that at midnight, we’d suddenly wake up as different people with overflowing energy and the willpower of a Spartan. But here we are, mid-January 2026, and the truth is much grittier: We are just as tired as we were in December 2025.
Actually, research backs this up. Statistically, about 43% of people expect to give up their resolutions by February, and a staggering 80% of resolutions fail because they are built on “tradition” rather than “intrinsic intent.”
I felt it too. This week, I decided to postpone some of my group programs. Why? Because the “global vibe” is currently one of burnout. We are all waiting for a pat on the back or someone to pull us up. But here’s the rebel truth: No one is coming. ---
If you look at the 2026 workplace trends, the picture isn’t exactly “cozy.” We are seeing:
When you look at these trends without a center, you freeze. You enter self-sabotage mode. You become fragile—where every market shift or organizational change feels like a personal earthquake.
This is where the connection happens. Why do some people thrive in this chaos while others crumble?
It’s not because they have more time (we all have the same 24 hours). It’s because they moved from Resilience (just surviving the shock) to Antifragility (growing because of the shock).
But you can’t be antifragile if you don’t know your Values.
Values aren’t just posters on a corporate wall; they are your internal GPS. When your values are translated into behaviors in your calendar, your energy shifts. You stop “spending” time and start “investing” it. You stop being a resource in someone else’s plan and start becoming the leader of your own life.
I’ll be honest with you—self-awareness is uncomfortable. It takes more time than we thought, and it’s way more complex than a “To-Do” list.
As Leila Hormozi says: “F* your mood, follow the plan.”** If you wait to feel like working on your values, you’ll be waiting until December 2026. Real leadership isn’t about leading others; it’s about the discipline to sit with yourself in the quiet and decide: “What are the 5 values that will guide my decisions this year, regardless of the context?”
If you are ready to stop being pulled by the “waterfall” of other people’s expectations, I have a way to help you build that internal armor: 1-on-1 Career Strategy Sessions with me.
For those who want more than just information, I’ve opened a special January 3-in-1 Strategy Package. It includes a deep-dive consulting session and 2 weeks of direct “hand-holding” to build your 2026 career strategy based on your values, not the market’s fears.
Don’t let the context define you. Define the context.
Drop me a message ar [email protected] or WhatsApp +40 760 137 488 if you want to chat about the strategy package. Let’s make 2026 the year you stop being a resource and start being a force.
Link: https://arminasirbu.substack.com/p/the-january-illusion-why-your-resolutions
