It’s New Year, New You Time - which means it’s time for goal setting! (Cue the cheers and the groans).

But we have thoughts on traditional goal setting. In this conversation, we talk about how outcome based goals are often ineffective (and the fast path to burnout), and instead focusing on what’s in our locus of control.

We talk about the difference between “bottoms up” and “top down goals”, and how your stage of business and business model informs what matters. You’ll get to hear Jessica get on her soapbox about “10x is easier than 2x” goal setting, and hear us talk about how physics informs our approach to goals.

Plus hear OUR goals for 2026 — and most importantly, what we’re not doing this year.

* Why we both hate most New Year’s goal setting advice

* Outcome goals vs. output goals—and why the difference matters

* How goals fail when they ignore where you’re starting from

* Why revenue goals aren’t fully within your locus of control

* The problem with “just do more” as a strategy

* Force, leverage, and friction: three ways to change results

* How vanity metrics create performative productivity

* Saying no as an essential part of goal setting

* What we’re each choosing to focus on—and what we’re actively letting go of this year

Resources

Jessica’s 4 Part Planning Series

Meg’s Consistency Beats Virality (even When You Go Viral)

Connect with Us

Listen on Spotify

Listen on Apple Podcasts

Meg Casebolt

Jessica Lackey

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aggressivelyhuman.substack.com

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