You know the type. January 1st rolls around and they're all in. New gym membership. Meal prep containers lined up. Planner color-coded. Vision board complete. This is THE year.
By February 14th? The gym membership is collecting dust. The meal prep containers are back in the cabinet. The planner sits unopened. The vision board is buried under a pile of mail.
Maybe that's you. Maybe you're reading this thinking, "Yeah, I'm definitely NOT a New Year's resolution person. I've tried. It never works."
Here's the truth: You're not the problem. The resolution system is broken.
And I'm going to show you exactly why—and give you something that actually works instead.
Why New Year's Resolutions Are Designed to Fail
Let me tell you what happens inside your brain on January 1st.
You're standing at the peak of what I call Phase 1: Uninformed Optimism. You're fired up. Motivated. You have no idea how hard this is actually going to be, which is exactly why you feel so confident.
You don't know that:
- The first month of working out will show almost zero visible results
- Writing every day feels like pulling teeth when you're staring at a blank page
- Building a business means months of boring, unglamorous work before anything happens
So you set big goals when motivation is at 100% and understanding is at 0%.
Then reality hits.
Phase 2: Informed Pessimism arrives around week 2-3. The initial excitement fades. You realize this is actually hard. The alarm goes off for that 5 AM workout and your bed feels like a warm hug you never want to leave.
And then comes Phase 3: The Valley of Despair.
This is where most resolutions go to die. You've been doing the work but seeing minimal results. The difficulty is still high. The gap between effort and outcome feels unbearable. You think, "Maybe I'm just not cut out for this."
So you quit.
The 5 Fatal Flaws of New Year's Resolutions
1. They're built on uninformed optimism
You set them when motivation is high and understanding is low. You don't account for the valley. You think willpower will carry you through, but willpower is like your phone battery—it drains throughout the day.
2. You're trying to change everything at once
Most people don't set one resolution. They set seven. You're trying to become a completely different person overnight. Your brain looks at this list and says, "Absolutely not."
3. They're outcome-focused, not system-focused
"Lose 30 pounds" tells you nothing about what to do today. It gives you no process. No daily actions. So you start strong, but when motivation fades, the outcome-focused goal offers no guidance.
4. There's no plan for the valley
You didn't expect weeks 3-6 to be brutal. You didn't plan for the moment when it's still hard AND you have nothing to show for it. So you interpret the valley as evidence that "this isn't working."
5. They're all-or-nothing
Miss one day at the gym? The streak is broken. The perfection is shattered. Your brain says, "Well, I already failed, so what's the point?" One missed day becomes a missed week becomes abandonment.
The Graph That Changes Everything
When you start anything new, two forces compete:
DIFFICULTY starts high and slowly decreases. Everything is hard at first. But gradually, it gets easier.
RESULTS start low and slowly increase. You're putting in maximum effort for minimum returns initially.
Most people quit right where those lines cross. When difficulty is still noticeably high and results are still disappointingly low.
You quit right before it gets good.
If you just pushed through that intersection, something remarkable happens:
- Difficulty keeps decreasing. What once required intense concentration becomes automatic.
- Results start accelerating. This is the compound effect. The first month barely changes anything. Month six transforms everything.
But you have to survive the intersection.
What Actually Works: The 333 Method
Working with my coach Michael Mackintosh from the Awakened Academy, I learn new concepts and approaches that actually work.
It's called the 333 Method.
Here's why it works when resolutions fail:
✅ It forces ruthless prioritization - You can't do everything, so you focus on the 3 things that matter most (the 20% that creates 80% of results)
✅ It builds systems, not wishes - You know exactly what to do, when to do it, and what to remove. No ambiguity.
✅ It expects imperfection - You have a backup plan for terrible days. You never break the chain.
✅ It's sustainable - Three goals for three months won't burn you out. Sustainability beats intensity.
✅ It survives the valley - You know Phase 3 is coming. Your system is designed to get you through it.
✅ It compounds - Three months is enough time to see real results and build real habits. Then you do another 90 days. Four quarters of focused work transforms your life more than one year of scattered effort.
Here's How It Works
The 333 Method has three core components:
1. The 3 Secrets (Why it works)
These are the foundational principles that make everything else work:
Secret #1: The 80/20 Way - 80% of your results come from 20% of your actions. Find the 20%, double down, remove the rest.
Secret #2: The Slight Edge - Small daily actions + time = massive results. But for months, it looks like nothing is happening. Most people quit during "THE NOTHING" phase. If you keep going, the curve eventually goes vertical.
Secret #3: Micro Habits - You have two versions of every habit: the full version (ideal day) and the micro version (terrible day). On good days, do the full version. On bad days, do the micro version. Never break the chain.
2. The 3 Goals (What you focus on)
You pick exactly THREE goals for the next 90 days.
Not ten. Not seven. Three.
These are your only focuses. Everything else goes on the "not right now" list.
3. The 3 Rituals (How you execute daily)
You do three simple things every day that connect your vision to your actions:
Morning Ritual (5 min): Write your 3 goals, visualize them as done, say thank you
Daily Power Actions: Do the ONE thing for each goal that moves the needle most
Evening Ritual (3 min): Write your 3 wins, send to accountability partner, celebrate
That's it. 10-15 minutes of "system time" plus your actual work.
The Reality Check
Here's what I know about you:
You've tried before. Maybe it didn't work. Maybe you quit after two weeks. Maybe you're skeptical that THIS time will be different.
Good. Skepticism is healthy.
But here's the thing: this IS different.
Not because you're more motivated (you're not).
Not because it's a new year (dates are arbitrary).
Not because you want it more (wanting never changed anything).
It's different because you have a SYSTEM now.
With the 333 Method, you know:
- Exactly what you're doing (3 goals, not 10)
- Exactly how to do it (daily rituals with full + micro versions)
- Exactly when you're doing it (calendar, not to-do list)
- Exactly what to remove (the 80% that doesn't matter)
- Exactly who's holding you accountable
- Exactly what to do when you fail (micro version, never miss twice)
Resolutions fail because they're wishes dressed up as goals.
The 333 Method succeeds because it's a blueprint for transformation.
Your Next Step
So here's the question: Are you ready to make this year actually different?
I've created two ways to help you implement the 333 Method:
Option 1: Get the Free 333 Method Workbook
This comprehensive workbook walks you through the entire process:
- How to pick your 3 goals (with the right questions to ask)
- How to go deep on each goal (WHAT, WHY, HOW framework)
- How to set up your daily rituals
- How to identify your power actions
- How to create your micro versions
- Weekly check-in templates
- 90-day tracker
Download the Free 333 Method Workbook →
Option 2: Work With Me (Limited Spots)
If you want personalized guidance, I work with a small number of clients each quarter using the 333 Method.
Here's what we do together:
Session 1 (60 min): We identify your 3 goals and go deep on what success actually looks like for you
Session 2 (60 min): We build your daily system - power actions, micro versions, calendar scheduling, environment setup
Session 3 (30 min): We lock it in - address the valley, identify what has to go, commit to start
Then: Weekly 20-minute check-ins for 12 weeks to keep you accountable and on track
This isn't generic coaching. This is a proven system tailored to your specific situation.
Schedule a Free 333 Method Strategy Call →
The Truth About January 1st
The next 90 days are going to pass whether you focus or not.
The question is: what will you have built when they're over?
Most people will:
- Set 7-10 vague resolutions on January 1st
- Feel motivated for 2 weeks
- Hit the valley around week 3
- Quit by February
- Tell themselves "I'm just not a resolution person"
- Start the same cycle next year
But you're not most people, are you?
You understand that:
- Success comes from doing the right 3 things deeply, not everything
- Motivation is temporary, but systems are forever
- The slight edge only works if you keep going through "THE NOTHING"
- Micro habits protect your identity on days when you can't do the full thing
- Never missing twice is more important than never missing once
So yeah. Be a "New Year's resolution person."
Just don't use New Year's resolutions.
Use the 333 Method.
Two Simple Choices
Choice 1: Do what you've always done. Set vague resolutions. Rely on motivation. Quit in the valley. Try again next year.
Choice 2: Use a proven system. Get the workbook or work with me. Build something real in the next 90 days.
Download the Free 333 Method Workbook →
Schedule a Free 333 Method Strategy Call →
The next 90 days are going to pass anyway.
Will you be different when they're over?
Your move.
P.S. — If you're still skeptical, that's fine. Download the free workbook and try it yourself. You'll see exactly how the 333 Method works and whether it's right for you. No commitment. No pressure. Just a proven system that's helped hundreds of people finally make real progress on what matters most.
Download the Free 333 Method Workbook →
Mathias Ihlenfeld
(737-600-6142)
mathias.ihlenfeld@birthingofgiants.net
