The fresh start effect
With the beginning of the new year, I started receiving posts on my rss reader about new year's resolutions and the 2024 retrospective.
I enjoy reading these kinds of posts, they are very inspirational.
Recently I listened to an episode of an Italian podcast about personal growth and goal achievement.
I learned that moments like Mondays, the first day of a month, the first day of the year, these days are called “temporal landmarks” because they function as a symbolic boundary between past and present.
They help create the so-called “fresh start effect”, the feeling of unlimited possibilities.
In 2024 I started using quarterly OKRs to manage my personal goals.
I assigned one point to each Key Result, and then added up the points of those accomplished and put them into percentages to get my score.
I did not do well.
- Q1 33%
- Q2 0
- Q3 33%
- Q4 0
I tried to understand the reason for my lack of success, and I think it was because they were too tied to one single sphere of my life.
For 2025, I have chosen a different approach. I have taken some time to regroup and put thoughts down on paper.
My new goals are challenging and well balanced between personal growth, family, socialization and household chores.
This time I planned goals with different deadlines.
Some are annual with quarterly review, while others are assigned to a single quarter.
The enthusiasm for the start of the new year is providing good energy, I am curious to see the evolution of my Key Results over time.
May the fresh start effect force be with you.
