Let’s be real: it’s easy to start a goal.

The first week of a big change feels like possibility. You picture the outcome. You get the planner. You make the playlist. You get moving.

But what about the goals that haunt you?

The ones you’ve attempted a dozen times. The ones that feel written in your bones—but just out of reach. Maybe it’s healing from something deep. Maybe it’s writing the book, finding peace with your body, getting sober, rebuilding your confidence after something shattered.

You tell yourself this will be the time.

And then… it’s not.

This isn’t about willpower. This is about confronting the story underneath the goal.

The Truth About Why Some Goals Never Stick

Most goal frameworks focus on systems, accountability, habit stacks, and productivity. That’s helpful. But if you’ve been circling the same mountain for years, this isn’t about your strategy.

It’s about your subconscious beliefs.

There’s a hidden narrative in your head. One that says:

• “I don’t get what I want.”
• “Nothing ever works out for me.”
• “I don’t belong.”
• “I’m not enough.”

And every time you try to move forward—really move forward—that belief system throws up a wall. Not because it’s cruel. But because it’s been your armor.

It was built a long time ago. Probably when you were too young to understand why something felt off, or painful, or unsafe. You made up a story to explain it. And that story became your operating system.

When You Hit the Wall (Again)

That moment of despair when you’re halfway through yet another attempt and it all crumbles?

It’s not failure. It’s contact.

You’ve hit the core belief that’s been running the show. And now, your nervous system is firing alarms. This is the part where you usually quit. Where your old coping tools show up to sedate, distract, or numb you.

But what if this is the doorway?

What if that moment of “I can’t do this” is the place you finally hear what your deeper self has been trying to say?

You don’t need more hustle. You need acceptance.

Acceptance that this hurts. That you feel stuck. That you’re exhausted. That you’re doubting your worth. That the story running in your head is whispering, This is proof it’ll never work.

Pause.

Breathe.

You are not broken. You’re just in a place where your current identity and your future vision are colliding.

This is where the real work begins.

Sit With the Mess

Instead of powering through or giving up, try something radically different:

Be with it.

Be with the fear, the doubt, the rage, the apathy.

Name it. Write it down. Say it out loud. Ask:

• What am I actually feeling?
• What story am I telling myself about what this means?
• What does my body want me to know?
• If I believed I was worthy, what would I do next?

This is not about fixing yourself. This is about witnessing yourself without shame.

That feeling of being stuck isn’t the end of the road. It’s a signpost that you’re right on time—and ready to heal what’s been holding you back.

Faith Isn’t a Light Switch

You don’t wake up one day with unshakable faith. You build it. Moment by moment. By being kind to yourself in the middle of the mess. By choosing not to abandon yourself when things get hard. By practicing belief over and over until it becomes who you are.

Yes, it’s hard. It may take everything you’ve got to sit in the discomfort instead of retreating to your old survival strategies. But you’re not in danger. You’re in transformation.

And the beautiful, brutal truth is this:

You can’t think your way to a new life.
You have to feel your way through the parts of yourself you’ve buried.

That’s where your power is.

Choose Your Path With Heart

In the words of Carlos Castaneda:

“Does the path have heart? If it does, the path is good; if it doesn’t, it is of no use.”

Whether you move forward today, or simply sit in stillness—ask yourself, What would feel like honoring myself right now?

That’s your next step.

One small decision. One moment of truth-telling. One breath of compassion.

You don’t need to believe in the whole staircase. You just need to believe in the next step.

And that? That’s how even the most elusive goals finally begin to unfold.