New Year - New H.O.P.E.

“Hope is a start. But…hope needs action to win victories.”

                                                                  – David J. Schwartz

A new year has arrived, and with it, a fresh wave of possibilities. I don’t know about you, but I’m thrilled that 2025 is here!

Now, I’ll be honest: usually, I’m not one to get too caught up in the buzz of a new year. But this time feels different. After everything we’ve been through, there’s a special energy surrounding the start of this year. It’s like a breath of fresh air after a long storm.

2024 was a tough year for many of us—and I’m no exception. But with the arrival of 2025, I feel a renewed sense of hope for what’s ahead. And here’s what I know: hope is an incredibly powerful force. It’s the spark that gets us moving, that pushes us to break through barriers and overcome challenges. But hope alone isn’t enough.

Hope needs action. Hope needs a plan. Hope needs you to do something about it.

The Power of H.O.P.E. in Creating Real Change

Each year, millions of people set New Year’s resolutions in hopes of creating positive changes in their lives.

But let’s face it—most resolutions don’t last. In fact, studies show that by the end of the first week in January, 25% of people have already given up. By mid-year, many resolutions have fizzled out completely, taking that initial hope with them.

So how can we break this cycle and truly create lasting change?

I’ve developed a powerful four-step system to keep hope alive and make it actionable—H.O.P.E.. These are practices I use personally, and that I’ve shared with my coaching clients to help them make their goals and dreams a reality.

H – Have a Vision AND a Plan

A clear vision of what we want to achieve is the first step toward transformation. But here’s the key: just having a dream isn’t enough. To create real change, you need a plan.

As Antoine de Saint-Exupéry said, “A goal without a plan is just a wish.” Dreams are powerful, but they only take flight when paired with actionable steps. Without a plan, your dreams remain a fantasy.

That’s why planning is everything. Having a step-by-step action plan helps you take daily, weekly, and monthly strides toward your vision. The action is what breeds the motivation. Without it, you’re just waiting for motivation to magically appear, and that rarely happens.

If you’re ready to turn your vision into a concrete, actionable plan, I invite you to explore my Breaking Through to Create Your Best Year EVER course. In this program, you’ll gain clarity on your goals and develop the precise action steps that will turn your vision into a reality.

This isn’t just about setting a goal; it’s about creating a blueprint for success.

O – Openness to How it Will Happen

One of the biggest lessons of 2024 was that life often throws us curveballs. Things don’t always go according to plan. And that’s okay. In fact, being open to the unexpected is crucial for success.

As my friend and martial arts instructor Kyoshi Dave Kovar wisely says, “Be stubborn in your goals, but flexible in your methods.”

We may have a clear destination in mind, but the path to get there might not always look the way we expect. And that’s where flexibility comes in. Just like a pilot knows that they will likely veer off course during a flight, we, too, must be willing to adjust our methods while keeping our ultimate vision intact.

Being open to how things happen—and willing to pivot when necessary—can be the difference between stagnation and breakthrough.

P – Persistent and Consistent Action

When most people look at their big dreams or New Year’s resolutions, they often feel overwhelmed. The vision seems too big, too distant, and the sheer thought of the journey can cause them to freeze.

Here’s the secret: don’t try to do it all at once. Start small, take manageable steps, and build momentum.

For example, if you want to start a fitness journey, don’t commit to 6 days a week at the gym for 2 hours a day. Instead, commit to two days a week for 20 minutes at a time. As you meet or exceed your small goals, you’ll build trust in yourself, and your motivation will grow.

Remember: A little bit of something is better than a lot of nothing.

The Breaking Through to Create Your Best Year EVER course is designed to help you break down your larger goals into manageable, achievable steps that fit into your everyday life. With this approach, you’ll be able to make consistent, daily progress without feeling overwhelmed.

E – Expect Your Unexpected Good

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is this: expect good things to happen, even in the midst of challenges.

It’s easy to focus on the obstacles, the setbacks, and the reasons why we can’t achieve our dreams. But what if, instead, we chose to see every challenge as an opportunity to learn, grow, and move closer to our goals?

When we adopt a mindset of positive expectancy, we open ourselves up to the unexpected good that can arise from even the toughest situations.

What if that setback you’re facing right now is simply redirecting you toward a better path?

What if that roadblock is guiding you to a breakthrough you never would have discovered without it?

This mindset shift is crucial for maintaining hope and momentum in the pursuit of your dreams.

Hope in Action: Take the First Step Today

So, my friends, here’s what I propose: take action on your hopes. Commit to making 2025 the year you move from mere hope to meaningful action.

If you’re ready to make this the year you break through and create lasting transformation, I encourage you to invest in your future with my Breaking Through to Create Your Best Year EVER online course.

This program will guide you every step of the way—from defining your vision to creating the actionable plan that will turn your dreams into a reality.

In this course, you will:

• REFLECT on the past to learn and grow from your experiences.
• REFRAME challenges as opportunities to move forward with purpose.
• INITIATE a powerful vision and actionable plan that leads to breakthrough success.
• INTEGRATE these strategies into your daily life for sustainable transformation.

Don’t wait for the perfect moment. The best time to invest in yourself and start your breakthrough journey is NOW.

Join the Breaking Through program today and make 2025 your best year ever!

I have hope for all of us in 2025. My hope is that we can each step into this year with a renewed sense of purpose, clarity, and a strong, actionable plan for achieving our dreams.

Here’s to making 2025 the year of breakthroughs, growth, and true transformation.

With hope, action, and consistency,

Chris Natzke
Black Belt Leadership Speaking & Coaching