My Secret to Achieving Big Goals (when you feel stuck!)

I was reflecting the other day on how quickly time flies. It feels like the chaos of the never-ending pandemic in 2020 was just yesterday—it’s now hard to believe nearly five years have passed since the world came to a standstill. 

And yet, here we are, like tiny ants, scrambling through our daily routines, consumed by endless to-do lists, worries, and “problems.” 🤦

We rarely pause to see the bigger picture—that we’re just small pieces of a vast, ever-changing universe, living on a planet spinning through space!  

When you zoom out, our daily stresses become small, yet we allow them to carry so much weight in our minds. 

If anything, it's a powerful reminder that life is fleeting, precious, and meant to be lived with intention—not as a constant race against time. 
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Hopefully, as you closed out 2024, reflecting—not just on what you've achieved/didn't achieve in the past 12 months, but on how far you’ve come since the start of this decade!​

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10 years ago, I felt stuck and overwhelmed, unsure of what I wanted from my life. 

As we step into the first working week of 2025, there is often a mix of emotions. Excitement for what’s to come with the fresh new year, but also perhaps a little apprehension about whether this year, will in fact be…

”Just like every other year”.

Stuck in the same issues with people at work, dealing with the same challenges, obstacles in the way of reaching your career goals, and that same feeling of uncertainty about what will come next?!

It’s easy to fall into that cycle of repeating old patterns, and staying where you are, even if at your core you’re unhappy.

Our patterns are hard to break because they feel familiar, comfortable, and safe—they’re what we know.

But the truth is, they’re often the very thing keeping us STUCK.

I worked for the SAME corporate organization for almost 15 years (albeit not in the same role). So, I’ll admit I know a thing or two about being stuck in the SAME patterns year after year! It got to the point where I had been there so long, I felt engrained in the carpet and completely scared to make a move.

What IF the grass wasn’t greener? What IF it turns out I’m not that good anywhere else? What IF moving companies gives me more stress and anxiety?

Here's what I’ve learned since, the beginning of the year offers you a unique opportunity to break free from that cycle - as the desire to make meaningful changes in our lives is at its highest peak.

If you’ve ever struggled to translate your big goals into tangible results, you’re not alone—statistics show that while 80% of people set New Year’s resolutions, only 8% actually achieve them.

It’s the confidence to take action that can sometimes feel out of reach.
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Why? I believe the answer lies in fundamentally how we approach our goals.
Over the past decade, I’ve achieved three significant milestones in my life and career:

• Transitioning from a 15-year corporate career to starting my own business, creating the flexibility I wanted for my family.
• Pivoting my career at age 40 to become a mindset coach, discovering my true purpose in supporting women to rebuild confidence through big life transitions.
• Moving internationally as an expat and embracing new experiences with my family, from Australia to Singapore and the USA.

What changed everything for me?

These achievements didn’t happen by chance. They were the result of an intentional, effective goal-setting process. A methodology that I’ve honed over the years for both myself and my clients.
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Here are the core principles (my secrets!) that made all this possible:

1. Clear Focus
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Create clear meaningful goals that align with your personal/professional values and aspirations. Focus on the emotional shift that will happen and how your life will change after you achieve your desired goal. This will allow the mind to prioritize what truly matters and filter out all the rest.

2. Aligned Action

Busy isn’t the same as productive. Instead of spreading yourself thin and overwhelming the mind with too much change all at once - narrow it down to 1-3 major goals and break them into segments for the next 12 months.

3. Accountability

Sharing your goals with someone you trust can make a world of difference. Ask your accountability person to check in with you monthly. This provides motivation to keep you on track and support if you need to work through problems when those curveballs come your way.

4. Staying Resilient

Challenges are inevitable, but fostering resilience and staying aligned with your bigger vision is what keeps you committed. Learning to view setbacks as “opportunities to learn” helped me stay on track.

5. Growing Self-Belief

Please know that confidence and self-worth grows through every action step you take. By continuing to take small, intentional steps every week you’ll learn to trust yourself more and believe in your ability to overcome and achieve.

6. Balance and Fulfilment

Remember, goals aren’t just about achieving high ticket outcomes—they’re also about creating a life you love. From my experience there’s no point limping to the finish line but can’t enjoy it because you’re in total burnout! Setting goals that support both your success AND give you balance is essential for long-term happiness.

The Professional Reality

Women I speak with in their mid-career years often feel overwhelmed by the sheer scope of what it takes to turn their deepest ambitions into reality, especially when those ambitions require significant life or career changes.
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It’s common to feel stuck in a cycle of doubt, unsure where to begin, or lacking the confidence to take the first step. Questions like, “Can I really do this?” or “Will all this effort even be worth it?” often hold them back.

However, with the right tools, strategies (and mindset!), achieving those big goals is not only possible—it’s entirely within reach. Research shows that individuals with clearly defined and written goals are 42% more likely to accomplish them, proving that intentional goal setting can be a game-changer.

That’s the power of intentional “goal getting”.

Next Steps

If you’re ready to stop feeling stuck and start taking action, stepping into 2025 with purpose, I invite you to explore my ‘New Year Goal Getting’ Guide.

It’s a step-by-step process designed to help you gain clarity, set meaningful goals, and take aligned action—all without the overwhelm. The exact method I use in my personal life and professionally with clients.

Your big dreams deserve a strategy. It starts with clarity, confidence, and a clear plan.

Let’s make them happen.

​JB.

Learn More & Get Started Here

DOWNLOAD YOUR GUIDE HERE

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About the Author: 
Janel Briggs is a NLP and Timeline Therapy Practitioner on a mission to support women across the globe in overcoming their professional anxieties, imposter syndrome, fears and insecurities to build unwavering confidence and self-belief. Mindset Coaching is about empowering women to rise above self-doubt and become fearless leaders in the pursuit of life and career success! Connect with Janel on social media via Linkedin or Instagram.