There’s something both exciting and intimidating about the start of a new year, especially when you carry a number. The pipeline resets. The leaderboard clears. Last year’s wins don’t count, and neither do last year’s misses.
This year feels even more personal for me. I’ve accepted a new role, and I’m back in a quota-carrying seat myself. That shift has forced me to confront something I’ve coached others on for years: the only way to start strong is to treat the new year like a true blank slate. I'm still looking at how I can help motivate the team around me, but I'm no longer the main leader to whom everyone turns.
When you carry a quota, it’s easy to drag the emotional baggage of the previous year into January. Things like slipped deals, customers that went dark, expectations you didn’t meet. But none of that helps you execute today.
Here are five very real things I’m doing to reset my mindset and dig into the new year with clarity and purpose.
1. Leave Last Year Where It Belongs
This is just so important.
Before I opened my CRM this year, I spent time writing down what I learned last year. I wrote down what worked, what didn’t, and what I want to change. I wrote down the things that I needed to leave behind, but didn't want to forget. Then I closed the notebook.
The goal isn’t to forget the past; it’s to extract the lessons and move on. Carrying emotional weight into a new year doesn’t make you more disciplined and it can make you hesitant.
A blank slate means giving yourself permission to operate without guilt or regret.
2. Rebuild Your Pipeline Like It’s Day One
When I re-entered a quota-carrying role, I resisted the urge to obsess over what was already in the funnel. Instead, I asked myself:
“If I were starting from zero, how would I build momentum?”
That meant focusing on activities I control:
- High-quality discovery conversations
- Reconnecting with old relationships
- Sharpening my point of view
Strong pipelines are built, not inherited. Treating the year like a clean start keeps you focused on inputs, not panic.
3. Relearn the Product Through the Customer’s Eyes
Instead of just reading release notes, I’ve been listening to customer calls, reviewing deal notes, and asking, “Why does this matter to them?” I'm in my new role, so this is very important to me, right now.
When you carry a quota, clarity beats confidence. You don’t need to know everything. You need to know what moves deals forward.
4. Reset What “Winning” Looks Like Daily
Big annual numbers can feel overwhelming in January. So I break them down aggressively.
Winning today might mean:
- Booking one meaningful meeting
- Advancing one deal
- Getting clarity on one account
Momentum doesn’t come from staring at the quota. It comes from consistent, purposeful execution.
5. Approach the Year With Curiosity, Not Pressure
Pressure narrows thinking. Curiosity expands it.
In this new role, I’m asking more questions—of customers, teammates, and myself. Curiosity helps me adapt faster, learn quicker, and stay energized.
A blank slate isn’t about proving something. It’s about discovering what’s possible.
Carrying a quota resets us all to the same starting line. Titles don’t matter. History doesn’t matter. What matters is how intentionally we show up.
This year, I’m choosing clarity over noise, curiosity over pressure, and progress over perfection.
If you’re starting this year with a number to hit, my challenge to you is simple: treat it like a blank slate and act like it’s your first shot all over again.
