There’s something about September that has always felt like a fresh start to me.
Maybe it’s because I’m a Dad and it’s the end of Summer, and both of my kids are now in high school, so the start of September means new classes, new teachers, new routines and usually, a fair bit of chaos in our house!
But there’s something I really like about it.
Everyone gets a reset.
You don’t need to wait until January to decide you’re going to do something differently.
You don’t need a Monday morning.
You don’t need a new year.
Sometimes, you just need a reason to stop, look at where you are and decide where you want to go next.
Watching my children go back to school has actually made me think about this quite a lot.
They’ve got another year ahead of them. New things to learn. New challenges. New opportunities to make friends, develop confidence and discover things they’re good at.
And I think adults could learn a lot from that mindset.
Over the years, I’ve realised that starting again isn’t something we should be afraid of.
In fact, some of the best things in my life have happened because I’ve been willing to start something new.
Here are five things a new school year reminds me about starting again.
1. You Don’t Need January to Make a Change
We’re obsessed with January.
New year.
New goals.
New habits.
New version of ourselves.
And then, usually by February, half of those resolutions have disappeared!
I’ve never really understood why we put so much pressure on one particular date.
If there’s something you want to change, why wait?
September is a brilliant reminder that you can reset whenever you want.
Maybe you’ve been putting off getting fit.
Maybe you’ve been thinking about starting a new business.
Maybe there’s a conversation you’ve been avoiding.
Maybe you’ve simply realised that you’re not particularly happy with the way you’re spending your time.
You don’t need to wait until January.
You can start today.
2. Growth Means Being Willing to Be New at Something
One of the things I admire about children is that they’re generally not afraid of being beginners.
They’ll try something.
They’ll get it wrong.
They’ll have another go.
Then they’ll probably tell everyone they’ve mastered it!
As adults, we’re much more self-conscious.
We worry about looking stupid.
We worry about what other people think.
We worry that we’re too old to start something.
I’ve felt that myself.
But if you’re always worried about being bad at something initially, you’ll never give yourself the opportunity to become good at it.
I’ve experienced this through training.
You don’t suddenly become capable of completing an Ironman.
You start somewhere.
You struggle.
You learn.
You improve.
Then one day you look back and realise how far you’ve come.
Business is exactly the same.
3. A Change of Routine Can Be a Good Thing
September brings structure.
After the slower pace of summer, suddenly there are alarms, schedules, school runs, work routines and things that need doing.
It can feel like a shock!
But I’ve actually found that structure can be incredibly useful.
When you know what you’re doing and when you’re doing it, you’re far more likely to make progress.
That’s something I’ve become particularly conscious of with my own training.
If I simply hope I’ll find time to train, it probably won’t happen.
If I schedule it, protect the time and treat it as a commitment, it gets done.
The same applies to business.
The same applies to family.
The same applies to looking after your mental health.
Sometimes structure gives you the freedom to actually focus on what matters.
4. You Don’t Have to Have the Whole Year Figured Out
This is probably something I need to remind myself of as much as anyone.
We’re often obsessed with the end goal.
Where do you want to be in five years?
What does your business look like?
What’s your next big achievement?
Those questions are important, but they can also be overwhelming.
My children don’t go back to school in September knowing exactly what the following twelve months will look like.
They just need to focus on what’s in front of them.
The next lesson.
The next challenge.
The next opportunity.
I’ve learned that life works pretty well that way too.
Have a direction.
Have ambition.
But don’t become so obsessed with the destination that you forget to enjoy the journey.
5. Every New Start Is an Opportunity to Improve
Perhaps the biggest thing September reminds me of is that we’re never finished.
There’s always something else to learn.
Another skill to develop.
Another challenge to take on.
Another version of ourselves to become.
That’s something I genuinely enjoy about getting older.
I don’t feel like I’ve got everything figured out.
Quite the opposite.
I feel like I’ve got more curious as I’ve got older.
I want to learn.
I want to experience more.
I want to become healthier.
I want to become a better leader.
I want to be a better dad.
I want to build better businesses.
And I don’t think any of those things have an end point.
That’s the exciting bit.
So, as September rolls around and I watch my kids head back through the school gates, I’ll probably think about how quickly they’re growing up.
I’ll probably wonder where the time has gone.
And I’ll probably tell them to enjoy themselves, work hard, be kind and make the most of the opportunities in front of them.
But I’ll also take my own advice.
Because we’re all still learning.
We’re all still growing.
We’re all capable of starting again.
You don’t need a new year.
You don’t need a new job.
You don’t need to wait for the perfect moment.
Sometimes you just need to decide that you’re ready for the next chapter.
And if September gives you that little nudge to do something you’ve been putting off, then take it.
New term.
Fresh energy.
Same person.
Just a little bit better than you were yesterday.
