By Tony Cress, Owner of Tony Cress Training Center
Let’s talk about the New Year. It’s a fresh page on the calendar, but that’s all it is—a date. Somehow, we’ve turned it into this magical starting line for change. Spoiler alert: it’s not. The New Year doesn’t care about your goals or your vision board. It’s just another day in the big cycle of life. And here’s the truth: if you’re waiting for January 1 to change your life, you’re already setting yourself up for failure.
Most people who make New Year’s resolutions are stuck in a loop. Every year, it’s the same goal: lose weight, get fit, save money, drink more water. And every year, they’re back at square one, because waiting to change is the same as giving yourself permission to stay the same. Think about it: if you really wanted to change, why wait? Allowing the current version of yourself to linger because you’re waiting for some “perfect moment” is not just counterproductive—it’s downright foolish.
The New Year Trap
Let’s be real. Most people don’t even start their resolutions on New Year’s Day. Why? Because they’re hungover from the party the night before, distracted by football games, or just overwhelmed by the idea of starting something big. The cycle of procrastination and excuses doesn’t magically end with the ball drop. If you wait for the New Year to change, you’re already behind.
Why Waiting is Asinine
Here’s the hard truth: life doesn’t slow down. There will always be another Monday, another birthday, another reason to delay. Waiting is a trap. It keeps you in limbo, convincing yourself that “later” is a valid plan. But “later” isn’t a plan—it’s avoidance.
3 Reasons to Start Today
- Momentum Builds Confidence: Starting now creates momentum. Momentum is what drives confidence, and confidence fuels consistency. Waiting until January won’t give you that—it’ll just give you more time to talk yourself out of it.
- Procrastination Breeds Inaction: The longer you wait, the harder it is to start. By delaying change, you’re reinforcing the habit of inaction. If you want a different life, you need to take action now—no matter how small.
- Your Future Self Deserves Better: Every day you wait is another day your future self pays the price. You owe it to yourself to stop making excuses and start showing up. The version of you who has achieved those goals is built on the choices you make today, not on January 1 or any other “perfect” time.
Stop Waiting. Start Changing.
If you want to be different, act different. Don’t wait for January, or Monday, or the next time life slows down—because it never will. Change doesn’t come from the calendar; it comes from you. Start today. Start messy. Start small. But start.
At Tony Cress Training Center, we don’t believe in waiting. We believe in taking action, in being bold enough to start now. Because if not now, when?