You’ve bought the new planner. You’ve approved the company or department budget. You’ve rallied the team with an annual theme.

You’re ready to rock 2026. And you will, says professional coach Kristi Duvall, if you don’t let these three momentum blockers get in your way.

Duvall wants us to hear “the truth most executives won’t say out loud” – that “planning the year and preparing for the year are not the same thing.”

She warns that as January unfolds, the gap between planning and preparing becomes obvious and threatens to stall momentum just when we need to be kicking it into gear most.

Why? “Not because leaders lack motivation,” says Duvall, “but because three very real blockers went unaddressed in December.”

The good news is that you’re still in that sweet spot to eliminate the blockers and set your company, your team, and yourself up for success in 2026.

In this article, Duvall lists the three momentum blockers executives ignore all too often and, most importantly, offers tactical advice on making the correction now – before it’s too late.

Because, as Duvall tells us, “The leaders who accelerate momentum do one thing differently. They don’t wait for January to give them a fresh start. They create it.”