#1 Rewiring Your Mindset for Sustainable Success

What if success stopped demanding perfection and started inviting you to show up, imperfectly, every week?

That question drives a full reset of how we create, plan, and grow. We kick off 2026 with a redesigned website, a fresh green logo, and a new format that centers one clear takeaway you can carry into your day. No more rigid segments or pressure to be flawless on a schedule that punishes real life. We’re moving to a weekly rhythm with built-in wiggle room so commitment survives the chaos and creativity has space to breathe.

We dig into the mindset shift that makes momentum possible: success without self-pressure equals mindset before momentum. Drawing on Amy Morin’s Psychology Today insights, we unpack four reasons New Year’s resolutions fall apart—an all-or-nothing mentality, vague goals, external pressure, and weak support systems—and turn them into a blueprint for change that sticks. 

Come along for a year built on adaptable success, practical systems, and a community that cheers your imperfect reps. If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who’s rewriting their rules, and leave a review to help more people find the Self-Growth Train.

Journal Prompt: If I believed I didn't need to rush to succeed, how would I show up differently this year?

Resources Used Today:

Why New Year's Resolutions Set You Up To Fail 

Chapters

• 1:01 Website Launch And New Logo
• 2:56 Format Shift And Journal Prompts
• 6:58 Moving To A Weekly Schedule
• 8:52 Main Message: Sustainable Success
• 10:48 Why Resolutions Fail
• 16:40 All Or Nothing And Specificity
• 19:45 Internal Desire Over Pressure

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:07

Hello, my dear passengers, and welcome aboard to Self-Growth Train, a podcast that combines personal stories, opinions, and research in order to better guide you through your self-growth journey. My name is Frances Marie T. Vera Pacheco, and I am your turn. First things first, let me just say thank you for tuning back onto the podcast. My dear passengers, 2026. I am so ready and so excited because guess what? Dreams are going to be coming true, goals are going to be achieved, and chapters are going to be rewritten. And if you ask me, how do I know? I mean, look at my head. I'm the one wearing the crown. So therefore, I am declaring that it's gonna happen. And guess what? It's gonna happen. So jump into the trade and follow me because it's gonna be an amazing ride. Having said all that, there's a couple of announcements that I have for y'all, and I'm very excited. So don't mind me like yelling at you. I'm so sorry. I'm not trying to yell, I'm just very, very excited. First things first, thank you, Carrie McCutcheon. For those of you guys that don't know who Carrie McCutcheon is, he is one of my mentors, especially when it comes to my acting endeavors. He was one of my instructors when I first started acting, and he's become a really good friend over the years. But all this to say that he said yes to me asking him to develop my website because for many years I had this vision of what I wanted my website to look like, and I kept trying. But like, here's the thing I'm very intelligent and I'm very creative, but web design is not my thing, okay? And I just don't have the time, the talent, or the desire to invest into learning that trade. So I literally reached out and I was like, hey, my G, can you please do this? I will pay you, obviously. And it was like, Yeah, sure, what do you want? And I gave him like a very basic idea. And the dude went inside my head, captured everything that I had envisioned, and made it come alive. So if you haven't had the chance, please head on over to www.theself training podcast.com and look at the wonderful website that Carrie McCutcheon designed. Thank you so much, my dear. I am so grateful and so happy with everything that you've done. And also that includes redesigning the logo. Yes, my dear passengers, our logo is now green, and it's just it feels more aligned with where I want this podcast to go. And again, thank you, Carrie, for all that because it wouldn't be possible if you hadn't said yes. Update number two. As you guys know, except for the last two episodes, I usually have a specific format with the podcast. Well, my dear passengers, and you're used to that podcast format, let me just tell you, I'm gonna switch things up this upcoming year. Why? Because this upcoming year, I am thinking long term, right? And when you think long term, that means making adjustments to things that you have noticed over the years that could be improved. And you haven't done it because you're like, well, people are used to this, or people like this, or I like this. But this year I said, no, no. Come on, Francis. You know this will make the podcast better, so just go ahead and do it. Which means that the format of the podcast will be changing. You won't hear me say, what's the phrase? I just forgot the phrase that I usually say. Oh, when I'm like, well, my dear passengers, the time has come for the first stop of the day. That is the topic of the day. And the topic of the day is you won't be hearing me say that anymore. You also won't be hearing a recap. Why? Because now each podcast episode is going to have a main message, something that can be taken with you anywhere at any time that you can easily take out of your pocket, look it over, and be like, oh, this was the this was the point of the podcast episode. Got it. And it's something that is gonna stay with you and make you act a certain way over your life and hopefully help you continue to grow into the person that you're becoming, right? So that is the second update. Oh, that also includes, oh, here's the part that I'm the most excited about. As you guys know, I have been writing a book over the last three and a half years, let's say four years, just to make sure. And I'm almost at the end of it. I literally have a chapter and a half left to write as I'm recording this. So hopefully by the time this episode comes out, I have finished it. But if I haven't, it's okay, phrases. Take your time, take your time. What you're doing is important. Anyways, one of the things that I talk about on my book is journaling. As I was looking into the podcast, I was like, you know, for a self-prote podcast, it's missing that sense of community, it's missing that detail of homework or like, I don't know, guided help for people to actually do something after the podcast that will stay with them and help them reflect on where they're at in their life, which is why now at the end of the episode, I will be providing you with a journal prompt. And I'm very excited because I will be doing the journaling prompts as well. So it's gonna be exciting. And I want you guys to email me or message me or DM me, whatever way you prefer, your responses. Right now, again, as you know, I have the new website that was designed. There are a couple of things that are still getting added. I don't know if this is going to be available by the time this podcast episode is released, but I'll give you, I'll give you a little sneak peek of what is coming on the website. My dear passengers, I've been saying for years I want to build a community. Okay, I've been saying this for years. This is part of my dream. Okay, when I visualize this podcast, community came really, really hard. So, one of the things that we are currently developing for the podcast website is a forum. And in this forum, you guys will be able to discuss the journal prompt of the week, comment on each other's responses, and also kind of hype each other up because, like again, we're all in this together, not to get high school musical about it, but yeah, we're all in this together and we just want to see everybody grow, right? So, very exciting news. Again, I don't know if this forum is going to be up by the time that this episode is released, but it is something that we're currently working towards. So I wanted you to know that way you can be on the lookout. The third, last, and most important update is that starting this year, listen to this. Starting this year of 2026, the podcast will be a weekly podcast. All right, say it again for the people in the back. This year, the podcast will be a weekly podcast. Now, hear me out, hear me out. I know what you're thinking and I know what you're saying. Francis, you've said this before and you have failed. You are not wrong. I have failed, and I have failed because of my all or nothing mentality, which is why now I have a backup plan. As you guys know, the podcast usually releases episodes on Tuesdays. Why? Because that was the date that I magically chose in 2020, and it's been like that ever since. What I'm doing now is that if I don't post on a Tuesday, I still have time to post by the next Tuesday. So I'm giving myself a leeway in case that happens. I'm giving myself a little wiggle room. The whole point is to make this podcast a weekly podcast. And I'm not going to hold myself anymore to the standard or if it's not on a Tuesday, then you're not releasing it. We're not doing that no more. Listen, if it's on a Tuesday, a Wednesday, a Thursday, Friday, a Saturday, Sunday, Monday, the podcast episode is coming up and it's gonna be out for that week. And I am hoping that throughout this journey of growth as a podcaster, I will get better and more consistent. But I did want to give a little bit of wiggle room because my all or nothing mentality in the past has not worked. So we're going in with a different method just to make sure that I stay on track. All right, I got all the updates out of the way, which means that now we can get into the actual episode, right? So without further ado, here's the new format. Welcome aboard, my dear passengers. Today's episode is titled Rewiring Your Mindset for Sustainable Success. But what does success look like for you, my dear passenger? Because for me, it used to look like something that was all or nothing, perfect, and superior in comparison with other people's success. Where did I get this mindset? It was a combination of the way that I was raised, the people I was hanging out with, and also the type of media that I was consuming. Because this idea of having things figured out to perfection, even though it's literally impossible, seems to be very enticing and tempting and hypnotizing for all of us to continuously try to strive to get it, even though it literally is impossible to get it. An example of this, of course, is New Year's resolutions. I mean, how many times have we made resolutions about our hobbies, our weight, our romantic partners, our friendships, the way that we want to live, and failed somewhere along the way. I can tell you that personally, every year for the past five years, I have said that I'm going to become consistent with the podcast. But again, the way that in my head, consistency looked at the time, not anymore, was that it had to be all or nothing. And it had to be like without any mistakes, and also it had to be superior to other people. Like, not only do I have to do it consistently, but I have to do it better than so and so. Not healthy, definitely super toxic, which is why I'm leaving that behind to 2025. We don't need that mentality, we need something better. However, have you ever wondered why New Year's resolutions don't really work for anybody? To answer this question, I went to Google and I looked up different articles, but I really enjoyed this article from Psychology Today. It's by Amy Morin. Amy Morin is a licensed clinical social worker, psychotherapist, college psychology instructor, and expert on mental strength. Her article is titled Why New Year's Resolutions Set You Up to Fail. Now let's dive a little bit deeper into what we can do in order to help us achieve our goals and hopefully make us not give up on them before the end of the month. You see, according to Amy Morin, there are four reasons as to why our New Year's resolutions fail. The first reason, number one, is that we have an all or nothing mentality. My dear passengers, I have been preaching this from the beginning of the episode. All or nothing mentalities do not work. They literally set you up for failure. Why? Because we're not perfect. We are human, we have our moments, so therefore, we have to have grace with ourselves and we have to say, you know what? This is a goal that I can achieve if I make it in a way that is achievable. I cannot expect perfection because perfection is not possible. Also, who wants to be perfect? If you become perfect, you have to maintain it. Ugh, I don't want to do that. Reason number two, they're vague or unrealistic. I mean, I will say it. For many years I've said, I will get healthier. Okay. What does that mean, Francis? Like, does that mean that you're only going to be drinking water from now on? Does that mean that you're going to focus on proteins and fiber foods? So that way there's less carbohydrates, therefore less sugar in your body. Like, what does that mean? What does healthier mean? Does healthier mean that I'm going to go out for a walk every day? It doesn't really lead to change. It's just kind of like wishful thinking of like, uh-huh, one day I'm gonna be healthier. Yeah, no, no, no more of that. We need to be specific, we need to be on point, and we need to be focused with these goals. You know, reason number three, I identify with a lot. Reason number three is that they are centered around external pressure and not actual desire. As you guys know, I have struggled with my weight since I was a little baby. And, you know, this year, being 30, almost 31 in two weeks. Um, anyways, this year being 30 has really taught me to love my body. And as you guys know, because I have been very open about this, I do take Wigobi, so it has helped me lose weight. But the mentality shift, the mindset shift that I've had has been an inner work thing. I'm no longer looking for validation from other people or getting in with the pressure of other people of like you need to lose weight. Like a big theme in my family over the years has been I need to lose weight because if I don't lose weight, then I'm not going to be attractive to a man and a man is not gonna want to be with me. Kind of toxic. More on that in other episodes, maybe, but the reality is that this past year, health became a big emphasis in my life, and I was like, you know what? I need to lose weight for health purposes, and so it became an instinct goal, it became something internal, it became something that I really, really wanted to work on, and I got the help that I needed. So it's very important to make sure that you're not just following like societal or family pressure or even partner pressure. You want to make sure that the goals that you are setting up for yourselves are things that you want to achieve. Because if not, you're gonna give up on them because it's not something that you really care about. Does that make sense? I feel like it makes sense. Reason number four, they lack the structural support. Now, what do you mean, Francis? Well, I mean that if you say that you want to live healthier, but you don't have a game plan, what exactly are you trying to achieve? Because again, New Year's resolutions are not wishes, there is work behind them. Every time you put it in your head, like whether you are praying for something, manifesting something, visualizing something, I need you to understand it's not just going to happen. You make it happen, you put in the work to make it happen. And the fastest you change your environment and you change your ways, the faster you will get to your goal. I'm not saying it's gonna happen overnight. That is the exception, that is not the rule. Some people have achieved that. I'm not gonna take it away from them, but I'm just telling you, nine times out of ten, that's not gonna be you. So don't expect that. Oh my gosh, I put in 30 minutes of work today and then suddenly I live healthier. Yeah, that's that's not no, like, no, that don't make sense. Don't make sense because it doesn't work that way. So definitely put a plan in place in order to help your new year's resolutions or your goals in general happen. You see, my dear passengers, the main message today is that success without self-pressure equals a mindset before momentum. You are able to be successful, but in order for you to be successful, you have to be able to see success as adaptable. You have to be success as a process that is progressing. It's not something that is going to be just achieved once. No, it's something that is going to be continuously achieved, but you have to have that mindset. You have to say to yourself, I am going to show up imperfectly. That is why at the beginning of this episode, I told you guys, my goal with the podcast has changed now. I have been striving to make this podcast a weekly podcast. But in my head and in the head of many people, a weekly podcast means that you are posting on the same weekday in order to be considered successful. But the reality is that this all or nothing mentality has not been beneficial to me over the last five years. So, what am I gonna do? I'm gonna hold on to it and keep striving to get it when I know for a fact that it hasn't worked. Why not try something different? Why not adapt it to something that I can work with? Because you know what? There is a possibility that one day, I mean, again, it has happened in the past, just look at the last five years. There is a possibility that I won't be able to post on a Tuesday, but I'm usually off on Wednesdays. So that means that I could potentially record an episode on Wednesday and post it on Wednesday or post it on Thursday. So by looking at success as something adaptable and showing up imperfectly, I am guaranteeing that my failure is feedback. My failure is allowing me to see creative ways to make myself succeed where I didn't think I could before. And again, success looks different for everyone. And I had to stop putting my definition to success, of success, to the same standards as other people because I wasn't, I wasn't achieving it. And it was getting on to me, and it was really dampening my mood, it was really dampening my motivation and my dedication to the point that there was there was there were moments that I was like, maybe I should just give up on the podcast. But why should I give up on something that I love? Why should I give up on something that I'm very passionate about because I failed? No, I should take those failures as lessons and work with where I am currently while striving to become better. So again, success without self-pressure equals mindset before momentum. Again, success without self-pressure equals mindset before momentum. Work on your mind so your mind backs you up. Forget about moving, forget about reaching a success, that goal. No, just keep working on it, keep working on it, keep at it because eventually you'll get there. But in the meantime, show up imperfectly. Now, my dear passengers, let me give you the first external prompt of the year. Get your notebooks, get your pens, and write this down. If I believed I didn't need to brush to succeed, How would I show up differently this year? Let me repeat that. For the people in the back. If I believed I didn't need to rush to succeed, how would I show up differently this year? Can I get a shushu? Man, I have miss saying that. That is something that I'm bringing back to the podcast. Today has been amazing. Thank you so much for joining me for this episode. You're probably wondering, Princess, what's gonna happen next week? Because you kind of left it up in the air with this episode. You started talking about developing your goals and all of that. Well, guess what? That is coming for episode number two. On episode number two, we're going to be talking about planning goals that are going to stick past February. So make sure you tune in next week for the episode. As always, all the resources used today have been added to the episode's description. Well, until the next up, your passengers. Safe travels.

unknown: 21:00

Bye.