The Year You Want is Built by the Habits You Keep
"First forget inspiration. Habit is more dependable." – Octavia Butler
The final week of January is where most resolutions fade. The return of deadlines and demands pushes us back into familiar rhythms unless we intentionally choose different ones.
Follow-through. Consistency. Habit-building. These are the themes for this blog because the year you want is built by the habits you keep. January has been about building systems (week 1), building momentum (week 2), building focus (week 3) and now we build the most important ingredient: staying power.
Here are three ways to turn January intentions into yearlong results:
1. Create “Anchor Habits” for Stability & Structure
Key Idea: Anchor habits are small routines that keep you grounded, even when the semester gets chaotic.
Try This:
Choose one academic habit (writing, teaching updates, leadership touchpoints) you can do every Tuesday or Thursday, no matter what.
Keep it small, consistent, and repeatable.
Example:
A faculty member sets Thursday mornings as their “scholarship anchor.” Even during busy weeks, that 60-minute commitment maintains progress.
2. Review Weekly, Adjust Monthly, Commit Quarterly
Key Idea: Reflection is how habits stick. The best leaders don’t set and forget. They review and refine.
Try This:
Weekly: 10 minute “What moved the needle?” reflection.
Monthly: Adjust your work plans based on real workload and capacity.
Quarterly: Reaffirm your “main thing” for the next 90 days.
Example:
A clinical coordinator uses a monthly reflection to drop one nonessential activity and double down on a key initiative supporting student readiness.
3. Celebrate Wins Early & Often
Key Idea: Recognition fuels consistency. Small successes deserve spotlight.
Try This:
Create a “January Wins” list.
Share one win with your team to reinforce collective momentum.
Encourage colleagues to do the same.
Example:
During a team meeting, a faculty member highlights progress on a new active-learning redesign. their colleagues follow suit, strengthening morale and modeling consistent progress.
Final Thoughts:
January is the launchpad but habits are the engine that carry you through the year. Your next level is not build in a day, a week, or a resolution. It’s built in rhythm, repetition, and refinement.
Next Steps to Maximize Your Habits:
Looking to bring clarity, direction, and momentum to your academic pharmacy performance? EduLead-Rx offers individualized leadership coaching and consulting to faculty and leaders to build sustainable habits that transform clarity into reality, direction into action, and momentum into next-level results. Let’s turn your main thing into results.
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