January has a reputation for urgency. New goals. New plans. New pressure to move faster than last year. Smart CEOs take a different approach. Instead of flooring the gas pedal on January 1st, they pause. They assess. They realign. And that single decision often determines whether the year feels controlled and profitable or chaotic and exhausting. Acceleration without alignment does not create momentum. It creates friction. When alignment comes first, growth gets cleaner. Deci