We’re officially in the New Year. The holiday euphoria is setting in, and I know exactly what you’re doing: you’re making a list.
You’ve signed up for the gym, you’ve sworn off unnecessary meetings, and you’re convinced this year will be different.
We see the same exact emotional spike in marketing. It’s the mass sign-up for new software subscriptions, the frenzied project kick-offs, and the belief that a fresh start magically fixes fundamental flaws.
The problem is, resolutions are about aspiration (fluff). Strategy is about execution (results). We’re not here for fluff.
The 92% Failure Rate
The strategic catastrophe in relying on resolutions is the failure rate. We are building our business plans on a broken foundation: studies consistently show that while over 92% of people make New Year’s Resolutions, only about 8% actually achieve them.
You are starting the year planning your business based on a 92% probability of failure.
The New Year isn’t magic. It’s simply a starting line. You can’t cram for the final exam (the holiday rush) in December if you ignored the strategy in July.
Read more: Stop Obsessing Over Rhode. Your CEO’s Job Isn’t Their CEO’s Job.
Your Commitment Contract
The only resolution that matters for your business is commitment to the foundational work. You need to create a strategic contract with yourself and your team.
Don’t chase the shiny object; commit to the boring, unglamorous system that drives results:
Commit to the Long Game: Stop looking for immediate, transactional results. The work you do in January—building authority (SEO/GEO) and collecting customer data—is the only thing that will prevent your CAC from spiking by 40% next November.
Commit to the Strategy, Not the Feeling: Remember the indestructible lipstick? Commit to the plan you know is right, and stick to it long enough to get clean data (a quarter, at least). Your goal is to see real results, not to avoid a moment of early panic.
Commit to Clarity (The Internal Fix): Make the hard choice to fix your internal processes, translate your team’s languages, and eliminate the corporate drama. A fractured team cannot execute a cohesive strategy.
Your success next December will not be dictated by a resolution you made on January 1st; it will be dictated by the commitment you show starting today.
Wishing you a year defined by execution, not aspiration.
Lara
