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.