Sugar, then strategy

“The visionary starts with a clean sheet of paper,
and re-imagines the world.”
– Malcolm Gladwell

Today is Fat Tuesday—a day for beads, celebration, and maybe a slice of king cake. At the same time, the Lunar New Year welcomes the Year of the Horse, a symbol of energy, movement, and forward progress. Different traditions, same idea: This is a season of beginnings.

For talent development professionals, beginnings aren’t just calendar events—they’re strategic opportunities. Research on the “fresh start effect” shows that temporal landmarks increase motivation and goal commitment. What if we treated these moments as intentional launchpads for learning?

Now is the time to reset expectations, relaunch leadership commitments, or invite teams to name a development goal for the quarter. Like the Horse, momentum matters—but direction matters more. Energy without intention is just activity.

At Advantage, we see it every day: Mark the moment, clarify the commitment, support the conversation—and fresh starts turn into sustained performance.

If you’re thinking about what your organization needs to begin (or leave behind), contact us or talk to your Advantage partner. We’d love to help you turn momentum into measurable results.

So celebrate the day. Enjoy a little king cake. Then help your organization begin something sweet.

One great thing for 02.17.26 – Just for fun: Inside the Mardis Gras King Cake Tradition