The motivation from 'fresh starts' like New Year's or a new week is temporary. This makes them ideal for single actions with lasting benefits (like setting up a 401k or scheduling a screening), but insufficient for sustained efforts like daily exercise, which require additional strategies.

Research indicates that habits started in October or November have a 67% higher success rate than those begun on January 1st. Starting early shifts the process from relying on fleeting motivation to gradual integration, making new behaviors automatic by the time the new year arrives.

The advent calendar concept is being decoupled from Christmas and applied to other occasions like Halloween, Mother's Day, and birthdays. This transforms a seasonal novelty into a year-round marketing strategy, creating new consumer habits of anticipation and driving sales for various events.

Most people slow down during holidays. By intentionally increasing your focus and effort during these 'separation seasons,' you can create a significant gap between you and your competition, much like driving on an empty highway at night.

Contrary to popular advice, long-term habit formation adheres better to your body's neurochemical state than to a rigid clock schedule. Forcing a high-energy habit into a low-energy biological phase increases friction and failure rate. Match the task to your internal state for better long-term success.

Instead of setting multiple, often-failed New Year's resolutions, focus on installing just one new positive habit per quarter (e.g., meditating 10 minutes a day). This slow, steady approach leads to four foundational habits a year, which compound over time for transformative results.

The “fresh start effect” boosts motivation after a significant date. Don't limit this to January 1st. Intentionally create more “temporal landmarks”—like birthdays, project kickoffs, or the first of the month—to provide multiple opportunities throughout the year to reset goals and change behavior.

Motivation alone is insufficient for driving behavior. To increase conversions, marketers must provide a specific trigger—a time, place, or mood—for the action. This 'implementation intention' acts as a catalyst, converting desire into action, as demonstrated by campaigns like Snickers' 'You're not you when you're hungry.'

View habits as having "seasons" rather than as rigid, lifelong commitments. A habit that serves you well during one phase of life (e.g., building a startup) may need to be adapted or replaced in the next (e.g., raising a family). This flexibility prevents feelings of failure and promotes long-term success.