Matt Haycox on The Truth About Fresh Starts

There's a reason people are drawn to the idea of a fresh start.

When life feels heavy - when business has stalled, relationships feel strained, health has slipped, or confidence has taken a hit, the idea of wiping the slate clean can feel like oxygen. Relief. Closure. A chance to shut the door on something you don't like and imagine something better on the other side.

Entrepreneur, investor and podcaster Matt Haycox understands the appeal. But he's also seen where it goes wrong.

'A lot of people aren't chasing transformation', he says. 'They're chasing relief.'

According to Haycox, fresh starts aren't inherently bad. In many cases, they're necessary. The danger is when the idea of starting again becomes a substitute for resilience, accountability, or action.

That tension is especially visible at the start of the year. January brings a surge of resolutions, resets and reinvention, a collective urge to draw a line and begin again. For some, that moment acts as a genuine catalyst for change. For others, it becomes a comforting pause before any real action begins. The distinction matters, because the way people approach fresh starts often determines whether the year ahead is shaped by momentum or repetition.

What people are really looking for

When people talk about fresh starts, Haycox believes they're often trying to escape a period of negativity - a bad chapter, a run of failures, or a version of themselves they're unhappy with.

'It's natural', he says. 'We want to move past things that haven't gone well. We want to feel hopeful again. We want something to look forward to.'

There's also a psychological release that comes with it. Ending something that's been weighing on you, even just symbolically, can feel like lifting a weight off your shoulders.

But Haycox warns that this instinct can be misused.

'Sometimes people assume they're in a "bad chapter" when actually they're just in the middle of something difficult', he says. 'That's not always a sign you need to reset. Sometimes it's a sign you need to toughen up, stick it out, and build resilience.'

The key distinction, he says, is whether a fresh start is being used to move forward — or to avoid responsibility.

When a clean slate helps — and when it doesn't

In Haycox's experience, fresh starts genuinely help when a situation is actively damaging.

'If something is harming your health, your mental wellbeing, your family life, or your happiness, life is too short to stay there', he says. 'That applies to businesses, relationships, environment... all of it.'

In those cases, drawing a line can be healthy. It can release emotional pressure and allow someone to breathe again.

But the mistake people make, he says, is assuming that naming a fresh start is enough.

'Saying it isn't what changes things', Haycox explains. 'Behaviour does.'

He's seen people convince themselves they're moving forward simply because they've declared a reset, while continuing to act exactly the same way.

'That's when a clean slate stops being useful and starts becoming permission to delay', he says.

The reality of starting again

Haycox has been through multiple moments where starting again wasn't optional — it was unavoidable. And he's clear that real fresh starts don't look glamorous.

'When something ends: a business, a chapter of your life — it can be heartbreaking', he says. 'But there's often relief in it too.'

That relief comes from certainty. From knowing the pressure is over. From no longer looking over your shoulder.

'Rock bottom sounds dramatic', he says. 'But in reality, it's often the moment you take full control and face what is.'

Operationally, starting again means shutting things down, letting go of ego, and accepting that what felt catastrophic in your head is usually far smaller in the real world.

Why drawing a line feels productive

There's a reason people feel better the moment they declare a fresh start — even before they've done anything.

'It's momentum', Haycox says. 'Or the illusion of it.'

When someone has been stuck — whether it's emotionally, financially, or professionally — stagnation compounds. Anxiety grows. Confidence drains. Everything feels heavier the longer nothing changes.

'Drawing a line gives you permission to take the first step', he explains. 'Even if it's a small one.'

That first step creates energy. Movement replaces paralysis. And once momentum starts, it tends to build.

But again, the line itself isn't the solution.

'It's only useful if it leads to action', Haycox says. 'Otherwise, it's just theatre.'

How to make a fresh start stick

For people who feel stuck but energised by the idea of a reset, Haycox's advice is practical, not motivational.

'Work out exactly what you're unhappy about', he says. 'Most people know something isn't right, but they haven't quite defined it.'

From there, he recommends separating what's in your control from what isn't.

'If it's not in your control, worrying about it is pointless', he says. 'If it is, you need to act.'

Big problems feel overwhelming because they're undefined. Once they're broken down, they become manageable.

'Set a long-term direction', Haycox explains. 'Then work backwards. Twelve months. Six months. Three months. One week.'

Progress doesn't come from dramatic declarations. It comes from measurable movement.

'What gets measured gets improved', he says.

Fresh starts aren't the enemy — avoidance is

Haycox isn't anti-fresh. Far from it.

He believes in drawing lines, turning pages, and building better chapters. He just believes they have to be earned.

'A fresh start without action is just comfort', he says. 'A fresh start with responsibility is powerful.'

In the end, the difference isn't mindset or motivation.

'It's doing something', Haycox says. 'Even a small thing. Especially when it's uncomfortable.'

Because starting again doesn't change your life.

What you do next does.