The start of a new year often brings a strong urge to look ahead. New goals, new plans, new energy. In sport, this forward focus is almost instinctive. What’s next? What can be improved? What needs to change?

Yet one of the most valuable tools for progress is often overlooked: reflection.

Every December brings a quiet promise. As the year winds down, we imagine ourselves stepping into January with renewed discipline, sharper focus and healthier habits. Gyms fill, recipes are bookmarked, sportswear re-emerges from drawers and enthusiasm peaks. Yet, only a few weeks later, the energy that felt so strong begins to fade. By mid-February, most resolutions have dissolved into the routines we tried to leave behind.