The End of the Beginning

Why December is your Strategic Turning Point

If there is one thing Belgium and the United States have in common, it’s the epic saga of forming a budget. The recent shutdown in the U.S. finally came to an end, and in Belgium the federal government managed to avoid the extra 50 days they had requested.

Going into the details would require a book, not a newsletter, but one quote from our Prime Minister really stood out. He quoted Churchill:

“Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end.But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.”

This is exactly how I love to see December: not as the end of the year but as a turning point. December is where the beginning of 2026 ends. In January, while others are defining their plans, you’re already acting on yours, and as they are just getting started, you’re already ahead.

Some companies treat December as a month to take it easy, to cruise to the finish line, wrap up only the essentials, and maybe close a few extra deals without giving much thought to the bigger picture.

Others see December very differently: they do the hard part of getting started now so they are ready for the real work that begins in January.

December is the perfect time to look back and evaluate what went well and what didn’t, to start defining your priorities for the coming year, and to kick-start 2026 even before the first of January.

By the time January arrives, you’re not starting from zero, your foundation is already in place. You’ve outlined your plans, begun building your pipeline, and you know exactly where to focus and how to begin.

This is what separates the great from the good. You’ll be miles ahead if you do now what others only start thinking about in January.