146 | Before you set one more goal, pause. You might be missing the most important step
At this time of year, a season of extremes often appears. Joanna sees coaches either pushing hard to squeeze everything in or stepping back completely because they’re exhausted. In this episode, she offers a gentler approach to focus on what truly matters, helping listeners move into 2026 feeling grounded rather than rushed. She guides them through the same reflection process she used at her Dare Greatly event last week.
Timestamps:
01:10 – Why reflection comes before strategy
02:05 – The questions that open clarity
03:20 – Allowing yourself to acknowledge your own progress
04:15 – Looking ahead with honesty rather than pressure
06:00 – The five whys exercise
08:10 – Turning desire into direction
10:00 – The consequences of doing nothing
11:20 – Coaching as a monthly grounding practice
This episode will be valuable for any coach who feels pulled between ambition and overwhelm and wants a calmer, more honest way to set direction for the year ahead.
Take five quiet minutes today to ask yourself what you want your next season in business to feel like, then commit to one small action that supports it.
Let this be the moment you pause long enough to choose what genuinely matters next.
Useful Links
Free Taster Session: End-of-Year Reflection & Visioning for 2026, December 12
Learn about The Business of Coaching programme
Download the Free Digital version of Coaches' Planner (NEW edition 2026)
Grow Your Business Without the Tech Overwhelm - One Stop Coach Shop
Free Essential AI Toolkit – 2 Must-Have Prompts for Coaches
How to secure more coaching clients' free training
Download the 12 ways to get clients now
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If you’re kind enough to leave a review, please do let Jo know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: joanna@joannalottcoaching.com
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Transcript
I've noticed that this time of year brings out two extremes.
Speaker A:Either everything feels suddenly important and we scramble to make huge progress before the year closes out, or we feel exhausted and switch off completely.
Speaker A:And neither one of these really helps us.
Speaker A:Today I wanted to offer a gentler, more strategic way to set goals before the year end, which help you feel grounded rather than overwhelmed.
Speaker A:It's the same process I used at my in person event last week which was called Dare Greatly and was amazing.
Speaker A:If you attended, thank you for your presence.
Speaker A:So this podcast purpose is to help you create a year that feels purposeful and not pressured.
Speaker A:I'm Jo Lott and this is women in the coaching arena.
Speaker A: If you are ready to make: Speaker A:What I noticed from my event day Greatly was that the important part isn't the plan.
Speaker A:It is taking a moment to allow ourselves to even consider the plan.
Speaker A:Coaches come into that room with ideas, plans, high expectations, and before we talk about strategy, we need to actually look back on the previous year.
Speaker A:There are so many lessons in what we messed up and the patterns that come through and the things that we achieved and not what we think we should have done, but what actually happened.
Speaker A:How did it really feel?
Speaker A:So think about this now as you listen.
Speaker A:What were the moments that you were proud of?
Speaker A:What were the parts that stretched you?
Speaker A:Where did you surprise yourself?
Speaker A:Where did you hold back?
Speaker A:And where did you feel the most like you?
Speaker A:You can pause this episode, write those things down, take a moment to reflect on them, or just let them sink in as we continue our conversation.
Speaker A:Because when you give yourself the space to answer this honestly, something will shift just like happened in the room to so many of my attendees.
Speaker A:And the most important part here is actually allowing yourself to see that progress.
Speaker A:I remember when I started my coach training, I absolutely could not answer the question what went well.
Speaker A:It was so far removed from my everyday thinking that it was just impossible.
Speaker A:And in all honesty, I still find it really difficult now.
Speaker A:Which is why we need somebody to ask us these questions, because our brains will not allow ourselves to ask them.
Speaker A:Our brain's job is to keep us safe, to keep us small, and to not help us have an amazing time, but just to help us stay alive.
Speaker A:And many of those threats that our brain is geared up for are not really in existence anymore.
Speaker A:We don't need to hide in the cave because we're going to get eaten alive.
Speaker A:So allow yourself to enjoy this moment, light a candle, let yourself look back and acknowledge all of your progress to date.
Speaker A:So now we have looked back, let's leap forward.
Speaker A:And by this, I don't mean forcing yourself to create a perfect plan.
Speaker A:I mean really thinking about what do you want from the next season of your business.
Speaker A:If you're anything like me, it's really easy to set really ginormous goals.
Speaker A:Especially I think, in the early stages of your business.
Speaker A:I literally had huge ambitions to help millions of people back then.
Speaker A:And I guess, am I just more realistic now?
Speaker A:I'm not sure.
Speaker A:Don't get me wrong, I still have that fire inside to help masses of people, which is why I work tirelessly day in, day out to do so.
Speaker A:But I suppose I'm just more realistic as to what's achievable in a month or in a year.
Speaker A:There is that saying that we overestimate what is possible within a year, but we underestimate what is possible within five years.
Speaker A:Most of the goals I set at the start of my business are finally in fruition and I'm helping so many people.
Speaker A:I'm earning great money, I'm doing all the things that I thought I would be doing in 12 months.
Speaker A:That's not to say don't dream big.
Speaker A:It's not harmed me to dream big because I have therefore played way bigger than I would have done if I didn't set that goal.
Speaker A:I always start this section through a visualization to really help you stop thinking and start feeling into it.
Speaker A:Our brains can make so much better decisions just with two or three minutes of deep breathing.
Speaker A:So why jump into something when it might not actually be in alignment with you?
Speaker A:So take a moment to consider these questions.
Speaker A:What kind of work do I want to be known for next year?
Speaker A:What kind of business do I want my clients to step into?
Speaker A:What kind of leader do I want to be in my own life?
Speaker A:And what is calling me, even if I don't feel ready?
Speaker A:When we explored these types of questions at DARE greatly, things shifted.
Speaker A:We really tuned into our why.
Speaker A:If you haven't done the five whys exercise before, it's really worth doing.
Speaker A:The coaches in the room had such a great experience of trying it out.
Speaker A:So essentially you ask yourself why five times.
Speaker A:So, for example, why do you want your business to work for you?
Speaker A:It could be, I need to have work around the school run.
Speaker A:So then why does it matter for you to have work around the school run?
Speaker A:And you can say, well, I need to pay the mortgage and obviously I didn't have kids to not be be there.
Speaker A:So that's why I need to do it okay, and why does it matter for you to pay your mortgage?
Speaker A:So keep going, keep going until you've done five times and then you will get to way deeper into why this matters for you.
Speaker A:And without that, why you can set all the plans you like and none of them will happen.
Speaker A:So now we have looked back, we have leaped forward.
Speaker A:Let's turn your desire into direction because again, we don't struggle with ambition and we don't struggle setting over ambitious goals.
Speaker A:What we do struggle with is really focusing on just what matters.
Speaker A:Right now.
Speaker A:I would highly recommend you just jotting down your one core focus for quarter one, then putting all of your other shiny wonderful ideas across the year.
Speaker A:So in the coaches planner, if you haven't downloaded it yet, you can get the free online version in the Show Notes or you can purchase it on Amazon.
Speaker A:Also the link will be in the show notes and there are these two pages which essentially allow you to plot things out across the whole year, month on month.
Speaker A:So for example, if I know I want to get my website redone, I don't need to carry that right now.
Speaker A:Right now I need to do other things, but I know that I have parts redo my website in April, for example.
Speaker A:So plot those other shiny objects across the year so you don't worry, you don't think they've been forgotten about, but so you can actually be freed up to focus on what really is going to move the needle for you Right now.
Speaker A:Something I do in my business of coaching program is to look at the consequences of doing nothing.
Speaker A:So if nothing changes, what will be the consequences for you?
Speaker A:And on the flip side, if this is the year that I fully back myself, what becomes possible in between these two questions is where that excitement can meet responsibility, that there are consequences either way.
Speaker A:You can make excuses and think it's easier to not grow your business, but the consequence of that is that you will financially start really panicking.
Speaker A:So when you actually do need to start growing your business, you are in a way different state and you're actually way behind where you may be in this moment.
Speaker A:So do think about the consequences of doing nothing towards your goals.
Speaker A:It can certainly drive you.
Speaker A:When we did the five whys exercise in the room, many of us notice that actually our core driver is away from pain.
Speaker A:Mine is definitely away from pain.
Speaker A:Another person shared that it was the fear of being outcast.
Speaker A:So again, it's away from pain.
Speaker A:We all have different drivers.
Speaker A:Many of us are driven away from what we really, really don't want is to be a Failure, for example.
Speaker A:And many of us are driven towards the desire for something usually bordering on the irrational for it to actually make you take action.
Speaker A:So take that time to tune in both ways.
Speaker A:What do you want and what do you want to move away from?
Speaker A:What was also special about the day was being coached and coaching others.
Speaker A:I've always paid a personal coach to help me with clarity, help me talk about all the worries that will come up along the way.
Speaker A:And what I noticed from working with hundreds of coaches now is that generally not many people are actually having coaching themselves anymore.
Speaker A:I completely get why it can feel expensive when you are maybe building up your business and starting from zero.
Speaker A:But it's a real shame because you can get so much clarity and overcome all of the beliefs that are slowing you down in your business.
Speaker A:So I'm so excited to have finally, after probably 12 plus months of trying to create what I feel like is really needed in this industry, I have created a new offer called the Practice.
Speaker A:It is a 12 month container where essentially you come back to your vision, your goals, reflect on your month, plan your next month, commit to what action you are going to take in your business, get coached and coach another coach.
Speaker A:So every single month you start in a grounded place with the clarity that will help you to take the action.
Speaker A:It's a very different offer from everything else I've created and much different from nearly everything else out there that exists.
Speaker A:Because this isn't about overloading you with information, it's about providing you the space to set those goals, go after them and have somebody at the end of that month say how did it go?
Speaker A:Look back at those goals, how did you get on if it wasn't what you wanted, what got in the way and help you move through those blocks that will continuously stop you month on month.
Speaker A:It's something that I know is going to absolutely change so many coaches lives.
Speaker A:If you would like to come and have a taster of the practice, it's easier to feel it than hear about it.
Speaker A: th December at: Speaker A:So if this episode was too rushed for you, come join me properly.
Speaker A: Look back on: Speaker A:Be coached by another coach and also coach another coach and you'll start to see that you are not alone.
Speaker A:We all need connection to help us feel good.
Speaker A:It's proven that that is the one key ingredient in life which determines how happy you are.
Speaker A:And in fact when we have our own business, which is why I'm so excited about this offer.
Speaker A:It's the one thing we end up losing because suddenly you don't have a team.
Speaker A:You don't really have anyone to share that success.
Speaker A:When you have a client win or gain a new client or if something is challenging, you have no one to say, do you ever feel like this is this normal?
Speaker A:So come along and you will see that there is nothing wrong with you.
Speaker A:You can build your business, you can allow yourself the connection that you need to make that happen and the support that you need to make that happen from me and from an amazing community of exceptional coaches.
Speaker A:And if the word exceptional scares you, please don't be scared.
Speaker A:They are just 25 minute short sessions.
Speaker A:You're not expected to change somebody's life.
Speaker A:No one is judging your coaching skills.
Speaker A:What we are all doing is being so grateful for the space to think.
Speaker A:And you will never find somebody more grateful than a coach to be in that coaching situation.
Speaker A:So come join me for the taster session of the practice.
Speaker A:I will be launching it later this year and it's going to be a once a year intake.
Speaker A: w, the next opportunity is to: Speaker A:So join me in this exciting founder stage of what I know is going to be an absolute game changer for so many coaches.
Speaker A: et yourself up for success in: Speaker A:Because your business is not a project, it is a practice.
Speaker A:Nothing is ever signed up neatly in a bow.
Speaker A:It's about taking those steps day in, day out while things get clearer and clearer and suddenly you look back and think, my goodness, how did I create this?
Speaker A:This is essentially where I am now, through holding this amazing event that people have raved about online and other clients like sharing what a difference I've made in their life.
Speaker A:And in all honesty, I feel like I have quite a big identity gap between what others say and what I think is true.
Speaker A:Because just like you, my brain is wired to look for the fear, look for what could have gone wrong, look for what didn't I achieve this year versus what did I achieve.
Speaker A:So that is why I'm so excited to create this place where you can connect in every single month and live an intentional life and have an intentional business rather than a reactive one where you get distracted from everything that matters.
Speaker A:For you.
Speaker A:So come join me in the practice taster.
Speaker A:And like I say in every episode, trust yourself, believe in yourself, and be the wise gardener who keeps on watering the seed.
Speaker A:Thank you so much for listening to this episode of Women in the Coaching Arena.
Speaker A:I have a mass of free resources on my website joannalottcoaching.com that's Joanna with an A and Lott with two Ts.
Speaker A:Joannalotcoaching.com and I'll also put link links in the show notes below.
Speaker A:Let me know if you found this episode useful, share it with a friend and leave me a review and I will personally thank you for that.
Speaker A:Remember to trust yourself, believe in yourself, and be the wise gardener who keeps on watering the seed.
Speaker A:Get into the arena, dare greatly and try.
