When motivation fades, your plan is everything

I’m so happy to share that I’ve now started giving talks
here in Spain!
The first group I spoke to was an online group of expatriate Mongolians, followed by two different Swedish communities here in Málaga.
I spoke about setting goals and about the fact that it’s never too late to start, and that’s exactly why I want to write to you about this topic here on the blog, how to turn your dreams into achievable goals, even when motivation fades.

You’ve probably, just like I have, tried to start something new at some point.
In the beginning, it often feels exciting and inspiring, you feel motivated, energized, and ready to change something in your life. But quite soon, something happens.
The new habit doesn’t really fit into your already busy everyday life, you skip it once, then again, and suddenly something that once felt important is just a memory.

Why does this happen? Because motivation alone is not enough.
Motivation is fleeting and influenced by how you feel, what your day looks like, and what’s happening around you. One day it can feel strong and obvious, and the next day it’s gone.

If you rely only on motivation, it becomes easy to start—but just as easy to stop when the feeling disappears, and your dream often remains just that - a dream, unless you make it something more concrete.
What truly makes a difference is having a plan. A clear plan for how, when, and where you will take your steps, and whether you might need support along the way.

When you have a plan, you can start taking small steps. And this is the most important part of all, to keep taking those small steps even when the dream feels far away. Small steps can feel insignificant and sometimes almost too small to matter, but they are exactly what make the difference over time.
When you do something for your dream every day, even if it’s something small, something begins to shift within you. You show your brain that you can, that you want to, and that you actually do.

If you have started and stopped many times before, your brain has learned a pattern—and that’s exactly the pattern you need to break. By doing something new and continuing despite setbacks, you teach your brain that what you want truly matters and that you can rely on yourself.
You begin to create a new direction through consistent and conscious choices every day.

So where do you start?
Start with a plan! Create a five-year vision, and then break it down into what you can actually do each week to move closer to your goal.
Follow up, adjust, and keep moving forward.
The weekend is a perfect time to pause, take a cup of coffee, a notebook, and sit down in a calm space to reflect on what you truly want.
What do you want to change? What do you want more of in your life?
Studies show that people who write down their goals are over 40% more likely to achieve them than those who don’t. So let this be your starting point. Start writing, start planning, and start taking your first small steps.

Elin Debora Brixson
ICF-certified coach | Speaker
Helping you turn your dreams into achievable goals