Finish Strong. Start Stronger: The CEO Reset Every Leader Needs Before 2026

Your Admin Expert
3 days ago
3 min read

“Don’t wait until the conditions are perfect to begin. Beginning makes the conditions perfect.” – Alan Cohen

December has a way of making even the strongest CEOs feel like they’re running a race against the calendar.

Deadlines, decisions, last-minute fires… and somewhere in the back of your mind, the whisper: “I should be planning for next year.”

But here’s the truth every seasoned leader eventually learns — and one I’ve carried through 25+ years of executive administration and 12 years running my own agency:

You don’t end the year strong by doing more.

You end the year strong by getting clear.

And clarity requires space.

Space requires intention.

Intention requires you to pause long enough to hear yourself think.

That’s why this December is the perfect moment to complete what I call the 60-Minute CEO Reset. No meetings. No strategic planning sessions. No color-coded spreadsheets. Just you, one quiet hour, and a leadership mindset that’s preparing to rise higher in 2026.

Because while the world is racing, you get to reset.

1. Reflect on Your Top Three Wins of 2025

Not the ones you posted on LinkedIn. Not the public-facing wins.

I’m talking about the internal victories that proved your growth:

The boundary you finally held
The system you put in place
The delegation moment that freed up your time
The decision that aligned your leadership with your life

These are the wins that shape your identity as a CEO.

These are the wins that teach you where your leadership is maturing — and what needs more attention in 2026.

2. Declare Your Non-Negotiables for 2026

Every year asks something new of you. But next year won’t be any different unless you decide what changes.

Ask yourself:

What am I no longer willing to sacrifice?
How do I want my time to feel?
What level of support do I need?
What will I no longer apologize for wanting?

Your non-negotiables become your roadmap. They protect you from slipping into old patterns and carrying invisible weight you were never meant to hold.

Leadership evolves when standards rise.

3. Identify What You’re Not Carrying Into the New Year

This is the part most CEOs skip and it’s why January feels heavier than it should.

You can’t scale into 2026 if your hands are already full.

Ask yourself:

What tasks, roles, and responsibilities am I still holding that belong to my Executive Admin or leadership team?
What stressors have I normalized that are actually solvable with the right support?
What am I emotionally carrying that’s costing me energy, clarity, or confidence?

Letting go is a leadership skill, not a weakness.

And sometimes the bravest decision you’ll make is releasing something you were never meant to carry into the next season.

Why This Reset Matters More Than Year-End Planning

Here’s the truth:

Strategy doesn’t work without capacity.

Capacity doesn’t expand without rhythm.

And rhythm collapses when the CEO is overwhelmed.

You don’t need a bigger vision in 2026. You need better operational support, smarter delegation, and a rhythm that gives you margin instead of migraines.

Whether it's your calendar, inbox, communication flow, or the silent admin tasks piling up, the weight you carry today becomes the bottleneck of tomorrow. That’s why this reset is your strategic advantage.

Because when you walk into January knowing your wins, your standards, and your releases…

You walk in lighter.

You walk in clearer.

You walk in prepared.