Make 2026 Your Best Year Yet! Step-by-Step Blueprint to Turn Your 2026 Goals Into Visible Results

0:00This is an iHeart Podcast. Guaranteed Human. I'm Jonathan Goldstein, and on the new season of Heavyweight... And so I pointed the gun at him and said, this isn't a joke. A man who robbed a bank when he was 14 years old. And a centenarian rediscovers a love lost 80 years ago. How can a 101-year-old woman fall in love again? Listen to Heavyweight on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

0:57Social belonging, messed up boundaries between mental categories. What does this uncover about brain science and our calculations of morality? Listen to Inner Cosmos on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On this week's episode of the next chapter, I, D.D. Jakes, get to sit down with Oprah Winfrey, a media mogul, philanthropist, and global trailblazer. I could feel inside myself at four or five years old, looking through the screen on the back porch, that this is not going to be my life. This is the next chapter on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

1:43Episodes drop weekly. Manifestation doesn't work when you're waiting for signs instead of building systems. It doesn't work if you want change, but refuse to change It doesn't work when you speak the affirmation, but live the opposite Manifestation doesn't work if your belief expires the moment things get uncomfortable And it doesn't work when you expect the universe to do what discipline is meant to do Manifestation works when you match intention with infrastructure The number one health and wellness podcast. Jay Shetty. Jay Shetty. The one, the only Jay Shetty. Hey everyone, it's Jay Shetty, your host of On Purpose.

2:31Welcome back to the podcast. Make sure you've subscribed if you haven't. It makes a big difference to podcasters and it means you'll never miss an episode. Now, today's episode is all about how to manifest all of your dreams coming true in 2026. the masterclass on turning goals into reality. Now, I want to be honest with you. We've all started a new year with big goals. This is the year I'm finally going to start that business. This is the year I'm going to lose the weight. This is the year I'm finally going to launch that podcast. Every January, people make goals. New body, new job, new business, new life, new you.

3:13And by February, most of them are gone. But get this, only 1 % said they lasted for 11 or 12 months. Not because you don't care, but because the dreams we built are built on excitement, not systems. Real manifestation isn't wishing and waiting. It's wiring. You don't attract what you want. You attract what you build a system for. and that requires a plan that rewires your mind, your emotions, your habits to match your vision. So in this episode, we're not going to talk about luck. We're going to talk about alignment, the psychology and strategy behind turning your vision for 2026 into visible results.

3:592026 won't be your best year because you wish harder. It will be your best year because you align deeper. Step number one, end before you begin. Let go of the year that's still living in your head We all love beginnings But beginnings don't work unless you properly end You finished a year of school, you start the next one You end a relationship, you start another one Beginnings don't work unless you properly end Most of us start a new year without ever ending the last one We rush into January full of plans and resolutions but part of us is still carrying the weight of what didn't happen last year.

4:42The goals we missed, the relationship that ended, the business that didn't take off, the version of ourselves we thought we'd be by now. And so we're technically in a new year, but emotionally we're still stuck in the last one. When you don't consciously end a year, it lingers. It shows up in subtle ways. You hesitate to dream because you don't trust yourself to follow through. You avoid risks because last time it hurt you too much. You start over but secretly believe you're already behind. That's what it means to have a year still living in your head. It keeps whispering old stories into new seasons.

5:24Before you decide what you want this year, you need to ask, what am I done carrying? Every new goal struggles to take root Because we haven't released what's been draining us The resentment, the guilt, the habit that keeps looping Psychologists call this cognitive closure The act of finishing an emotional story So your brain can focus on a new one So take a minute tonight and finish this sentence In 2025, I finally stopped X You'll be amazed how freeing that is You can even create a small ritual Write down what you're ready to release on paper Burn it, bury it, or tear it up Say thank you for what you taught me I don't need to carry you anymore That moment of symbolic closure Signals to your nervous system We're done here It gives your energy somewhere new to go Letting go of the year that's still living in your head Doesn't mean erasing the past It means reclaiming your capacity to begin again You can't step fully into what's next If you're still holding hands with what's over You can't start your year strong If you never ended the last one You can buy the planner, set the goals, repeat the affirmations But if part of you is still carrying last year's disappointments Fears or unfinished stories You're not starting fresh You're starting crowded because the truth is new beginnings don't start on January 1st.

7:01They start the moment you stop dragging old energy into new opportunities. The second step is choose a word, not a goal because goals change, but energy is constant. Resolutions fade because they're rigid. A word gives you direction without pressure. If your goal is to start a business, your word might be build. If your goal is to lose weight, your word might be discipline. If your dream is to launch a podcast, it might be voice. That single word acts as a psychological anchor. A 2019 Stanford study found that people who framed their goals around identity-based words, I am becoming focused, instead of tasks, I will focus, were 65 % more likely to stay consistent.

7:52So before setting your plan, set your energy. Your word becomes your compass. You can then say, does this choice align with who I'm becoming or with who I'm done being? I realized that when I stopped obsessing over goals and started focusing on growth, I actually reached my goals faster because growth made me better, stronger, smarter. When you chase goals, you measure distance. When you chase growth, you build momentum. Goals are external. They live on your calendar, your to-do list, your vision board. Growth is internal. It lives in your mindset, your habits, your character. Most people focus on the finish line and forget the training.

8:34They want the promotion, the body, the launch, but they skip the process that creates it. That's why step number three is create a system, not a wishlist. Structure is the real secret behind success. Every dream has two parts, intention and infrastructure. You can't manifest a podcast without a recording schedule. You can't build a business without product testing. You can't get fit without consistent sleep and nutrition. James Clear's research shows that you don't rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems. If you want to start a business, create a 30-minute daily idea lab where you brainstorm, test, and learn something new about your industry.

9:21If you want to lose weight, don't aim for perfection. Aim for consistency. Start with three workouts a week and track progress, not perfection. You want to launch a podcast? Record one five-minute solo episode per week. Make it a ritual, not a result. Manifestation only works when your calendar matches your calling. Manifestation doesn't work when you're asking for something your habits contradict. It doesn't work if you only visualize the outcome but avoid the process. Manifestation doesn't work when you're waiting for signs instead of building systems. It doesn't work if you want change but refuse to change.

10:03It doesn't work when you speak the affirmation but live the opposite. Manifestation doesn't work if your belief expires the moment things get uncomfortable. And it doesn't work when you expect the universe to do what discipline is meant to do. It doesn't work if you're manifesting from fear, not faith, trying to control instead of create. Manifestation works when you match intention with infrastructure.

10:42Hi friends, Sophia Bush here, host of Work in Progress. This week, we had such a special guest on the podcast. My forever flotus, a mentor, a friend, a wife, a mother, an author, attorney, advocate, television producer. And now she adds podcast host to the list herself. Friends, Michelle Obama is here. Sophia, I'm beyond thrilled to be able to sit down and chat with you. We talk about it all. Life, love, motherhood, martinis. Vodka martini, dry, straight up olives. Ooh, olives. Very cold. My girl. Barely any vermouth. What's next? What she's watching on TV. I am a white lotuser. I am a real housewives person.

11:29I love the dating shows. And tennis. I just find that to be a bit meditative. You do not want to miss this. Listen to Work in Progress on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. For 25 years, I've explored what it means to heal, not just for myself, but alongside others. I'm Mike DeLaRocha. This is Sacred Lessons, a space for reflection, growth, and collective healing. What do you tell men that are hurting right now? Everything's going to be okay on the other side, you know, just push through it. And, you know, ironically, the root of the word spirit is breath. Wow.

12:09Which is why one of the most revolutionary acts that we can do as people is just breathe. Next to the wound is your gifts. You can't even find your gifts unless you go through the wound. That's the hard thing. You think, well, I'm going to get my gifts. I don't want to go through all that. You got to go through the wounds of your life. Listening to other people's near-death experiences, and that's all they say. In conclusion, love is the answer. Listen to Sacred Lessons as part of the My Cultura Podcast Network. available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

12:42Here we go. Hey, I'm Cal Penn, and on my new podcast, Here We Go Again, we'll take today's trends and headlines and ask, why does history keep repeating itself? You may know me as the second hottest actor from the Harold and Kumar movies, but I'm also an author, a White House staffer, and as of like 15 seconds ago, a podcast host. Along the way, I've made some friends who are experts in science, politics, and pop culture. And each week, one of them will be joining me to answer my burning questions. Like, are we heading towards another financial crash like in 08? Is non-monogamy back in style? And how come there's never a gate ready for your flight when it lands like two minutes early?

13:25We've got guests like Pete Buttigieg, Stacey Abrams, Lilly Singh, and Bill Nye. When you start weaponizing outer space, things can potentially go really wrong. Look, the world can seem pretty scary right now, because it is. But my goal here is for you to listen and feel a little better about the future. Listen and subscribe to Here We Go Again with Cal Penn on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

14:02Step number four, upgrade your environment Because discipline is easier when you don't fight your surroundings If you're trying to get off sugar But every snack in your cupboard is full of sugar You're now testing yourself If you want to get off sodas But your refrigerator is full of sodas You're now testing yourself If you want to work out but you haven't found the right gym that's easy to get to or the right workout plan, you're testing yourself. We don't fail because we don't care. We fail because we're constantly testing ourselves. We're making things harder. We're making it harder to feel motivated.

14:41We're making it harder to stick to our boundaries. We're making it harder to stick to our own rules. Behavioral science shows that 45 % of our actions are habitual and triggered by environment, not motivation. Follow this one thing and you'll reach your goal If your goal is to eat better, start with your kitchen If your goal is to focus, put away your phone If your goal is to save money, start with your spending triggers If your goal is to build confidence, start with your self-talk If your goal is to find love, start with your boundaries If your goal is to grow your business, start with your calendar If your goal is to heal, start with your habits If your goal is to be happier, start with your attention Because change doesn't begin with a goal It begins with your environment You don't need more willpower, you need fewer friction points Success isn't about trying harder, it's about designing smarter If your environment is full of noise, you'll forget what your own voice sounds like If your environment is filled with clutter, your mind will mirror the mess If your environment is built on chaos Peace will always feel like a luxury If your environment is full of doubt Confidence won't survive there If your environment is small Your vision will start to shrink to fit it If your environment is lifeless Your motivation will follow There's a reason why the phrase You are a product of your environment Is so well known Because it's true If you're surrounded by books, you'll read books If you're surrounded by screens, you'll be distracted That's how it works, that's how the brain works And then you're forcing yourself, pushing yourself, driving yourself And which maybe you'll do for three days if you're lucky Maybe three weeks if you're really lucky But you're always working against yourself Step number five, break the all or nothing cycle Instead of asking, did I fail?

16:45Ask, what can I learn? Instead of starting over, pick up from where you left off Progress is built in the messy middle, not the perfect start. If you can't stand to be bad at something first, you'll never be great at anything. If you keep editing your ideas before you express them, the world will never hear your voice. If you measure your worth by how few mistakes you make, you'll always feel like a failure. If you only celebrate the finished product, you'll miss the beauty of the process. If you chase flawless, you'll lose authentic. If you chase approval, you lose momentum. Because the truth, perfectionism doesn't make you better, it makes you stop.

17:29It's fear dressed up as high standards. Step number six, use emotional visualization. See it, feel it, embody it. Most people visualize success like a movie. The money, the followers, the applause. But the brain doesn't respond to images. It responds to emotion. Studies from the University of Chicago show that visualizing the process, not just the outcome, increases success rates by 42%. So if you want to start that business, picture the early mornings, the uncertainty and the excitement. If you want to lose weight, imagine how it feels to walk into the gym proud, not intimidated. If you want to launch your podcast, feel what it's like to hit publish for the first time, nervous but excited.

18:17Emotion turns fantasy. into preparation. Close your eyes, see it, feel it, believe it. See the version of you who already has what you want. See them waking up calm, focused, and proud. See them doing the things you keep postponing. See them making the hard choices easily. See them walking into rooms they once felt unworthy of. See them speaking with clarity, creating with confidence, living with purpose. Feel what it's like to be them. Feel the peace in their breath. Feel the strength in their posture. Feel the ease in their decisions. Feel the gratitude they wake up with before anything happens.

19:03You don't have to chase this version of you. You're remembering them. You're returning to them. You're becoming them one choice, one breath, one act of belief at a time. because every time you imagine it with feeling, your brain builds evidence that it's real. Every time you see it clearly, your body starts preparing to live it. See it until it feels familiar. Feel it until it feels safe. Believe it until it feels inevitable. You reprogram your mind by seeing yourself doing the hard things and then going out and doing them. Step number seven, work with resistance, not against it. Because fear is feedback, not failure.

19:51Every big goal triggers resistance. That's not the universe blocking you. That's your nervous system protecting you. Neuroscience calls this prediction error. The brain resists anything unfamiliar, even if it's good for you. So instead of saying, why do I feel scared? Say, of course I do. This is new, then act anyway. Courage isn't the absence of fear. It's moving while it shakes. You think successful people are not scared. The truth is they're doing what they do while being scared. You think they're not nervous? They're doing what they do while they're nervous. You think they don't experience anxiety?

20:31They're experiencing anxiety while they're doing the thing that you love watching them do. That's how it works. You work with it, not against it, because if you keep fighting it, it just gets stronger and bigger and takes over. Step number eight, build public accountability. Make your goals collaborative with your friends and competitive with the people you really love. A Harvard Business Review found that people who share their goals with a supportive community, that's an important word. It's not about sharing your goals with everyone on the internet. A supportive community are 76 % more likely to achieve them.

21:09Tell a friend, post your progress in a private group, join a challenge. We don't need more private promises to ourself and we don't need more public performance to others. This isn't about tell everyone on Instagram and it isn't just about live with it on your own. We need shared momentum. Isolation keeps you stuck. Accountability pulls you forward. So you want to be accountable, but to the right group of people. If you tell too many people, too many people will shut you down. Right, if you say, I want to start a business, someone's going to say, I don't think your idea is that good. Someone else is going to say, yeah, my friend tried a business.

21:42It failed. Someone else will say, yeah, give it a go. See how it goes. That's not helpful. If you're around a group of entrepreneurs, they'll ask you questions. They'll say, okay, what's your business about? Okay, what's your plan? Okay, how are you going to find customers? That's the kind of community you want to be around. The problem is we tell friends and family members who have no idea what we're doing, as opposed to telling people who actually have the expertise and insight. And joining those groups and communities and meeting people is a really, really powerful thing you can do for yourself.

22:12Step number nine, use gratitude as fuel, not fluff, because motivation fades, but appreciation sustains. Gratitude isn't just a nice feeling, it's a neurological hack. When you track progress, even small wins, you release dopamine, the brain's reward chemical. That's why celebrating each step keeps you consistent long after excitement fades. Start your days not with what's missing, but with what's moving. You'll realize you're not waiting for your dream life. You're already living pieces of it. Because number 10 is becoming the kind of person your dream requires. Identity is the ultimate manifestation tool.

22:56You can't create a 2026 version of your life with the 2024 version of your beliefs. So instead of asking, what do I want? Ask yourself, who am I willing to become? The person who starts a business acts like a founder before the business exists. The person who launches the podcast speaks like a creator before the audience appears. Identity drives action. And when you act like the person who already has what you want, your brain starts catching up. 2026 won't magically change your life But you can The universe doesn't respond to wishful thinking It responds to clear energy And consistent action So this year, don't just set goals Design your systems Choose your word Align your identity And remember Intention and infrastructure Thank you so much for listening I hope you have an amazing 2026 I'm wishing you all the best Make sure you subscribe to On Purpose to never miss an episode.

24:00I'll be guiding you through the year. And remember, I'm forever in your corner and always rooting for you. If you love this episode, you'll enjoy my interview with Dr. Daniel Amen on how to change your life by changing your brain. If we want a healthy mind, it actually starts with a healthy brain. You know, I've had the blessing or the curse to scan over a thousand convicted felons and over a hundred murderers. and their brains are very damaged. Hi, I'm Radhi Devlukia and I am the host of a Really Good Cry podcast. This week, I am joined by Anna Runkle, also known as the Crappy Childhood Fairy, a creator, teacher and guide helping people heal from the lasting emotional wounds of unsafe or chaotic childhoods.

24:46Talking about trauma isn't always great for people. It's not always the best thing. About a third of people who are traumatized as kids feel worse when they talk about it, get very dysregulated. Listen to A Really Good Cry on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What happens when Reese Witherspoon calls up the king of thrillers, Harlan Coben, and says, let's write a book together? I was asking him basically to let me into his secret thriller writing world. This week, Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club goes live from Apple Soho in New York City for the ultimate storytelling mashup.

25:21Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben on their new thriller, Gone Before Goodbye. You think you're going to read for 10 minutes, and next thing you know, it's four in the morning. Get the story behind the season's most addictive read, already a New York Times bestseller. Listen to Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What do you get when you mix 1950s Hollywood, a Cuban musician with a dream, and one of the most iconic sitcoms of all time? You get Desi Arness. On the podcast starring Desi Arness and Wilmer Valderrama, I'll take you on a journey to Desi's life, how he redefined American television and what that meant for all of us watching from the sidelines, waiting for a face like ours on screen.

26:04Listen to Starring Desi Arnaz and Wilmer Valderrama on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an iHeart Podcast. Guaranteed human.