The last couple of years have been wild. Many of us still feel like 2020 was last year. 2020 came and went. 2021, did that even happen? And suddenly, just when 2022 feels a little more normal to write down, it's 2023?

It's at this point in the year that this passage of time should be on your mind. It's a time for reflection, as reflection is at the root of prospective planning. That may seem obvious, but many of you will skip that part. Instead of reflecting on what you said you would do in January 2022, you'll view 2023 as if it's entirely distinct from the past. But, it's not. 

People frequently speak of starting with a blank canvas. This is foolish. Your last canvas got stained, torn, and remained incomplete due to your errors. What makes you think this won't happen again? After all, your past actions are the best predictor of your future actions, and thus there are important lessons to be learned from that previous canvas. 

The Blank Canvas Mindset is what leads you to try the same diet every January. "This is the year", you say. Just like you've said every year. You ditch all of your favourite foods, commit to preparing every meal, and empty the cupboards of all those nasty carbs. 

I propose that you ditch this Blank Canvas Mindset. Instead, I want you to look at that canvas and see why it got stained, and when it got torn. If the restriction of the low carb diet produced failure, then why not start with different intentions this year. If the excesses of training 7 days per week didn't work out, why not start with 3-4 days. If the 4am starts just never work for you, maybe consider a later start. 

This is not about being soft or easy on yourself. It's about making the hardest choice of all; the choice to honestly criticise yourself and change your behaviour accordingly. When we are honest about where we have slipped up, it hurts. We prefer to avoid that by looking forward with the blank canvas. We think that part of us no longer exists. But it does, and it will creep up on you. When it creeps up on you will not be January 1st. It will be a dark Thursday evening in mid-late January, when the hype of the New Year has settled, the duvet is heavy, the rain is pouring, your tummy is rumbling, and you're looking at your running shoes next to your bed. 

You need to learn about that part of you. Ignorance is bliss in the short term, but ignorance is also nourishment for mediocrity. Your choice.