The Mid-Year Course Correction: Why Habits Beat Resolutions Every Time ⚓
The Mid-Year Course Correction: Why Habits Beat Resolutions Every Time ⚓
I was staring at a dirty diaper when I saw it.
Now, if you’re a parent, you know that diaper changes are usually a race against time and potential upholstery damage. But there I was, cleaning up my youngest, and right there in the middle of the mess was a perfect letter “C.” Formed by... well, you know.
Most people would just wipe and move on. But my brain is hardwired for pattern recognition. I didn’t see a mess; I saw a sign. A reminder that even in the most “shitty” situations (literally), there is a pattern, a message, and a need for Alignment.
That same week, I watched my oldest sitting in front of Blue’s Clues. Usually, she’s in her own world, navigating the beautiful complexities of her autism. But then, Blue found the second clue for her costume. Without missing a beat, she shouted, "Mouse!"
She nailed it before the third clue even hit the screen.
Then came the breakthrough at the dinner table. I asked her how she was, and she looked me right in the eye and said, "Fine. Thank you." Later, talking to her Lola, she dropped a phrase that had us all laughing: "Oh, diba. Adobo!"
These aren't just "cute kid stories." These are the Proof of what happens when you stop wishing for change and start building the habits that make change inevitable. As we hit the halfway point of 2026, a lot of leaders are realizing the goals they set in January now need a course correction. But if you want to be the Architect of Intentional Impact™, I’m telling you right now: Rely on your habits, not your resolutions.
The Mid-Year Drift Trap: Why We Lose Course
We’ve all been there. January 1st hits, and we’ve got a list of "shoulds" a mile long. Then June shows up, and reality gives that list a gut check.
"I should be more present with my kids."
"I should delegate more at work."
"I should finally record those marketing videos."
But resolutions are just wishes dressed up in a tuxedo. They lack the structural integrity of a Navy vessel. Research shows that by the end of the first week, 23% of people have already quit. By the two-year mark? Only 19% are still standing.
The problem isn't your willpower. The problem is your Intent. You’re trying to change your results without changing your routines. You’re trying to build a legacy on a foundation of "someday."
In the Navy, we didn't "resolve" to keep the ship afloat during a storm. We relied on the damage control drills we had done a thousand times until they were muscle memory. We relied on Preparation.
The Real Story: Patterns in the Chaos
My journals from the last week of 2024 are a mess of contradictions. I’ve got notes about winning gift cards at the Church Year End celebration and the progress with my youngest daughter's artwork (she started circles and lines at that time!). But I also have notes about "Damn, this takes time" and "No sleep before church."
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the "messy middle" of leadership and parenting. You’re trying to move the needle on your business, but you’re also trying to make sure your kids' school artwork is saved in the Google Drive. You’re recording videos one minute and changing a diaper the next.
But here is the Insight: The breakthroughs I see in my oldest: the speech, the pattern recognition: didn't happen because of a New Year's resolution I made. They happened because of the Habit of showing up every single day. The habit of tracing her name for the reward of ice cream. The habit of being present even when I'm tired. That’s why mid-year matters so much. It gives you a chance to stop judging the year by your January intentions and start correcting your course with what your daily patterns are actually producing.
Leadership is exactly the same. You don't become an influential executive by making a speech once a year. You become one through the boring, daily habits of checking in with your team, aligning your calendar with your values, and doing the "needle-movers" even when you'd rather be sleeping.
The I IMPACT Framework: Finding Your Alignment
When we talk about the I IMPACT framework (Intent, Insight, Mission, Plan, Alignment, Communication, Timeframe), the pivot point is always Alignment.
Alignment is the bridge between who you are and what you do. If your Mission is to be a present father and a visionary leader, but your daily habits involve scrolling LinkedIn for two hours and skipping dinner with your family, you aren't in alignment. You're in drift.
The Alignment Exercise: The Audit
To move from resolutions to habits, you need to audit your "Current State" versus your "Legacy State." Mid-year is the perfect timeframe for that kind of honest course correction.
Identify the Needle-Movers: What are the 3 tasks that actually generate Impact in your business or life? For me, it was writing this blog and recording my video funnels. Everything else? Delegate it or drop it.
Create the Anchor Habit: Attach a new habit to an existing one. (e.g., "While I wait for my morning coffee, I will write down my top 3 intentions for the day.")
Visual Recognition: Look for the "C" in your own life. What patterns are showing up in your failures? What patterns are showing up in your wins?
The Translation: From the Playroom to the Boardroom
You might think, "Reden, it’s great that your daughter is solving Blue’s Clues, but I’ve got a team of 50 and a bottom line to protect."
Here’s the translation: Your team is looking for patterns just like my daughter. If your "resolution" is to improve company culture, but your "habit" is ignoring emails and avoiding hard conversations, they will follow your habit, not your resolution.
When I was a Chief in the Navy, my Sailors didn't listen to what I said during the morning quarters as much as they watched what I did when things went wrong. Authenticity isn't a goal; it’s a byproduct of aligned habits.
If you want to lead your legacy, you have to let go of the worry and lean into the Preparation.
Reflective Interaction: Your Turn
Think about the one thing you committed to at the start of this year. Now, strip away the fancy title and the big goal.
What is the one, tiny, repeatable habit you can start today that makes that goal inevitable?
Is it 10 minutes of journaling? Is it a 5-minute check-in with your spouse? Is it recording one raw video for your team?
Drop your answer in the comments or reply to this email. Let’s hold each other to the standard of the Architect.
Summary (The Bottom Line)
Problem: Mid-year exposes the gap between the resolutions we made and the habits we actually live, creating leadership drift.
Solution: Lean into the I IMPACT framework: specifically Alignment: by replacing resolutions with small, repeatable systems and preparation.
Proof: The consistent, daily interaction with my daughters (Ella and Solenn) led to breakthroughs in communication and art that no "resolution" could ever achieve.
Action: As we hit the halfway point of 2026, stop guessing and start aligning. Join the Leadership Reset to build the habits that actually move the needle.
Ready for a Mid-Year Course Correction?
If you're tired of realizing half the year is gone and your systems still aren’t supporting your Purpose, let’s get to work.
👉 Join the Leadership Reset
At the halfway point of 2026, this is your moment to recalibrate your leadership habits and realign your calendar with the Impact you want to make.
