One values-based micro-intervention I use in early January is a "values-anchored implementation intention" exercise. It's intentionally small, takes about 10 minutes, and shifts the focus from what the client wants to change to who they want to be when friction shows up. How it works Instead of starting with goals, I start with a value and immediately tie it to a specific if-then behavior. Brief script I use is here: January goals fail when motivation drops. So let's design for the exact moment you usually quit. When things get uncomfortable, what value do you want to act from? Then we write one sentence together: -If (specific trigger) happens, then I will (small action) **because I am the kind of person who values (core value). A client wanted to "work out consistently" but historically dropped off by week two. We uncovered that her real value wasn't fitness. It was self-respect and keeping promises to herself. Her implementation intention became: "If it's 6 pm and I feel too tired to go to the gym, then I will put on my workout shoes and walk for five minutes, because I value self-respect and following through on my word." It was identity alignment. Five minutes felt non-negotiable, not overwhelming. Most days, five minutes turned into more, but that wasn't the rule. The rule was honoring the value. this works because it removes all-or-nothing thinking - It pre-decides behavior under stress - It anchors action to identity, not willpower By mid-January, her follow-through wasn't perfect, but it was consistent, which had never happened before. The value stayed steady even when motivation didn't. That's the key. Sustainable change in January doesn't come from bigger goals. It comes from smaller promises that protect the person your client wants to become.