From the Desk of Chief Ogden | By Chief David A. Ogden
Every January, the calendar flips, and hope surges. Gyms fill up. Journals open. Leaders set new goals for themselves, their families, and their organizations. The New Year feels like a clean slate.
But the numbers tell a different story. Roughly forty to forty-five percent of Americans make New Year’s resolutions. By mid-January, about a quarter have already quit. By February, nearly eighty percent have stopped. Fewer than ten percent continue for the year.
The reasons are consistent. Resolutions tend to be outcome-focused. They rely on motivation rather than systems. And they ask people to do something new without first becoming someone new. That last point is where leadership comes into play.
Chief David A. Ogden
Why Goals Are Not Enough
James Clear captures it well in Atomic Habits: “You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”
Most people set goals like losing weight, reading more, or becoming a stronger leader. But goals do not create lasting change. Identity does. We do not fail from a lack of discipline. We fail because we try to change the wrong thing.
The Identity Shift That Makes Change Last
True change happens at the identity level. Anyone can go to the gym for a week. But someone who sees themselves as a healthy person builds habits that last. Anyone can write occasionally. But someone who believes they are a writer keeps showing up.
This is why statements like “I am bad with names” or “I am not good with technology” become traps. These are identity labels, not limitations. Progress often requires unlearning old definitions before growth begins.
The path forward is simple.
First, decide who you want to be. A healthy leader. A present parent. A calm decision maker. A disciplined communicator.
Second, prove it to yourself with small wins. Each action becomes a vote for the identity you want to embody.
My Own Seed of Change
I never imagined I would write a book. I did not grow up loving reading or writing. But identity grew through repetition, consistency, and showing up even when it felt uncomfortable.
WIN: A Leadership Tool for the New Year
For decades, I have taught officers the acronym WIN. What is important now? WIN helps bring clarity to the next right decision. Applied to personal growth, it becomes powerful. Ask yourself: What decision do I need to make right now that moves me toward what I want most?
The Seed to Carry Forward
Your identity is not fixed. Leadership growth begins with a single choice, made consistently. Plant the seed. Choose the next right action. WIN in the moment.
And watch who you become.
Regards,
David A. Ogden
“Outdo one another with Honor.”
