Ep87: The Motivation Myth — Why January Goals Rarely Survive February
Mon Feb 02 2026
Here’s the myth we’ve all been sold:
If your motivation fades, you didn’t want the goal badly enough.
But motivation is emotional. It’s fueled by novelty, excitement, and fresh starts — which is why January feels so powerful. February is when reality sets in.
Research shows that most goals fade by mid-February, not because people stop caring, but because motivation was doing all the heavy lifting.
And for high-achieving women especially:
we internalize setbacks as personal failurewe expect ourselves to push through instead of redesignand we confuse inconsistency with lack of disciplineIf this is sounding familiar, pause here — this is not a you problem. It’s a strategy problem.
3 STRATEGIES TO BUILD GOALS THAT DON’T RELY ON MOTIVATION
1️⃣ Replace Motivation with Structure
Motivation asks, “Do I feel like it today?”
Structure asks, “What’s the plan when I don’t?”
Goals that survive February are built on routines, decisions made in advance, and small, repeatable actions — not willpower.
2️⃣ Stop Treating Setbacks Like a Personality Flaw
So many women interpret a missed week or slow progress as proof:
“I’m just not disciplined.”“I always fall off.”“This is why I shouldn’t even try.”Progress isn’t about perfection — it’s about recovery.
3️⃣ Design Goals for Real Life, Not Ideal Life
The most sustainable goals aren’t extreme — they’re flexible.
They assume:
work gets busyenergy fluctuateslife interruptsGoals don’t fail because people are weak — they fail because they were designed for perfect days instead of real ones.
Workshop Invite Just for You + Coupon Code:
If one of your goals this year is to feel more confident, more present, and more in control of how you show up — especially at work — I want to invite you to join us for an upcoming workshop called “The Confidence Advantage: 5 Body Language Secrets That Transform Every Conversation.”
This workshop is all about understanding how confidence is communicated before you even say a word — through posture, eye contact, facial awareness, and body language — and how small, intentional shifts can dramatically change how you’re perceived. Use Coupon Code VIP20 for 20% off your ticket as a thank you for being an audience member!
Workshop Link: https://www.drdawnshoptalk.com/workshops
Videos Mentioned Today:
New Year New You - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvN0HAQEjwMGuilt in Your Way? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpCGplSSPC4Power of Self-Talk - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSTC0CnKlkkCan't Finish What You Start? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqOK47IeltMOther Episodes - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaBdDqTo7qY&list=PLdguFjdYMwqWXnvIeSAIhDrtPdHdsLGdehttps://www.youtube.com/@drdawnshoptalk/podcasts
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Here’s the myth we’ve all been sold: If your motivation fades, you didn’t want the goal badly enough. But motivation is emotional. It’s fueled by novelty, excitement, and fresh starts — which is why January feels so powerful. February is when reality sets in. Research shows that most goals fade by mid-February, not because people stop caring, but because motivation was doing all the heavy lifting. And for high-achieving women especially: we internalize setbacks as personal failurewe expect ourselves to push through instead of redesignand we confuse inconsistency with lack of disciplineIf this is sounding familiar, pause here — this is not a you problem. It’s a strategy problem. 3 STRATEGIES TO BUILD GOALS THAT DON’T RELY ON MOTIVATION 1️⃣ Replace Motivation with Structure Motivation asks, “Do I feel like it today?” Structure asks, “What’s the plan when I don’t?” Goals that survive February are built on routines, decisions made in advance, and small, repeatable actions — not willpower. 2️⃣ Stop Treating Setbacks Like a Personality Flaw So many women interpret a missed week or slow progress as proof: “I’m just not disciplined.”“I always fall off.”“This is why I shouldn’t even try.”Progress isn’t about perfection — it’s about recovery. 3️⃣ Design Goals for Real Life, Not Ideal Life The most sustainable goals aren’t extreme — they’re flexible. They assume: work gets busyenergy fluctuateslife interruptsGoals don’t fail because people are weak — they fail because they were designed for perfect days instead of real ones. Workshop Invite Just for You + Coupon Code: If one of your goals this year is to feel more confident, more present, and more in control of how you show up — especially at work — I want to invite you to join us for an upcoming workshop called “The Confidence Advantage: 5 Body Language Secrets That Transform Every Conversation.” This workshop is all about understanding how confidence is communicated before you even say a word — through posture, eye contact, facial awareness, and body language — and how small, intentional shifts can dramatically change how you’re perceived. Use Coupon Code VIP20 for 20% off your ticket as a thank you for being an audience member! Workshop Link: https://www.drdawnshoptalk.com/workshops Videos Mentioned Today: New Year New You - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvN0HAQEjwMGuilt in Your Way? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpCGplSSPC4Power of Self-Talk - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSTC0CnKlkkCan't Finish What You Start? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqOK47IeltMOther Episodes - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaBdDqTo7qY&list=PLdguFjdYMwqWXnvIeSAIhDrtPdHdsLGdehttps://www.youtube.com/@drdawnshoptalk/podcasts