When goal setting doesn’t seem to be working, it’s usually not because you’re doing something wrong—it’s because something about the goal, the timing, or the approach needs adjusting. Let’s talk about what to do when you feel like you’ve hit a wall.

Goals, when done well, give your desires a shape. They create a sense of focus. They help you notice progress, even when it’s incremental. And—maybe most importantly—they help you make choices about how to spend your time, rather than letting the demands of the day make those choices for you.

If you’ve been feeling drained by your own creative work, you’re not the only one. It happens to so many of us. But the pressure, the overthinking, the self-doubt? They don’t have to stay in control.

Those insights emerge because your brain has already been doing the work—showing up, engaging with ideas, and laying the groundwork for connections to form. Then when you release the pressure valve on them, they’re able to simmer and turn into something delightful.