In January, everyone else seems to be setting goals, feeling focused, and ‘starting the year strong’. Meanwhile, you feel flat. Uncertain. Behind. So you tell yourself you should try harder.
Be more disciplined. Push through.
But what if January motivation isn’t a discipline problem at all?
January isn’t a motivation problem
Motivation is often treated like a personal quality – something you either have or don’t. But motivation doesn’t exist in isolation, it’s shaped by how safe, confident and secure you feel.
And when confidence takes a hit, motivation is usually the first thing to go. This is why so many people feel less motivated in January, not more.
What low confidence actually looks like (especially at work)
A lack of confidence doesn’t always look dramatic. More often, it shows up quietly as:
- overthinking what to say in meetings
- holding back ideas you know are good
- replaying conversations afterwards
- feeling hesitant about decisions
- waiting for reassurance before acting
From the outside, it can look like disengagement or low motivation, but on the inside, it feels like uncertainty. And that uncertainty makes action harder.
Why you can’t motivate yourself into confidence
When confidence is low, the brain is focused on risk.
Risk of:
- getting it wrong
- being judged
- standing out
- confirming a fear that you’re not good enough
Trying to ‘motivate’ yourself in that state often backfires.
You might push for a few days, but underneath, the nervous system is still on high alert. That’s why motivation rarely lasts when confidence is shaky. You can’t force yourself to feel safe through willpower.
What actually helps confidence rebuild
Confidence doesn’t grow from pushing harder, it grows when certain conditions are in place. In particular, confidence strengthens when you feel:
- safe to think out loud
- trusted to make decisions
- clear about what’s expected of you
Without these conditions, motivation will always feel fragile. With them, motivation often returns naturally – without forcing it.
Why this matters so much in January
January amplifies pressure because there’s an unspoken message that you should:
- be clearer
- be more driven
- have it figured out by now
If you’re early in your career – or navigating change – that pressure can quietly erode confidence so if motivation feels hard right now, it’s not a personal failing. It’s feedback. Something in your environment – internal or external – doesn’t feel secure yet.
A different way to approach January
Instead of asking: “Why can’t I just be more motivated?”
Try asking: “What would help me feel more confident right now?”
That shift alone changes how January feels. Less fixing. More understanding. More self-trust.
You’re not broken and you’re not behind
Feeling unmotivated in January doesn’t mean you lack discipline. More often, it means you’re human and your confidence needs support, not pressure.
This is exactly what I explore throughout The Confidence Breakthrough – understanding what’s happening beneath the surface, so change becomes sustainable rather than forced. If this resonates, you’re not alone and nothing is wrong with you.
If January motivation feels hard, start with understanding – not self-criticism. That’s where confidence begins.
Explore The Confidence Breakthrough to learn how confidence actually works – and how to rebuild it from the inside out.