Dani Tan: Hi, I’m Dani Tan, and if you’re here, you’re in the right place. Welcome to the Pivot and Promotion podcast, where we say forget the rules because they weren’t written for us. I’m your host, as well as a career and leadership coach, and a proud advocate for redefining what success and leadership looks like. Here’s what I know: you can lead at any level, you can pivot at any age, and you can make moves that feel right for you. Whether you’re climbing the perfect ladder, starting something completely new, or just figuring out your next step, I’ve got you covered with strategies, stories, and straight-up inspiration. So let’s make some moves. Today’s episode is about how to set goals you’ll actually follow through on—and actually hit.

A lot of the time, we set goals with the best intentions, but we don’t always follow through. There’s no shade in that. It’s just something many of us experience. Phase one is understanding the problem with how we typically set goals. Often, pressure plays a big role. Perfectionism shows up. And sometimes—my least favorite—other people’s expectations sneak into how we define our goals. You might start the year feeling motivated, but by February, the energy is gone. The cycle repeats: set a goal, feel fired up, then drop off. We’re told to dream big and be consistent, but we’re rarely taught how to build systems that support us when motivation or clarity dips. We’re also rarely taught how to identify when pressure, perfectionism, or outside expectations are influencing our goals.

I once worked with a client who wanted a promotion. She had said it out loud, talked to her manager once, and then nothing happened. When we started working together, I asked her why she wanted the promotion and what she had tried before. She realized she didn’t have a clear “why” or a real plan. Without a strong reason or structure, it’s easy to lose momentum. We explored what the promotion represented for her—money, title, skills, leadership identity. That clarity mattered. We also built structure: not just one conversation, but ongoing support and strategy for engaging her manager. This brings me to a question for you: what’s a goal you’ve set in the past that you didn’t stick to, and why?

Now for the framework that actually helps. I think of it as a three-part recipe: identity, structure, and support. First is clarity. It’s not just about what you want, but why it matters and what it will require. If you don’t have a strong why, it’s easy to quit when things get hard. You also need to understand what the goal demands—time, energy, learning, accountability. Second is structure. Systems reduce decision fatigue and keep momentum going when life gets busy. Without structure, it’s easy to stay stuck. Structure helps you keep moving even when motivation fades. Third is support. Whenever I work with a client, I ask what support they need to achieve their goal. I also ask about times they succeeded in the past and what helped—and times they didn’t, and what was missing.

That information helps build a realistic support plan, whether it’s accountability, deadlines, partnerships, or feedback. I worked with a client who wanted to build a side business while working full-time. She kept delaying it because she felt she didn’t have time. We reframed that conversation: it wasn’t about having time, but making time and creating structure. We broke the goal into milestones—clarifying services, building a marketing strategy, landing the first client—and she made progress because there was space and structure. Here’s a reflection prompt for you: where are you relying on willpower when what you actually need is structure? A goal isn’t just something you write down—it’s something you live into.

Identity plays a huge role. The best goals stretch you without disconnecting you from your life or capacity. They align with your values and help you build confidence. If you want to become a speaker, for example, you don’t need to jump from zero experience to a TED Talk overnight. You can start with conferences, workshops, or guest appearances that fit your current life and capacity. These smaller steps help you build the identity and skills gradually. The gap between who you are now and who you want to become can feel intimidating. Instead of jumping into the deep end, think about the step that warms you up for the bigger goal. That’s how you expand capacity and confidence. Another reflection prompt for you: how would your goals change if they were built around how you want to feel, not just what you want to achieve?

To wrap up, setting goals you’ll follow through on starts with understanding how you’re setting them in the first place. Use the three-part framework of clarity, structure, and support. And remember, you’re stretching your identity—so focus on the next meaningful step, not just the biggest one. com and learn more about coaching. Thanks for listening.