Happy New Year! What mystical, magical power does January hold that makes it THEE month we swear we’re going to get our mind, money, and of course, our spiritual lives, right? We head to the local craft store and buy the latest “Happy Me” Planner and all those damn stickers! Head home and binge-watch 10,000 hours of content about goal planning and productivity.

January is the month millions master the art of planning–so why don’t our well-laid plans have the power to stick? In this episode of, That Wasn’t In My Textbook, your favorite historian (me) will:

• Walk you through the science behind the Fresh Start Effect.
• Introduce you to the Fresh Start Effect Trifecta: Catherine Milkman, Ph.D., Hengchen Dai GRW 15, and Jason Riis, the researchers who coined the term and vetted its power.
• Discuss how you can use their research to your advantage.

I’ll explain the psychological boost we experience when passing temporal landmarks (And, if you have no idea what a temporal landmark is–you should be hitting that play button right now).

We also get into the dark side of this phenomenon and discuss strategies to benefit from the science while avoiding the drama that comes with less-than-effective goal planning.

Episode Highlights:

• [00:01:12]The Fresh Start Effect is a term coined by a few Ivy League researchers that garnered attention from The New York Times, Washington Post, and CNBC, to name a few. Tune in as I introduce you to the researchers whose names will forever ring bells in these goal-planning streets.
   
• [00:02:02] Is this your first time joining the littest history class in the nation? Here I introduce myself and explain why – That Wasn’t In My Textbook is the one class you will never fall asleep in.
   
• [00:03:42] What do I think of New Year’s Resolutions, bold proclamations, and plans for taking over the world in the new year? Listen as I explain why “new year, new me” resolutions can be intimidating and what you can do to avoid joining Team “too much.”
   
• [00:04:12] I wouldn’t be your favorite historian if I didn’t bring you the facts- Let’s dig into the backstory of The Fresh Start Effect and learn how this phenomenon went viral.
   
• [00:06:13] It’s customary for us to start at the beginning (#hellohistory). Here we dissect The Fresh Start Effect origin story and why researchers felt it was necessary to put some language and research around the collective motivation we all feel when a New Year or milestone date grants us a fresh start.
   
• [00:07:08] What is a temporal landmark, and most importantly, how can we use this fresh start effect to help us reach our goals? Luckily, the experts have given us a study to learn from and emulate.
   
• [00:07:53] The fresh start effect has been studied in depth by three stars of the behavioral science world. Tune in to hear about the science that proves The Fresh Start Effect isn’t a theory but a scientific reality.
   
• [00:09:50] What magical power does the month of January hold over people? Find out what the research says, and let me know if anything rings true for you.
   
• [00:11:26] All research starts with a solid hypothesis, and this fresh start effect is no different. Tune in to learn about the theory, variables, results, and implications of the science on you and your goals.
   
• [00:16:08] Ready to go all gas, no break toward your resolutions? Not so fast, let’s read the fine print and examine the dark side of fresh starts and when we should pause and proceed with caution.
   
• [00:19:39] Tips for maximizing The Fresh Start Effect without falling into the dark side: Ready to put the fresh start effect into action? Here are a few tips on using temporal landmarks in your goal-planning process.
   
• [00:26:05] Our next episode drops on Wednesday, January 18, 2023, and our discussion is around The Chinese New Year. Will you be tuning in? Let me know in the comments.

Research Information:

1. Katherine Milkman, PhD., at Harvard, who is currently a Professor at the Wharton School 

2. Hengchen Dai GRW 15, who received her Ph.D. in OID at Wharton in 2015 and is now an Assistant Professor of Management and Organizations and Behavioral Decision Making at UCLA; 

3. Jason Riis, Ph.D., former Wharton Lecturer and Research Scholar and now Chief Behavioral Scientist at Behavioralize

Stay in Touch:

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The episode was researched and scripted by host Latoya Coleman (Toya From Harlem).