How Peak Performers Can Start the Year Strong: 9 Definitive Strategies
The start of a new year presents a unique opportunity to set the tone for success. Peak performers understand that beginning the year with purpose and clear objectives can have a profound impact on their personal and professional outcomes. In this article, we will explore 9 strategies that high achievers use to start their year strong.
1. Reflect and Learn from the Past Year
Peak performers begin by taking stock of their achievements and challenges from the previous year. This reflective process helps identify areas for improvement and set realistic goals.
As we begin a new year, it’s tempting to dive straight into goals and ambitions, to focus on what we want to achieve. But before we rush ahead, let’s pause and reflect. A strong start doesn’t begin with doing more—it begins by letting go of what held you back last year.
Think about it. What are you carrying from last year that no longer serves you? Is it fear? Self-doubt? Unhealthy habits or toxic relationships? Perhaps it’s the weight of unmet expectations or the belief that you’re not capable of more. These things don’t just occupy space in your mind; they drain your energy and block your path forward.
Letting go isn’t easy. It requires courage to face what’s been holding you back, and strength to release it. But remember this: you cannot grab hold of the future while clinging to the past. Growth demands that you make space for it.
This year, make a choice to release what no longer aligns with your purpose. Forgive yourself for past mistakes, and leave behind the doubts that whisper you can’t. Replace them with habits that empower you, thoughts that uplift you, and people who inspire you.
A strong start isn’t about perfection; it’s about beginning with freedom and clarity. When you let go of what weighs you down, you’ll discover how much lighter—and stronger—you can be.
A study from Harvard Business Review found that individuals who reflect on their work improve their performance by 23%. This underscores the importance of pausing to analyze successes and setbacks.
For example, while reviewing 2024, we discovered the need to rebrand one of our flagship interventions from Rock 2025 Like A CHAMPION to The Kickoff Summit. We also provided a free self-assessment tool to reflect and learn from the past year. This is to facilitate the pursuit of our commitment to provide an empirical framework that will enable top performers in the markeplace to achieve a highly productive year.
Call To Action: Dedicate time to journaling key accomplishments, lessons learned, and areas for growth. Use this information to inform your goal-setting process. You can visit www.kickoffsummit.com/productivitytool to download the free tool.
2. Embrace a Growth Mindset
A growth mindset—the belief that abilities can be developed through dedication and effort—is essential for starting the year strong. Chairman & Founder of Troyka Holdings, Dr. Biodun Shobanjo’s leadership exemplifies this mindset, fostering a culture of learning and innovation across all the businesses in the group. Research by Carol Dweck indicates that individuals with a growth mindset achieve more success and resilience compared to those with a fixed mindset.
Call To Action: Challenge yourself to learn a new skill or tackle a project outside your comfort zone. Regularly seek feedback to accelerate growth. Ensure your team embrace same.
3. Establish a Feedback Loop
Continuous improvement requires regular feedback. Peak performers actively seek input from peers, mentors, and supervisors to refine their strategies. For example, Prof. Adewale Peter Obadare, Chief Visionary Officer of DigitalEncode Limited implemented a philosophy that encourage teams to operate as though they are always at the start of their journey, with a focus on learning and improvement. A Gallup survey found that employees who receive regular feedback are 3.6 times more engaged than those who do not.
Call To Action: Schedule monthly check-ins with key stakeholders to gather feedback and adjust your goals and strategies accordingly.
4. Build Strategic Relationships
Networking and building meaningful relationships are integral to success. Peak performers leverage their networks to gain insights, collaborate on opportunities, and expand their influence. For example, when I interviewed Yinka Adebayo, Group Executive Director, Ominicom Media Group, West & Central Africa, on our flagship radio show (Becoming The Peak Performer on Inspiration FM), he said that “every assignment/project should be an opportunity to expand and deepend your network. He further added that “maintaining a strong professional network, built solely on VALUE, is the cornerstone of career growth”. A report by LinkedIn shows that 85% of jobs are filled through networking, emphasizing the importance of strategic connections.
Call To Action: Dedicate time each week to reaching out to mentors, colleagues, or new connections. Consider joining professional groups or attending industry events to expand your network.
5. Leverage Technology for Productivity
Peak performers use technology to streamline tasks and enhance efficiency. Tools like Calendly, Canva and Microsoft Teams help organize your day, manage projects, content creation and foster collaboration. For instance, Dr. Markie Idowu, Group CEO of Xpress Payment is known for using shared digital calendars to optimize her time. A study by McKinsey Global Institute found that productivity tools can increase efficiency by up to 25%.
Call To Action: Audit your current productivity tools and adopt one new app or software to improve your workflow. Invest time in learning its features to maximize its potential.
6. Set Clear and Ambitious Goals
The hallmark of a peak performer is their ability to set goals that are both ambitious and actionable. These goals often adhere to the SMART framework—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
A strong start isn’t about speed; it’s about clarity and direction. Imagine running as fast as you can, only to realize you’re heading in the wrong direction. Energy and effort are wasted without focus, and ambition without purpose can lead to frustration. The strongest start comes not from how quickly you move but from how clearly you know where you’re going and why.
Take a moment to pause and reflect. What truly matters to you in 2025? What is worth your time, energy, and commitment? Clarity isn’t just knowing what you want—it’s understanding the steps required to get there. Direction isn’t just a vague goal; it’s a roadmap that guides your decisions every day.
For instance, in 2024, we set a goal to deliver 10 transformational projects – (1) Rock 2024 Like A CHAMPION (2) Dr Abiola Salami International Leadership (DASIL 2.0) Bootcamp (3) Dr Abiola Salami International Leadership (DASIL 3.0) Bootcamp (4) Emerging Leaders Summit (5) TPP Woman of The Year (6) Senior Executive Networking Breakfast (7) EMERGE 1.0 (8) EMERGE 2.0 (9) TPP Dinner & Awards (10) TPP Love Feast. The projects we designed to serve the different demographies we cater to – Aspiring Leaders (i.e. Youths yet to secure a place in the marketplace); Emerging Leaders (i.e. active players in the marketplace under 40), Women in leadership, Senior Executives and Legends.
In our execution, we broke each goal into smaller, actionable steps with a timeframe for execution to ensure progress while maintaining motivation. The result? We exceeded our target on all the metrics we used to measure success. According to a study by Dr. Gail Matthews at Dominican University, individuals who write down their goals are 42% more likely to achieve them. This demonstrates the power of goal clarity and documentation.
We are utliziing the same template for 2025.
Starting strong means building a foundation. It’s about prioritizing the meaningful over the urgent and focusing on progress, not perfection. It’s about choosing consistency over chaos, discipline over distraction.
Remember, life isn’t a sprint—it’s a marathon. And in a marathon, it’s not the fastest start that matters; it’s the ability to stay on course and finish well.
So, as you take your first steps into this year, don’t rush blindly forward. Start with clarity, set your direction, and move purposefully. Because when you align your actions with your vision, every step will take you closer to your destination.
Action Point: Write down your top 10 goals for the year and break them into quarterly milestones. Share these goals with an accountability partner to stay on track.
7. Create a Morning Routine
A structured morning routine is a secret weapon for many top performers. It sets the tone for a productive day and reinforces positive habits. For example, Kunbi Adeoti, Chief People Experience Officer at Leadway Group starts her day at 6 a.m. with meditation and prayers, exercise, and focused work, ensuring uninterrupted time to tackle key priorities. Also, research from the Journal of Applied Psychology shows that individuals who maintain consistent morning routines report higher productivity levels throughout the day.
Call To Action: Design a morning routine that includes activities such as exercise, mindfulness, and planning. Begin with small, manageable changes to establish consistency.
8. Plan for the Long Term
While starting the year strong is essential, maintaining momentum requires long-term planning. Peak performers like Sir Demola Aladekomo focus on consistency, emphasizing the importance of incremental progress over time. He has demonstrated this from the time he started what is now referred to as CHAMS Holding Company in 1985 and this has led to what Darren Hardy popularised as “compound effect”, which demonstrates that small, consistent actions lead to significant results over time.
Call To Action: Use a planner or digital tool to map out your year’s goals. Revisit and adjust this plan quarterly to stay aligned with your objectives.
9. Prioritize Health and Wellness
Physical and mental well-being are critical for sustaining high performance. Top achievers integrate regular exercise, balanced nutrition, and mindfulness practices into their daily lives. For instance, Nike Macaulay, CEO, Wakanow Nigeria emphasizes the role of meditation in maintaining focus and reducing stress. She said, “My work day starts at 6:30 and meditation happens after the kids leave for school at 7. I watch the news, listen to my morning music playlist, reflect and prepare for the day ahead. In the evenings, I also engage in some self-care activities and spends quality time with family to wind down. I consciously disconnect from work-related tasks to take care of my emotional well-being and ensure a healthy work-life balance.”
Call To Action: Schedule physical activity and mindfulness practices into your weekly calendar. Start with as little as 10 minutes a day to build momentum.
Conclusion
Starting the year strong is not about making dramatic changes but about cultivating habits and strategies that drive consistent success. One crucial decision you can make to set the tone for delivering on your individual and corporate goals in to enrol your team to attend The 2025 Kickoff Summit where we will provide participants with an empirical framework for becoming highly productive in 2025. Intentional actions coupled with a growth mindset can yield transformative results. Implement these strategies today to make this year your most successful yet.
About Dr. Abiola Salami
Dr. Abiola Salami is the Convener of Dr Abiola Salami International Leadership Bootcamp ; The Peak PerformerTM Festival Made4More Accelerator Program and The New Year Kickoff Summit. He is the Principal Performance Strategist at CHAMP – a full scale professional services firm trusted by high performing business leaders for providing Executive Coaching, Workforce Development & Advisory Services to improve performance. You can reach his team on hello@abiolachamp.com and connect with him @abiolachamp on all social media platforms.
