Why I Start My New Year On Groundhog Day

In the movie Groundhog Day, Bill Murray’s character lives the same day over and over again. Eventually he gets it right and time begins to move forward again. The movie has become a cult classic and it’s one I watch every year on – you guessed it – Groundhog Day. And Groundhog Day is also the day I start my new year.

Why do I wait until February 2nd to start my new year? There are a number of reasons why I start my new year on Groundhog Day.

1. I Have More Energy To Move The Right Things Forward

The thing about January is that while it is the start of the Gregorian calendar year, it comes at a time where our energy levels are at one of their lowest levels. We’ve just come out of the holiday mode, and to try to take on a new habit or resolution when we have so little in the tank is less than ideal.

So I don’t do it.

Instead, I take the time in January to review the time gone by, recharge my batteries, and renew myself. I refine my plans for the months ahead and prepare accordingly. Then when Groundhog Day arrives I’ve got the energy needed to take massive action and make the right things happen.

2. I Have More Space To Move The Right Things Forward

Since I take the first month of the year to really refine my plans for the year, February gives me the breathing room and space I need to really propel my intentions in the right direction. The mindset of starting my new year on Groundhog Day ensures I give myself the time and space needed to develop a strategy for delivering quality work over the long haul. It also keeps me from attaching myself to resolutions that have a strict timeline attached to them.

Oddly enough, I actually started to eat healthier and exercise regularly as of early January. I didn’t attach that lifestyle change to a new year’s resolution of any sort. I just decided I needed to take steps to improve my health and fitness so that I could feel better and have the energy I needed to keep up with my personal and professional aspirations. In essence, I worked on myself during the month of January (reviewing, recharging, and renewing) and by doing so and not attaching it to any sort of specific timeline I’ve given myself the space in February to really take the ball and run with it. After all, you can move the ball forward a lot further when you have more space in front of you.

3. I Have More Focus To Move The Right Things Forward

With more energy and more space, my focus is much clearer. That means that I can really hone in on what I want to accomplish and make solid progress. I can pay better attention to my intentions, which makes them more powerful.

Attention without intention is powerless. Intention without attention is directionless. And focus is what attention and intention need to be effective. Taking January to map things out gives me the focus I need to take action as of Groundhog Day.

I don’t want to have the same year happen every year. Back when I used January as the starting point for my year, that seemed to happen. Failed resolution after failed resolution. A sluggish start. Compressed for time. A year with less focus was the result. Now that I use February as my jumping off point for my year, I proceed with vitality and resolve. While I begin the planning for my year months beforehand, Groundhog Day marks the beginning of the execution of those plans because I don’t want my new year to be the same as the last year.

I want it to be better.

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