The fresh start is an illusion that lets you eat poorly today while feeling good about future intentions. Research by Dai on temporal landmarks shows they can motivate — but Monday never arrives with special willpower. “I’m starting Monday” often becomes a last hurrah, making things worse. The best time to start was in the past; the second best is now.
This companion covers why we wait, the problems with waiting, and the fresh start that actually works. (3 min read)