Why Motivation Is Highest in January—And Why It Often Fades

January arrives with a particular kind of energy.
It feels hopeful. Focused. A fresh start. The calendar flips, and suddenly change feels possible again. People (and by people, I mean me) set goals, make plans, and speak with certainty: “This is my year.”

And for a moment, we mean it. I love to plan. Look at overarching goals, break them down in behaviorally specific bite-sized pieces, put them in my pretty planners (yes, plural). Lists, systems, objectives – that’s my jam. Because once the goal is neat and orderly, it's easier to accomplish. 

Or is it?

Here’s what I’ve learned. For most of us, by February—if we make it that far—that motivation often fades. The plan we make, intentions we set fade. Gym attendance drops. Journals gather dust. Fresh veggies end up in the trash. Old patterns quietly return. This isn’t because people are lazy or lack discipline. It’s not because they lack a plan. It’s because motivation was never meant to carry the whole process of change.

Motivational Interviewing helps us understand why January motivation is so powerful—and why it rarely lasts on its own.

Why Motivation Peaks in January

The Fresh Start Effect

January represents a psychological reset. The new year creates distance from past disappointments and offers a sense of control over what comes next. Goals feel untethered from last year’s struggles. The past feels closed.

This “fresh start” creates a real, measurable increase in motivation. People feel lighter, more capable, and more open to change. 

Collective Momentum

January motivation isn’t just personal—it’s social. Everywhere we look, there is language about improvement, renewal, and possibility. That collective energy reinforces the belief that now is the right time to change.

Motivation feels easier when it’s shared.

Optimism Outpaces Doubt

In January, hope speaks louder than fear. Doubts haven’t fully resurfaced yet. Barriers feel distant. The emotional weight of change hasn’t settled in.

From a Motivational Interviewing perspective, this is not false motivation—it’s incomplete motivation. And that distinction matters.

Why Motivation Almost Always Fades

When motivation fades, people often assume something went wrong. But from an MI lens, what’s happening is expected.

Motivation Is A Spark, Not The Engine

Motivation fluctuates. It rises and falls based on energy, stress, mood, and environment. January motivation often lacks a structure to support it once the emotional high wears off.

When motivation dips—as it inevitably does—people interpret that dip as failure instead of information.

“Motivation is a spark, not the engine.”

Ambivalence Was Always There

Wanting change does not erase the desire for comfort, familiarity, or relief. Ambivalence doesn’t disappear just because a new year begins. Committing to a change and making a plan for it is different than actually doing it. 

In January, sustain talk often goes quiet. In February, it comes back louder:

• This is harder than I thought.

• Maybe this isn’t the right time.

• I don’t know if I can keep this up.

Motivational Interviewing doesn’t view this as resistance—it views it as a normal part of change.

The Fixing Reflex Creeps In

As motivation fades, pressure increases. People start telling themselves what they should be doing. They push harder, judge more, and narrow their options.

This internal fixing reflex increases resistance and drains energy. Change becomes something to endure rather than something to choose.

What Motivational Interviewing Understands That Resolutions Miss

MI approaches change differently—not as a burst of determination, but as an ongoing conversation.

MI Expects Motivation to Fluctuate

Motivation is not something you have or don’t have. It’s something that shifts. MI helps people work with those shifts instead of against them.

Low motivation isn’t a problem to fix—it’s a moment to explore.

MI Makes Space for Ambivalence

Rather than silencing doubt, MI invites it into the conversation. Exploring both sides of change reduces internal tension and increases commitment that feels authentic, not forced.

People stay engaged longer when they feel understood instead of pressured.

MI Anchors Change in Values

Values last longer than emotions. When change is connected to what matters most—not what feels urgent—it becomes more resilient.

Goals become flexible. Progress becomes personal. Motivation becomes less fragile.

Using January Motivation Without Burning Out

January motivation can be useful—if it’s handled gently.

Instead of asking:

• How do I stay motivated all year?

MI asks:

• What matters enough to keep going when motivation dips

Helpful MI-consistent questions include:

• Why is this important to you right now?

• What concerns you about making this change?

• What would progress look like on your hardest days?

Planning for low-motivation moments is not pessimistic—it’s sustainable.

A Note for Clinicians

January sessions often come with urgency. Clients feel pressure—from themselves, from systems, from expectations. This is a critical moment to slow things down.

Affirm hope, but also reflect uncertainty. Invite realism without dampening possibility. Help clients explore readiness instead of rushing toward outcomes.

When we honor autonomy and ambivalence in January, we increase the chances that change continues long after motivation fades.

January Is a Beginning, Not a Test

January doesn’t determine success or failure. Motivation fading does not mean someone wasn’t serious enough or didn’t want it badly enough.

It simply means they are human.

Sustainable change isn’t built on constant motivation. It’s built on values, choice, and compassion—especially during the moments when motivation is quiet.

The goal isn’t to stay motivated all year.
The goal is to know how to keep moving forward when you’re not.

Ready to Go Deeper?

If you want to explore motivation beyond the January spike:

• Clinicians: Use the Value Card Sort to explore what really matters to the person beyond the excitement of the new year.

• Individuals: Explore the Core Values Workbook to help anchor change in what lasts longer than motivation.

Change doesn’t need more force.
It needs more understanding.