New Year’s Resets
Forget resolutions. A structured annual reset that actually sticks.
Michael BatkoFramework · tested with 300+ foundersWhat it is
New Year’s Resets replace the traditional resolution with something that actually works. Instead of a vague list of things you want to change, it’s a structured process for reviewing the year that was, extracting lessons, and setting intentions grounded in reality rather than aspiration.
Why it matters
Resolutions fail because they’re disconnected from your actual life. You set them on January 1st based on how you feel after two weeks of holiday, and by February they’re forgotten. Resets work because they’re anchored in reflection. You can’t set meaningful goals for next year without honestly reviewing this year. The past is the foundation for the future.
How to use it
The process has three phases. First, review: look back at the year using your Reflection Stacking data (or, if you’re starting fresh, your calendar and journal). What worked? What didn’t? What surprised you? Second, extract: identify the three to five themes that defined the year. Were you building? Recovering? Searching? Third, reset: set goals for the coming year, but anchor them in themes and habits rather than outcomes. “I will run a marathon” is a resolution. “I will build a running habit three times a week because movement keeps me sharp” is a reset.
My experience with it
I publish my annual reset every year and it’s become one of the most-read pieces I write. The process takes me about a full day - I block it out in my calendar in late December. I go through every weekly OS email, every monthly GBU, every daily reflection. By the time I’m done, I have a level of clarity about my year that most people never get. It’s not magic - it’s the compounding benefit of all the other reflection frameworks feeding into this one moment.
Try this today
You don’t need to wait until January. Block out two hours this weekend and answer three questions: What am I most proud of from the last twelve months? What would I do differently? What’s the one theme I want to define the next twelve months? Write your answers down. That’s the start of your reset.
