We’re heading into February now.
Back in January, you probably made a decision.
Maybe it was a New Year’s resolution.
Maybe it was Dry January.
Maybe it was something else entirely.
Whatever you decided, now is the perfect time to reflect, not emotionally—but strategically.
Here are four questions worth asking yourself:
1. Have I succeeded or failed so far this year?
2. If I’ve succeeded, how much of a struggle has it been?
3. If I’ve succeeded, how sustainable is this for the next month, 11 months, or the rest of my life?
4. If I haven’t succeeded, where did it go wrong?
Answering those four questions honestly can shape a much better February plan than blindly “trying harder.”
The best thing about habits is this:
They don’t start with motivation.
They start with a decision.
And that decision can be made right now.
The action can begin this moment.
Here’s a real example.
I spoke with someone who decided their New Year’s resolution was to run at least one mile every single day in 2026. The goal was clear. The effort was real. But there were already many days where running a mile just wasn’t possible.
When we dug deeper, the real goal wasn’t running.
The real goal was losing 15 pounds.
Running a mile every day would probably burn some calories and move the needle compared to doing nothing—but was it the best strategy for this person?
Or would something simpler and more repeatable have worked better?
For example:
Drink a protein shake every morning at 8 a.m.
Eat the same high-protein, lower-calorie lunch every day.
Drink a set amount of water daily.
Less impressive on paper.
Much easier to execute consistently.
February is a great checkpoint.
If something has been working for you so far—great.
You might even consider keeping that habit and adding a second one.
If you did Dry January and it’s been manageable, maybe you continue it into February. And if results are moving in the right direction, maybe now you layer in one additional habit to keep momentum going.
Progress doesn’t usually come from bigger goals.
It comes from better decisions and more sustainable systems.
February is your chance to recalibrate—not give up or restart.
– James Pratt