If you start in January 2026, your New Year’s resolution is statistically doomed before you even start.
The data is brutal. Only 9% of Americans who make New Year’s resolutions actually complete them. Most don’t even make it past January, 80% abandon their goals by the second week of February. Strava’s analysis of 800 million user activities found that most people quit by January 19th, a date they’ve dubbed “Quitter’s Day.”
The gym statistics tell an even starker story. While 12% of all new gym memberships begin in January, creating a 25-30% spike in attendance, the crash is inevitable. Gym visits spike 6% immediately after New Year’s Day, but by February 9th, just 40 days later, attendance returns to normal levels. Half of those January gym members quit within six months.
But what if the entire premise is wrong? What if January 1st is actually the worst possible time to start a life changing habit?
Why January sucks when forging a new you.
Think about what you’re asking your brain to do in January.
You’re demanding a complete behavioural overhaul during the most chaotic, energy-depleting period of the year.
The holiday season has just ended. Your bank account is lighter, your sleep schedule is destroyed, and your willpower has been systematically eroded by weeks of parties, travel, and family obligations.
If you’re in the Southern Hemisphere (like me in AUS), you’re dealing with summer heat when motivation is naturally lower. If you’re in the North, you’re fighting seasonal depression and the shortest days of the year.
Meanwhile, everyone else is making the same resolution, creating crowded gyms, overbooked trainers, and a cultural environment that treats January change as a temporary performance rather than sustainable transformation.
You’re essentially trying to build discipline during the least disciplined time of year.
The Alternative? Start in Q4 (October).
Starting your 2026 goals in October 2025 gives you a three-month head start. By the time January arrives, others are just beginning their doomed resolutions, you’ve already stacked habits, built colossal momentum & began rewiring your identity.
HOW LETHAL GENTLEMEN SET UP THEIR QUARTER
Each of my clients will start each business quarter with a Lethal Combine.
This is a combination of raw strength testing, VO2 Max lab testing, body fat scans, blood work & an overall audit of their current physical fitness.
Q4 is special. As we don’t look at 12 weeks as a quarter, we look at 12 weeks as an entire year. This mental shift (homage to the book “The 12 Week Year”, is a game changer & will revolutionise how you view a year).
Now is the time to set new objectives.
Now is the time to think about next year & your ambitions & takeover.
Now is the time to build colossal levels of momentum while everyone is joining the other 91% who stick with something for 2 weeks then fail.
THE LETHAL PERFORMANCE CLUB
Many of you have wanted more specific information as to what working with me 1 on 1 looks like.
So for that reason, I built a website that covers the Lethal Protocol process.
This is my most bespoke offering & is for high performing businessmen & career professionals only.
I am incredibly strict with intake & it is on an application basis (I cap this service to 20 clients per year & have many multi year clients in my books to this day).
For those of you that wish to learn more, click the button below to be considered.