Goal Setting That Works When You Feel Overwhelmed and Stuck

Welcome to WiseGoals. We develop goal setting strategies for those who struggle with overwhelm, depression, stress, and anxiety. 

• Are your goals not leading to motivation and enjoyable action but instead bringing up uncomfortable feelings like shame and worry?
• Do you feel a pressure to always achieve that is no longer serving you and yearn for a kinder way to move toward your goals?
• Do your goals feel like they came from within or like they have been put on you from without?
• Would you like to be able to have goals and feel like you are already enough as you are?

If you're interested by the idea of setting goals but when you actually try it for some reason it goes badly, you’re in the right place. It doesn't mean there is something wrong with you and it's far more common than you think. 

Here you’ll find easy-to-use worksheets and psychology to help you get un-stuck and find your own unique way forward - a way that only you can find - and that is tailor made for you where you are right now. 

Hi, I’m James

I'm a psychologist and coach who helps people with low mood, stress, and anxiety to reduce overwhelm and get un-stuck. 

When goal setting isn't working there are always good and valid reasons. Typically it's a mixture of justified feelings like doubt, fear, shame, and denial that have amalgamated into a confusing mess. Many often can't see this for what it is and just grit their teeth and keep going. But these feelings are actually both the problem and the solution. When acknowledged and understood, doubts become certainty, fear becomes courage, shame becomes self-love, and denial becomes clarity.  

Sadly, when things you want are ignored they are also stored. Perhaps you find yourself complaining about others and circumstances? Or you get defensive easily? These habitual patterns take shape over time and begin to operate outside of your awareness. Yet, all this can change.

What's one positive change that would improve your life right now? What's one goal that shows up in your mind often? Each of the pathways below have been designed to move you closer to that one thing. 

What would you like to explore today?

Goal Setting Worksheets

Learn Goal Setting

Goals by Life Area

Thrive with Positive Psychology

New Year's Resolutions

Not sure where to start? Start here

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, you don’t have to have a perfect plan—I’m here to help you choose a step forward that fits where you are right now.

The Start Here guide helps you work out where to begin—whether that’s learning something useful, working out what you want to focus on next, or setting a small, realistic goal.

(Or grab free goal-setting worksheets)

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