 13 January — a 5-part live course for professionals who want to build a visible, credible personal brand on LinkedIn through a clear, repeatable system. If visibility is something you want to prioritise in 2026, find out more and enrol here.
January: we’re full of energy.
New goals. Big intentions. Ambitious plans for the year ahead.
By February, a lot of that momentum has faded.
Not because people don’t care or lack discipline, but because the way we start the year often sets us up to repeat old patterns rather than actually change them.
I’ve learnt this the hard way.
Most people start the year focusing on outcomes, numbers, milestones, and big end goals. But what’s usually missing is a clear approach to how those outcomes will actually materialise.
Here are a few patterns I’ve noticed, and what I’m doing differently as I head into 2026.
1. We rely too heavily on motivation
Motivation is useful, but completely unreliable.
It’s high at the start of the year and dips quickly once real life kicks in. Work gets busy, energy levels fluctuate, other priorities take over.
When we rely too much on motivation alone, things becomes pretty fragile.
What’s far more reliable is structure: very small, repeatable actions that don’t require you to feel inspired all the time.
This year reinforced that being consistent always beats enthusiasm.
2. We set goals without changing behaviour
Goals are easy to write down. Changing behaviour is much harder.
Most people set ambitious goals but keep the same routines, habits, and environments. Then they wonder why nothing really changes.
You only make progress by adjusting how you work day to day. What you say yes to. What you make time for. What you stop doing.
If nothing changes in your calendar or your behaviour, the outcome doesn’t either.
3. We underestimate the power of visibility
A lot of people start the year working harder in private.
Very few start by thinking about how they want to be seen, understood, or positioned.
But visibility accelerates learning, opportunity, and connection. It helps people understand how you think and what you’re good at.
Whether you’re building a career, a business, or optionality for the future, staying hidden slows everything down.
This is something I’ll be continuing to prioritise in 2026 (and you can too, by joining the LinkedIn Authority Accelerator and growing your visibility sustainably).
4. We chase intensity instead of sustainability
January, by nature, encourages high intensity, big changes, and big commitments. The problem is that intensity is hard to sustain, even for the most committed amongst us.
What actually moves things forward over a year is setting a pace you can sustain even when energy is low or life is busy.
Sustainable progress looks boring from the outside, but it’s usually the most effective.
5. We plan the year instead of setting direction
Planning is valuable, but setting direction matters more.
Answering questions like:
What am I optimising for this year?
What matters to me more than it did before?
What am I willing to deprioritise?
When direction is clear, decision-making gets easier and all the trade-offs make sense. Everything feels more intentional. Without it our plans will drift.
The takeaway
If you want 2026 to be different, it doesn’t start with a better goal.
It starts with clearer direction, simpler systems, and consistency.
No dramatic reset needed. You just need to start the year in a way you can realistically continue.
That’s the energy I’m taking into 2026, and I’m genuinely excited about what it unlocks!
Speak soon,
Dupé
PS: Don't forget to sign up to the LinkedIn Authority Accelerator, a 5-part live delivered course, starting January 13th, designed for busy leaders who want to grow their visibility.
And, as always, if you’d like deeper support in showing up confidently and growing your personal brand, reply to this email to explore 1:1 coaching.
And finally, if you' like to book me to speak make an inquiry here :)
