Starting Strong Doesn’t Mean Starting Fast — Anouk Pappers
At the start of a new year, there is a familiar pressure to move fast. For many senior leaders, January feels like a starting signal. Time to show momentum, to demonstrate ambition, to move straight into what is next.
I am learning to be more cautious with that instinct.
After climbing Mount Kilimanjaro last year, people asked me what my next big adventure would be. The question surprised me. Kilimanjaro had been a long-held dream, but it was not something to replicate or top. It was complete.
My recent travels in Asia may seem less adventurous, but they offered moments that were striking and instructive. Exploring Indonesia, Vietnam, and Taiwan revealed a world of new sights and tastes, a quiet reminder to stay curious, remain present, and notice beauty in the unexpected.
At Tirta Empul, I participated in the Ubud Melukat purification ceremony. Standing in the water, moving slowly from one fountain to the next, I was reminded that preparation and intention matter more than speed. You do not rush experiences that are meant to ground you.
Yet what has stayed with me most was not a landmark or a ritual. It was a Christmas celebration at a local school in Indonesia, where I helped serve food to 200 students. There was nothing dramatic about it. No summit, no ceremony. Just being present, sharing the work, and feeling the warmth of laughter and gratitude.
That experience reshaped how I have been thinking about this new year and about transitions more broadly.
Many of the executives I work with are standing at their own threshold. They are ready for the next chapter. A C-Suite level role. A board seat. A broader platform for their experience. You might feel the urge to update everything, announce intentions, and move quickly.
But transitions do not always require a sprint. Sometimes they call for steadiness.
Before moving into the year, it is worth pausing to ask a few honest questions. What from the past year deserves acknowledgment, not just achievements but lessons? What are you still carrying that no longer serves where you want to go? And just as importantly, what do you want more of, not because it looks impressive, but because it aligns with who you are now?
Preparation does not mean hesitation. It means choosing your next steps with discernment.
Your narrative is already in motion, whether you actively shape it or not. As the year begins, people are paying attention: to how you speak about what is ahead, to what you emphasize, to the pace you set for yourself. Moving too quickly can blur that message.
Sometimes the most meaningful progress begins with a quieter kind of readiness; grounded, reflective, and clear about why the next step matters to you. That is what creates momentum that lasts, not just through January, but through the chapters that follow.
As you begin this year, what are you choosing to step into thoughtfully rather than rush toward?
A brand anthropologist who has been storytelling for brands since 2002, Anouk Pappers has interviewed over 900 CEOs, CMOs, and business owners and published 15 books. Anouk’s primary focus is on working with leaders to define their brand and pinpoint their professional narrative. Through her company, Signitt, Anouk supports organizations and executives in aligning their messaging and online presence with their personal and organizational brand, positioning them for growth, board opportunities, client acquisition, investor relations, and career advancement.
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