Each time I’ve visited my local gym this year, I’m struck by the sheer number of new faces. Then, of course, I remember—it’s January 🙂 It’s that time of year again when New Year’s resolutions are in full swing. “This time it will be different”, they say. But for 95% of them, it won’t be. By February, most of the new faces will have disappeared, leaving the regulars behind.
Why? Because motivation fades when people set unrealistic expectations or have poor routines. They forget that change is a process, not a one-time event.
The same pattern plays out in organisations. I’m often called in beginning of year by HR leaders to run goal-setting workshops. First of all, let’s be clear: goal-setting is the easiest part of execution. Second, one-off events, like training sessions, don’t lead to long-term behavioural change.
If we want people to truly change—whether it’s learning how to focus on what really matters or adopting new ways of working—it requires a process. Studies suggest it takes anywhere from 70 to 250 days for a new behaviour to become a habit, depending on the complexity of the change and the individual. From my experience with change programs in organisations, it takes at least six months to see behavioural shifts in small or medium-sized organisations —and over a year in larger ones.
Like in the gym end of January, people want to quit if they don’t see immediate results in their work. That’s why I always emphasize: trust the process. Keep showing up with focus and discipline. Even if the path isn’t clear and it feels really difficult, stick to the routine and experiment if needed. Week by week, you’ll discover what works and what doesn’t—and eventually, you’ll succeed.
