The Art of Placing Your Ladder Against The Right Wall

AI & Future Work, Career Planning, Identity & Purpose, Personal Growth, Personal Relationships, Work-Life Balance

The Art of Placing Your Ladder Against The Right Wall

Attending a goal-setting webinar, I noticed everyone already knew how to set and achieve goals. During the break, I asked why they were there. Their answers revealed the real problem: they were excellent at climbing ladders but had never asked

February 3, 2026

I recently attended a webinar related to goal-setting.

Halfway in it occurred to me that pretty much everyone on the call already knew how to do that, and more. They knew how to spec out objectives, break them into tasks, track progress, and for the most part successfully execute their plans.

During a break I asked some of them how they learnt that. In school or through training, modelled by managers, absorbed from LinkedIn posts.

Naturally, my next question was, then why are you here, attending a webinar on goal setting?

The answers were telling. “I’m not making an impact.” “Every goal I hit is followed by another.” “I’m achieving things but they don’t feel meaningful.”

Nobody said they needed better goal-setting techniques. They were already good at that. What they hadn’t learnt was to ask: “What do I actually want?” (Not what their family expected. Not what would look good on their CV. Not what their industry said success should look like. What they wanted.)

We can get remarkably efficient at pursuing goals that don’t matter to us. The system we live in rewards us regardless. Set a goal, make a plan, execute, repeat. Teachers praise it, managers promote it, LinkedIn celebrates it.

We can spend years climbing to the top of the ladder, only to realise it’s leaning against the wrong wall.

As a coach, I help you recognize the order in these things. Before you optimise your next goal, ask yourself: is this what I want, or just what I think I’m supposed to want?

Setting Boundaries: Short Pain, Long Gain

February 20, 2026

We all say we want clarity. Yet when it’s our turn to be clear, we hesitate. Whether in dating, friendships or work, avoiding a direct conversation may spare us brief discomfort, but it often creates longer confusion. Standing up for yourself is rarely dramatic. It is usually one honest sentence, said in time.

When Success Feels Emptier Than Promised

February 13, 2026

We’re taught that success will eventually make life feel settled. Do well, push hard, and fulfilment will follow. Yet many people find that even as things look good on paper, something feels off. This piece explores why success often fails to deliver what we quietly expect of it — and what tends to get neglected along the way.

Big Change Rarely Comes From Big Moves

February 10, 2026

Big change is often imagined as a dramatic turning point. In practice, it usually emerges from small, deliberate shifts that are easier to sustain. Progress compounds quietly through consistency, not intensity. The question is rarely about bold moves, but about the next manageable step.

When You Know What To Do But Still Don’t

February 6, 2026

You know what needs to change. You’ve thought it through, understand why it matters, can explain it clearly. Yet nothing shifts. The gap between knowing and doing isn’t about lacking insight—it’s about lacking a pragmatic way to bridge aspirations and action. Here’s what actually keeps people stuck, and what helps.

VIEW ALL ARTICLES »