Sometimes, the system isn’t broken—it’s just bottlenecked.

In this episode, we’re continuing our series on translating business strategies into personal growth tools by looking at bottlenecks: those hidden chokepoints where progress stalls and good intentions quietly fall apart.

You’ll learn how to spot these sneaky sources of friction, and explore simple ways to loosen them—so your habits feel easier, not harder, to follow through on.

Key Takeaways

• Bottlenecks aren’t failures—they’re leverage points. Identifying them gives you a clearer sense of where to focus your attention for the biggest impact.
• Look for where things consistently stall—not where you 'fail.' Troubleshooting your routines can be more productive than judging them.
• Delegate when you can—share the load. You don’t have to be the sole operator of your entire life.
• Automate where possible—to reduce friction and decision fatigue. If it can be made simpler or more predictable, that’s often the difference between doing it and skipping it.
• Simplify or eliminate what's no longer serving you. A habit doesn't have to be perfect to be worth doing. The more repeatable it is, the more reliable it becomes.

Interested in having Monica present at your next live or virtual event? Learn more.

When the economy gets rocky, smart businesses don’t panic—they prepare. They focus on what really matters, streamline what they can, and make sure they’re flexible enough to weather the storm.

In this episode, we’re borrowing that same mindset and translating it into the way we think about our own self-care routines and health habits. Because whether it’s travel, stress, a challenging diagnosis, or just a really busy season, life will test your systems.

We’ll explore six ways businesses recession-proof themselves—and translate them into strategies you can use to build more resilience into your own routines. Not to control every variable, but to stay steady when things get wobbly.

Key Takeaways

1. Identify your non-negotiables--the routines, supports, and boundaries that keep you grounded and functional.
2. Once your essentials are clear, you can consciously pause or scale back the “nice-to-haves” without guilt. This prevents burnout and preserves energy for what really matters.
3. Don't rely on just one strategy. Have multiple ways to meet your needs so you’re not derailed by a single point of failure.
4. Build your reserves--whether it’s food in the freezer, margin in your calendar, or emotional stamina.
5. In a pinch, shift from growth to resilience mode. Maintenance is a win when your capacity is limited.
6. Strengthen your relationships with the people, tools, and systems that support your follow-through. Don’t wait until things get rocky to realize how much you depend on those connections.

Interested in having Monica present at your next live or virtual event? Learn more.

Will you succeed in reaching your next big goal? Only time will tell. Because success (or failure) generally comes at the end of the process.

Except that every success or failure is actually made up of countless smaller successes or failures that happened along the way. And paying more attention to those can save us a lot of frustration and disappointment.

In this episode, I’m borrowing a powerful concept from the world of business that can help you notch more wins, build confidence, and feel more in control of your progress—whatever you’re working toward.

Key Takeaways

1. Lagging indicators reflect the results of your actions—but only after the fact.
2. Leading indicators are the consistent, controllable actions that move you toward your goal. They help you stay engaged with the process, even when the payoff is weeks or months away.
3. When you define progress by your actions, you create more opportunities for wins—even before the results show up.
4. Clarifying what your outcome is meant to make possible helps sustain motivation—and shapes smarter action plans.
5. If progress is elusive, look upstream. Ask: "What behaviors am I consistently tracking—and are they the right ones?"

Interested in having Monica present at your next live or virtual event? Learn more.