Today I start with a funny story about how I answered a belief in Santa from a bully from a neighborhood I was in while in one of my many foster homes. It ties into todays topic about what we still believe and the consequences that follow.

But I want to speak to you today about a belief you also need to outgrow and no longer give it anymore attention. It's the belief that you "should be further along" often has nothing to do with reality and everything to do with comparison. When you release the pressure to prove yourself, clarity returns. Progress built from self-trust is always more sustainable than progress driven by self-judgment.

What beliefs are you carrying with you that no longer help you? What are you willing to let go of for the following year to be a better one? What does that look like? How will you measure this?

Points covered:

1. You don't need to become someone new in 2026

2. Just because a dream took longer than expected doesn't mean it's expired.

3. The version of you that survived hard seasons doesn't get to decide the limits of your future.

4. You've confused being cautious with being prepared.

5. Your past outcomes are not predictions.

6. You don't need more motivation—you need to stop negotiating with fear.

7. What once kept you safe is now keeping you small.

8. Staying where you are because it's familiar is not loyalty—it's avoidance.

9. You are not behind; you are just being called forward.

10. You've mistaken endurance for progress.

11. The story you keep telling about "how things usually go" is a script—not the truth.

12. You are allowed to outgrow the identity that helped you get through your last chapter.

13. Comfort is not the same thing as peace.

14. Waiting until you feel ready has quietly delayed your becoming.

15. You don't need certainty to begin—you need courage to take the next honest step.

Next step:

I want to help you make your dreams come true. I want to come alongside you and partner with you. I don't want to see you stuck. I want to see you go from thinking to doing. If this resonated with you then please reach out to me for a complementary Next-Level Dream Chat. It only takes about 30 minutes to get through and start diving into what may be holding you back.

If you want to take me up on this special offer then simply go to edwinsoler.com and go to the right side of my site and click on the tab that says contact Edwin and fill that form out. It's that easy. I'll be in touch with you shortly afterwards. I can't wait to hear from you!

This episode was sponsored by my book Closing the 18-inch Gap and is available on Amazon. To find it faster, simply go to edwinsoler.com/book. That will take you to the book page where you can click on the Amazon logo and order your copy right away. It's available in paperback, Kindle, and Audible.

Most people don't know this, but a story is told that once at a greyhound race, the whole pack once took off sprinting… and the mechanical rabbit exploded.

Gone. Vanished.

The dogs froze. One sat down. One crashed through the fence, hurting itself.

Some barked at the crowd.

BUT Not a single one finished the race.

They had speed. They had strength. They had stamina. They had training.

They just didn't have anything left to chase. That feels like real life for a lot of people.

When you lose sight of purpose, you stall.

You chase distractions, numb yourself with noise, or run in circles until you burn out.

You end up exhausted, not fulfilled.

A significant life comes from chasing something bigger than the next paycheck, the next promotion, the next compliment, the next relationship, or the next opportunity.

If your purpose is only what's right in front of you, you'll eventually be disappointed.

If your purpose is anchored in what God placed inside you, you'll run with clarity and strength. Your life wasn't designed to be random. God wired you for a calling. There is something He has already deposited in you that unlocks your direction, your confidence, your joy.

You already have what you need to run well. You have all you need to do what God has called you to do. You just have to unlock it. Stop chasing dead rabbits. Run after the calling God put in you.

Points covered:

Points covered:

1. Losing your target will always lead to losing your momentum.

2. Speed, talent, and training mean nothing if you're chasing the wrong thing.

3. A life without purpose will eventually stall, no matter how strong or motivated you are.

4. When your "rabbit" disappears, your direction disappears with it.

5. Chasing distractions leads to exhaustion, not fulfillment.

6. Numbing yourself with noise or busyness is a sign your purpose has gone missing.

7. Running in circles is the natural outcome of living without deeper meaning.

8. A significant life requires a purpose bigger than temporary achievements.

9. The next paycheck, promotion, or compliment cannot carry the weight of your calling.

10. Short-term pursuits will always leave you disappointed in the long run.

Plus 10 more points. Listen to the full episode for all of them!

If this resonated with you then please reach out to me for a complementary Next-Level Dream Chat. It only takes about 30 minutes to get through and start diving into what may be holding you back.

Click here to schedule a call with me: https://next-level-dream-chat.youcanbook.me/

My Book Closing The 18-Inch Gap- https://edwinsoler.com/book

Today is a simple message of thanks to you for being part of this amazing journey. My biggest gratitude is for you! But there are others that are less fortunate and may need check in or a pick me up. Some words of encouragement that will brighten their day or help them get through a difficult situation. Be a help to tem as well. And again, thanks for your amazing support. See you next week!

My birthday just passed last week. It has become a more special day than in years past because of the late Dan Miller. He was the author of 48 Days to the Work and Life you Love. He based everything around the number 48. It was his signature in all he did. I was a member of his 48 Days Eagles group until his passing. One of the things he was big on was the last 48 days of the year. And it so happens that the day of my birthday is when the year also has the last 48 days left before the year ends. And as we are coming up on the holidays and the year closing on us, I want to ask you how you plan on ending the last part of this year.

How would you judge your year so far?

Are you happy with what you have accomplished?

How have you changed?

What has changed?

In this episode, I will go over 10 more ways to look forward by reflecting back on this year so far knowing it's not over yet. You still have time to make 2025 your best year yet as you prepare for the next one. With the holidays around the corner it's too easy to forget about your dreams and goals. Don't let that happen. You can have both a great holiday season while still working on moving forward with what is in your heart and mind.

Some of the points covered:

1. The Story You're Still Telling

Every dreamer narrates their own journey — consciously or unconsciously.

2. The Importance of Emotional Housekeeping

Before entering a new year, clean up emotional clutter — resentments, comparisons, self-doubt.

3. Vision Requires Revision

Sometimes your original dream isn't wrong, it's just outdated.

4. The Power of Recommitment

There's a sacred strength in saying, "I'm not done yet." Recommit to your why.

5. Accountability Over Excuses

Who have you allowed to hold you accountable this year — or who did you avoid because they would?

6. The Battle Between Fear and Faith

Every dream lives between what scares you and what calls you.

7. The Art of Forgiveness

Forgive yourself for not knowing what you know now.

8. Presence Over Pressure

You don't need to finish the year "proving" you're doing enough.

9. Remembering Your Why

Amid the noise of deadlines and disappointments, have you stayed connected to your purpose?

10. Preparing the Soil for Next Season

Before planting new dreams, till the soil of your mindset. Reflect, release, and reset.

And much, much more!

Make sure you listen to the full episode for all of the points brought in this episode, your future self will thank you when you realize those dreams.

My Book: Closing The 18-Inch Gap

My birthday is coming up. It has become a more special day than in years past because of the late Dan Miller. He was the author of 48 Days to the Work and Life you Love. He based everything around the number 48. It was his signature in all he did.

I was a member of his 48 Days Eagles group until his passing. One of the things he was big on was the last 48 days of the year. And it so happens that the day of my birthday is when the year also has the last 48 days left before the year ends. And as we are coming up on the holidays and the year closing on us, I want to ask you how you plan on ending the last part of this year.

How would you judge your year so far?

Are you happy with what you have accomplished?

How have you changed?

What has changed?

In this episode, I will go over 10 ways to look forward by reflecting back on this year so far knowing it's not over yet.

You still have time to make 2025 your best year yet as you prepare for the next one. With the holidays around the corner it's too easy to forget about your dreams and goals.

Don't let that happen. You can have both a great holiday season while still working on moving forward with what is in your heart and mind.

Some of the points covered:

1. The Mirror Moment

2. The Weight of Unfinished Dreams

3. The Quiet Between Victories

4. The Courage to Let Go

5. The Gift of Honest Reflection

6. Momentum Over Perfection

7. The Trap of Comparison

8. The Shadow of "Should Have"

9. The Balance Between Hustle and Healing

10. The Lessons Hidden in Loss

And much, much more!

Make sure you listen to the full episode for all of the points brought in this episode, your future self will thank you when you realize those dreams.

My Book: Closing The 18-Inch Gap

It takes the right mindset to deal with both. Yes, even when everything is going right, you need the mindset to stay focused and avoid getting distracted. The good news is that mindset is something that can be worked on and improved over time.

There's a moment in every dreamer's journey where every step forward sounds like an echo in an empty hallway. You've done the work. You've waited. You've believed — and yet, here you stand… stuck.

Perhaps you need someone to help you, and they are not moving as fast as your vision is.But what if this isn't a stop sign?

You see, stuck isn't the opposite of progress — it's the cocoon before wings. You can hear more about this in episode #87 The Butterfly Effect of a Dream Coming True

It's the universe whispering, "Pause. You're becoming." You're not behind; you're being built.You're not losing time; time is preparing you for alignment.

Some of the points covered:

1. Progress Isn't Always Movement — It's Alignment
2. You're Not Broken, You're Becoming
3. Clarity Comes Through Action, Not Thought
4. Doubt Is the Doorway to Discover
5. Perfection Is a Prison — Progress Is Freedom
6. Fear Is a Compass, Not a Cage
7. Stuck Energy Means It's Time to Let Go

And much, much more!

Every seed had to break before it grew. Every dawn had to battle the night before light could spill over the horizon. And you, my friend — you are that horizon. Your dream is not lost; it's waiting for your permission to breathe again. So, while you give your dream that permission, give it to yourself as well and breathe. Relax, let time work in your favor.

So walk forward — even if your steps are shaky.
Speak forward — even if your voice trembles.
Dream forward — even when doubt sits beside you.
Because you were never meant to stay where you are.
You were meant to rise from it. Even if it takes some time. You have already come a long way and you will get there!

Make sure you listen to the full episode for all of the points brought in this episode, your future self will thank you when you realize those dreams.

My Book: Closing The 18-Inch Gap

Today I continue the topic of exploring the mind. Last week I recorded an episode of Midnight of the mind where I spoke about the darkest moments before you experience a breakthrough. I step further into the masquerade of the mind. The place where dreamers hide behind carefully crafted masks — and call it safety.

You see, we've all worn them — masks made of memories, stitched with stories we tell ourselves just to make it through the day, the week, the next month or even years. We wear them to survive the judgment we face, to silence the doubts, to hold together the pieces of ourselves we're afraid to show.

But what if I told you… the mask doesn't protect you — it imprisons you? What if behind every disguise, there's a dream gasping for air?

Some of the points covered:

1. The Mask of Perfection

2. The Mask of Strength

3. The Mask of Humility

4. The Mask of Busyness

5. The Mask of Humor

6. The Mask of the Victim

7. The Mask of the Healer

8. The Mask of Success

9. The Mask of Independence

And many, many more!

Make sure you listen to the full episode for all of the points brought in this episode, your future self will thank you when you realize those dreams.

My Book: Closing The 18-Inch Gap