For a while now, the Small Goods coaches have wanted to find a way to share more in depth conversations about their philosophies as coaches, life lessons & experiences, and in general, help you get to know them a bit better. In Small Good’s first ever podcast episode, Joel & Holly dive into the interconnected worlds of learning, coaching, and personal growth. From Holly finishing her physiotherapy degree and competing in the Night of Champions to Joel’s evolution as a strength coach, they explore the psychology behind starting something new, overcoming the fear of failure, and the transition from being a student to a teacher. If you enjoyed this content, please leave a comment, share your thoughts, and let us know if you want to hear about a specific topic from our team!

For months now, I've been struggling to maintain any sort of habits... the good ones, at least. Maybe it started after changing my work situation, or when our schedules started to fill up. Or, maybe it started when life and responsibilities just began feeling heavier. Either way, I’m not the same person (nor in the same situation) as I was when I was starting work early, doing my skincare consistently, and eating to fuel my body. They sound like small things, but lately, doing any of them feels like pushing against a brick wall. Then, I heard Leila Hormozi talk about how we plan for our goals all wrong. She argued that if we aren’t planning for our "baseline" on the bad days, we’ll never get anywhere. It’s not a new concept, but it’s definitely one I’d let slip. You see, I have an all-or-nothing personality. If I can’t do something with 100% perfection, I struggle to even start, even if I’m likely to hit 90% anyway. Call it a symptom of being a "glass child," or maybe it’s just an unavoidable part of my identity. But the real problem isn’t aiming for 100%; it’s expecting it, and labelling anything less a failure. I’ve realised I need to start telling myself that: ✅ Waking up early, even if I just sit in bed, is a win. ✅ Putting sunscreen on in the morning is a win. ✅ Being aware of what and when I’m eating is a win. Because inevitably, doing the minimum consistently builds the momentum to do more. ➡️ If I’m sitting in bed bored, I’m probably going to want to actually get my day started. ➡️ If I’m protecting my skin from the sun, I’ll need less restorative skincare anyway. ➡️ If I’m mindful of my eating, I’m more likely to question whether I’m eating for hunger or just out of habit. It’s hard to expect "less" of yourself when the world is constantly shouting at you to reach your "fullest potential." But that’s unrealistic. We aren't algorithms or machines; we’re people with messy, imperfect lives. Our potential isn’t a constant 100%; Potential is like a fuel tank that fluctuates. And maybe, we shouldn't be constantly trying to run it on empty.

I wanted to explore the defensiveness trap as it’s I’ve been working on recently. When I get defensive, it’s often a sudden heat, a need to justify, or a rush to prove I’m right. When I can catch that, I pause, take a breath, and get curious. What’s really behind this reaction? Where is this coming from? My strategies now are to ground myself, lean on a trusted connection, and return to self-awareness. Growth really starts with noticing these moments. So how do you know when you are reacting from that place & what are you management strategies?

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