An Excuse To Delay

Really interesting to see so many articles in the last few days about October being used as an excuse to delay until January.

Why is this?

On the surface, it doesn’t make logical sense. October isn’t the end of the year, there are still three full months left.

Is it that people’s behaviour is driven more by perception than logic?

Here’s my take on why October becomes the “excuse point” to delay until January:

1. “Too Late in the Year” Mindset

• Once Q4 begins, many feel the year is already “winding down.” They think there’s not enough time left to achieve anything meaningful, so they push it into the “new year bucket.”
• Limiting belief? Absolutely!

2. Holiday Season Distraction

• People mentally roll October, November, and December into “holiday season.” Work slows down, social/family events increase, and development feels like it should wait until after the festive period.
• Limiting belief? Absolutely!

3. Psychological Fresh Start Effect

• Research shows people like to begin big changes at ‘landmark dates’ (New Year, birthdays, Mondays, etc.). October doesn’t feel like a natural fresh start, but January does.
• Limiting belief? Absolutely!

4. Energy & Motivation Dip

• By autumn, many professionals feel fatigued from the year. Instead of pushing through, they choose to rest and promise themselves a strong start in January.
• Limiting belief? Absolutely!

5. Planning & Budget Cycles

• Companies often set goals and allocate training budgets on a January–December cycle. Employees pick up on that rhythm and delay until the “new plan” is in place.
• Limiting belief? Absolutely!

👉The irony is that October–December is actually a golden window, to me, it is a month of fewer distractions, time to experiment, and build some momentum before everyone else wakes up in January.

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