

PLAN GOAL PLAN | Goals, Transformation for Women, Mindful Time Management, Balance, Working Moms
Danielle McGeough, PhD | Burnout Recovery Strategist
** Top 1.5% Globally Ranked Podcast **
You know that feeling—when life looks full of achievement, but something inside still feels... off-script?
Welcome to the Plan Goal Plan Podcast, where we turn planning and goal setting into a ritual of self-revelation and intentional living.
I’m Danielle McGeough—professor, mom, recovering overachiever, and ritual nerd. After years of chasing big goals and crossing off endless to-do lists, I hit a milestone—and felt completely unmoored. That’s when I stopped planning to prove myself, and started planning to be myself.
Each episode offers tools, insights, and rituals to help you:
Set meaningful goals that reflect who you truly are
Create intentional routines that support joy and purpose
Turn everyday planning into a powerful personal growth practice
Feel focused and fulfilled—without the burnout
Whether you’re leading a team, managing a household, or navigating change, this podcast will help you reclaim your time, reimagine your goals, and build a life that feels lived-in—not just productive.
Let’s plan a life that feels like yours—on purpose, with heart, and one gentle step at a time.
Learn more: https://www.plangoalplan.com/
Email: support@plangoalplan.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-mcgeough-phd-b673334
You know that feeling—when life looks full of achievement, but something inside still feels... off-script?
Welcome to the Plan Goal Plan Podcast, where we turn planning and goal setting into a ritual of self-revelation and intentional living.
I’m Danielle McGeough—professor, mom, recovering overachiever, and ritual nerd. After years of chasing big goals and crossing off endless to-do lists, I hit a milestone—and felt completely unmoored. That’s when I stopped planning to prove myself, and started planning to be myself.
Each episode offers tools, insights, and rituals to help you:
Set meaningful goals that reflect who you truly are
Create intentional routines that support joy and purpose
Turn everyday planning into a powerful personal growth practice
Feel focused and fulfilled—without the burnout
Whether you’re leading a team, managing a household, or navigating change, this podcast will help you reclaim your time, reimagine your goals, and build a life that feels lived-in—not just productive.
Let’s plan a life that feels like yours—on purpose, with heart, and one gentle step at a time.
Learn more: https://www.plangoalplan.com/
Email: support@plangoalplan.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-mcgeough-phd-b673334
Episodes
Mentioned books

May 11, 2023 • 22min
Unhappy in Your Job? How Planning and Goal Setting Can Change Your Relationship With Work | Ep. 35
Do you ever come home from work and physically you’re there but your brain is still at work? Are you having trouble playing that game of Candy Land because your work to-do list keeps creeping in? Y’all it may be time to create a healthier relationship with your work. This is a topic that is really special for me because it is something that I’ve struggle with and continue to navigate. in today’s podcast episode, I will be chatting you about how to use goal setting and planning to cultivate a healthier relationship to job so that you can come home, turn it off, and focus on your family.
Download these FREE checklists!
FREE Planning Starter Pack
Shop: plangoalplan.etsy.com
Connect: danielle.mcgeough@plangoalplan.com

May 9, 2023 • 16min
How to Make and Keep a Planning Habit for Working Moms | Ep. 34
Do you keep buying new planners only to have them sit unopened on a shelf? Do you have post–it notes and to-do lists everywhere and it still feels like nothings getting done? In today’s episode, I’m going to teach you to to make and keep a planning habit! I will talk pretty paper planners, decorative planning, the importance of writing things down, ways to cue a habit and more! Grab your favorite pen and a bubble tea, we are making and keeping some habits!
Download these FREE checklists!
FREE Planning Starter Pack
Shop: plangoalplan.etsy.com
Connect: danielle.mcgeough@plangoalplan.com

May 4, 2023 • 19min
Are You Trying to Balance It All? Mom-ing Through Burnout in Business with Sarah Brumley | Ep. 33
Do you feel like everyone needs you? Do you lay in bed at night worrying that you’ve disappointed someone? As a mom and a business owner, it can be challenging to find a balance between taking care of your family and running a successful enterprise. But what happens when that balance is thrown off, and you find yourself on the brink of burnout?
In this episode of Plan Goal Plan, I sit down with Sarah Brumley, a fellow mom, entrepreneur, and creator of the podcast Mama Business who has been there. She shares her personal story of hitting rock bottom and bouncing back stronger than ever before. Through her journey, Sarah has developed effective strategies for planning and building systems that allow her to run her business and show up fully for her family.
So grab your favorite notebook and a cup of tea, and learn from Sarah's experiences and gain valuable insights that can help you achieve your own work-life balance. It's time to start building a life that works for you!
Connect with Sarah:
Mama Business Podcast - sarahbrumley.com/listen
Website - sarahbrumley.com
Mama Business Blueprint - sarahbrumley.com/blueprint
Connect with Danielle:
Download these FREE checklists!
FREE Planning Starter Pack
Shop: plangoalplan.etsy.com
Connect: danielle.mcgeough@plangoalplan.com

May 2, 2023 • 24min
Feeling Burnt Out? 5 Tips to Avoid Over-Scheduling and Focus on What Matters | Ep. 32
Do you ever feel like you're sacrificing your own well-being for the sake of your job or your family? Are you ready to take control of your schedule and make time for the things that matter most to you? In this podcast, Danielle discusses the common challenge of being over-scheduled. She explores effective strategies for planning, goal setting, and time management that can help you regain control of your schedule and prioritize the things that matter most. She covers five key tips, including how to do a time audit, plan effectively, prioritize tasks, connect your plans to your goals, and how to know your limits. This episode offers practical advice and inspiration to help you achieve a more balanced and fulfilling life.
Download these FREE checklists!
FREE Planning Starter Pack
Shop: plangoalplan.etsy.com
Connect: danielle.mcgeough@plangoalplan.com

Apr 27, 2023 • 35min
What if You Pursue Your Dreams?: Passion, Purpose and the Power of “What If” With Success Coach Mitch Matthews | Ep.31
If you need a little encouraging, listen in. We are gonna pump you up. If love to learn from other’s stories. Get out your notebook, this episode's guest is a phenomenal storyteller. Today on Plan Goal Plan, Danielle chats with the wildly energetic, successful encourager Mitch Matthews.
Mitch is the creator of the DREAM THINK DO podcast. He’s also a success coach, a serial entrepreneur and a bestselling author.
His DREAM THINK DO podcast helps people around the world to dream bigger, think better, and do more of what they were created to do. It’s been rated #1 by the Huffington Post and is in top .5% of all podcasts.
In addition to the podcast, Mitch has been a Success Coach and Speaker since 2002. He’s worked with clients and spoken to audiences from around the world.
Mitch has also built a business training program that has helped thousands of life and success coaches.
Most importantly, he’s a husband, a dad and a life-long learner living a highly-caffeinated life in Des Moines, Iowa.
Grab a pen! Mitch is going to drop some wisdom on you. So gear up, we are dreaming, thinking, and doing!
MitchMatthews.com
Mitch’s Website for Coaches and Speakers: www.encouragingtheencouragers.com
Special Gift - The Well-Paid Encourager’s Secret Tool Box: www.encouragingtheencouragers.com
Link to Mitch’s Podcast: MitchMatthews.com/podcast
Mitch’s Social Media:
INSTAGRAM: @mitch.matthews
FACEBOOK: @mitch.matthews.104
Connect with Danielle:
Download these FREE checklists!
FREE Planning Starter Pack
Shop: plangoalplan.etsy.com
Connect: danielle.mcgeough@plangoalplan.com

Apr 25, 2023 • 21min
Overwhelmed by Big Goals? Two Ways to Break Big Goals into Bite-Sized Tasks | Ep. 30
Are you feeling overwhelmed by a big goal you've set for yourself? Do you find it difficult to make progress or even get started because the task seems so daunting? In this podcast episode, Danielle provides practical strategies for breaking down overwhelming goals into manageable tasks. The episode begins by acknowledging the common human experience of feeling stuck after setting big goals. Danielle emphasizes the importance of clarity in identifying the outcome to be achieved before breaking down the goal. She then presents two approaches for breaking down goals into manageable steps, including working backward from the finish line and taking one small step forward every day. Danielle encourages you to seek help from others who have achieved similar goals and to give yourself enough time and plan for contingencies. Grab your favorite notebook, this episode provides helpful tips for achieving big goals and living up to one's potential!
Download these FREE checklists!
FREE Planning Starter Pack
Shop: plangoalplan.etsy.com
Connect: danielle.mcgeough@plangoalplan.com

Apr 20, 2023 • 42min
“Now and Not Yet”: Lessons from Nature on Grief, Paradox, and Paying Attention with Chris Johnson and Angela Waseskuk | Ep. 29
If you have ever found yourself feeling stuck yet in the midst of change? This episode is for you. If you have ever celebrated while feeling a twang of loss, listen in. If have ever lost a loved one and felt broken yet stunned by the profound beauty of life and death, pay attention. Today’s episode is special. It is profound and I believe it will bless you, move you, fill you. I have two guests with me who I love so much and learn so much from. Chris Johnson is a traveling teacher with The Milkweed Group and he helps create and hold safe, courageous spaces that nourish inner wisdom, sharpen clarity of purpose, and nourish capacity to live and lead for a better world. He is my life coach and his work has changed my life.
Angela Waseskuk is also joining us. Our friendship grew while working with Chris. Angela is an artist who recently left a career in higher education to grow deeper relationships with land, animals, and people through art. She continues to be a teacher to some and a student of all. Together we talk about the wisdom of nature and what nature’s season can teach us about seasons of life. We discuss paradox, grief, and they offer several activities and practices for you to engage to help you pay attention, experience awe, and connect with yourself, others, and the earth.
REGISTER for their retreat (I'm going!): milkweedgroup.regfox.com/Spring23 OR https://couragerenewal.org/programs/coming-back-to-life-the-courage-to-emerge-a-spring-circle-of-trust-retreat/
Connect with Chris Johnson:
cjohnso542@gmail.com
Milkweed Group website: http://milkweedgroup.com
Connect with Angela Waseskuk:
angelapease@gmail.com
Connect with Danielle McGeough:
Download these FREE checklists!
FREE Planning Starter Pack
Shop: plangoalplan.etsy.com
Connect: danielle.mcgeough@plangoalplan.com

Apr 18, 2023 • 19min
Good Trait, Bad Trait?: Are Your Strengths Your Weakness and What to Do About It | Ep. 28
Have you ever not pursued something that you were pretty excited about only to be told you didn't have the aptitude or characteristics needed? Or, have you ever found yourself in a real funk because your weaknesses are holding you back? Or, perhaps you’ve been leaning in real hard on your strengths and you still feel stuck? We have been taught that we have strengths and we have weaknesses and they are separate things. You take a Strengths Finder quiz and it tells you what you are good at or what you should study in school or bring to work or share with others. In this episode, I’m going to challenge the way you think about strengths and weaknesses and offer you some tools for learning about yourself and leveraging the unique things that make you, YOU.
Download these FREE checklists!
FREE Planning Starter Pack
Shop: plangoalplan.etsy.com
Connect: danielle.mcgeough@plangoalplan.com

Apr 13, 2023 • 23min
How to Choose a Paper Planner: Finding Your Favorite Layout | Ep. 27
Are you feeling overwhelmed and struggling to keep up with your daily tasks? Do you find yourself constantly distracted by digital devices? It's time to switch things up and try a paper planner! In this episode of Plan Goal Plan, I will walk you through the pros and cons of different types of planners and introduce you to the top-rated paper planners that will help you stay organized so that you can try easier! So grab you favorite pen, 'cause you’re going to want to take notes!
Download these FREE checklists!
FREE Planning Starter Pack
Shop: plangoalplan.etsy.com
Connect: danielle.mcgeough@plangoalplan.com
Best daily planners:
Makselife, Full Focus Planner, Best Self Planner
Best Weekly Planners:
Vertical: Erin Condren, Happy Planner
Hourly: Passion Planner, Erin Condren
Horizontal: Day Designer, Emily Ley Simplified, Golden Coil, Plan Goal Plan
Best Monthly Planner: Erin Condren
Most Unique planners: Laurel Denise, Whitney English, Spaces

Apr 11, 2023 • 19min
How to ”Brené Brown” Grit: Or, Can You Grit Gently? | Ep. 26
Life takes grit. After thinking about grit in relation to her students, parenting, and her own personal development, Danielle was reminded of Angela Duckworth’s 2016 book Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. As she was thinking about grit, her very first thought was: Can you "Brené Brown" grit? Can you have grit and eschew shame, embrace vulnerability, and adopt imperfection? Basically, can you grit gently?
In this episode, Danielle wonders through these questions. She digs into Duckworth’s book and research and applies Brené Brown's concepts of shame, vulnerability, and imperfection to grit. If you have ever wanted something so bad, you pushed, you grinded, but you also lost a bit of yourself along the way, this episode is for you. Join Danielle as she explores the question: can you grit gently?
Download these FREE checklists!
FREE Planning Starter Pack
Shop: plangoalplan.etsy.com
Connect: danielle.mcgeough@plangoalplan.com
Want to read Grit?
New to Brené Brown? Start here: https://brenebrown.com/