Idea of Renewal Cherished Across Age, Gender, Income<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cThe \u2018fresh start\u2019 mindset is a belief that you can move on, let go of the past, and renew yourself if you\u2019re in a rut,\u201d says Coulter. \u201cIt\u2019s a powerful concept, and one that is very pervasive in American culture.\u201d While researchers have previously investigated the \u201cgrowth mindset,\u201d a belief in change through learning and education, the concept of a \u201cfresh start\u201d mindset is introduced in Coulter\u2019s research.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe fresh start mindset embraces the belief that people can change and are not defined by immutable character flaws or failed pasts,\u201d she says. The fresh start theory downplays luck, circumstances of birth, ethnicity and social class, structural forces, and genetics as the determinants of life outcomes, instead emphasizing responsibility and perseverance amid difficulties.<\/p>\n
The researchers found that the belief in a fresh start does not vary by age, gender, marital status, or household income or size. There is some evidence, however, of a connection between the fresh start mindset and religious beliefs that they say merits further study.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur research is really about the impetus to transform lives. I think our findings offer people tremendous hope that they can make life changes, both big and small. Sure, individuals can take a job across the country and make a fresh start, but there are also smaller, but important changes,\u201d she suggests. \u201cIt isn\u2019t just about getting a new job, marrying or having a child, but rather small changes \u2013 cleaning a closet or straightening your desk or buying a new brand of shampoo \u2013 can give you a new perspective. If you do things differently you can improve your life, well being, and outlook. A failure in your past doesn\u2019t have to define you.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
Even for people who do not have a strong belief in the ability to get a fresh start, the research documents that the concept of fresh start can be activated or enhanced.<\/p>\n
Belief in a Fresh Start Extends to Others <\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cOur research reports that this core belief in a fresh start isn\u2019t just individualistic,\u201d Coulter says. \u201cIf individuals believe that fresh starts are possible, they are willing to help others in need of a fresh start.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
Specifically, the researchers found that those who have a core belief in the idea of a fresh start are more likely to support programs that help vulnerable populations make new beginnings. For example, they are more likely to endorse programs that help veterans transitioning to civilian life; tax and mortgage programs that aid people who have shaky financial pasts get back on their feet; and programs for disadvantaged children and at-risk teens that assist them to start anew.<\/p>\n
It is noteworthy that many companies, non-profit organizations, and even politicians have leveraged the fresh start metaphor in their marketing campaigns. Fresh start is a powerful metaphor with an element of constant self-reinvention. For retailers, the idea of a fresh start may sway consumer purchases, from clothes to home d\u00e9cor to new technology. For life coaches, therapists, and personal trainers, this research may be beneficial to their clients\u2019 health and wellness.<\/p>\n
\u201cA central goal of transformative consumer research is to help consumers make positive changes in their lives, including quitting bad habits, embracing new goals, improving their well being, or seeking a better life,\u201d Coulter notes. \u201cThose with a strong fresh start mindset tend to be more optimistic, more future-focused, and willing to take control of their actions. Indeed, those with a fresh start mindset are likely to leave the travails of 2017 behind, and move on to 2018 looking through rose-colored glasses.\u201d<\/p>\n
The research was conducted by Coulter together with Linda Price of the University of Oregon, UConn alumna Yuliya Strizhakova \u201905 Ph.D., now of Rutgers University, and Ainslie Schultz of Providence College.<\/p>\n
The team currently has studies underway in China, Russia, and Mexico to investigate whether the fresh start mindset is a uniquely American trait or more global.<\/p>\n
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