Are you choosing to live a happy, fulfilling life?
Studies show that 90% of what separates a happy life from an unhappy one is within your control. One of the most powerful ways to unlock your best life is by setting, pursuing, and achieving meaningful goals.
You have the power to choose happiness—but don’t just take my word for it! Here’s how real people, just like you, are creating happiness by chasing their biggest goals.
Ready for a dad joke?
Consider this a lighthearted amuse-bouche for your brain before we get serious. Sure, it might be groan-worthy—but hey, at least you’re getting your money’s worth, right? 😆
Freddie Mercury, Venus Williams, and Bruno Mars walk into a bar.
They didn't planet that way.
Mindset Before Milestones: How Kayla Built Her Dream Life
🌟 Welcome to this month’s Interview with a Goal-Crusher! 🌟
Each month, I sit down with someone who’s achieved big things through goal-setting and determination to uncover their secrets to success. Then, I share those insights with you… think of it as free mentoring from someone who’s already making it happen. Who wouldn’t want that?!
This month, I’m excited to introduce you to Kayla, a fellow coach I met and instantly connected with a few months ago. I’ve been following her journey ever since, and it’s safe to say: she is absolutely crushing it.
Kayla felt a calling to help people create lives they truly love… and instead of ignoring it, she answered that call with clarity and courage. She put in the work, faced the fear, and now she’s living the vision she once only dreamed of.
Today, I’m honored to share Kayla’s story with you.
Please introduce yourself and tell my readers about you and what you do.
Hi, I’m Kayla! My fiancé and I travel the country for his work (he paints aircraft), and I have the joy of working as a life coach from wherever “home” happens to be at the time. We share our adventures with our 2.5-year-old Malshi, Beau, who steals hearts everywhere we go.
I feel incredibly grateful for my little family and the work I get to do—helping people feel better, reconnect with themselves, and create lives full of love, joy, and purpose.
One thing I believe with my whole heart is that your dream life is possible. When you’re willing to commit to it and open yourself up to support, it becomes so much more attainable.
What motivated you to launch a life coaching business? What was your vision? Can you share some/all of your story?
I started my life coaching business because I felt called to make a difference in the world, something that would not only fulfill me but help others rise too.
My vision was to empower people to create lives they truly love. Lives they won’t look back on with regret. Lives where they feel strong, grounded, and capable of navigating anything life throws their way.
I know what it’s like to feel stuck—like you’re meant for more but unsure how to reach it. I’ve been there, spinning in self-doubt and waiting for the “right time” to begin.
Everything changed when I started doing the inner work: learning how to shift my mindset, show up for myself even when it was hard, and believe in my dreams before I had any proof that they were possible.
That transformation changed everything for me—and now, it’s my mission to help others experience that same freedom, clarity, and power in their own lives.
What was the first step you took to get started with your goal?
The first step I took was investing in my own transformation.
I invested in coaching for myself and started taking action from the life I wanted to have, even before it was locked in. Within about 6 months I had quit my job, sold my house, bought a travel trailer, and moved across the country.
It wasn’t until I totally changed my own life that I got certified to help others too.
But the fun, growth & expansion is never over! I continue to coach myself & get coached by others that inspire me.
What were your biggest challenges in achieving your goals? How did you overcome them?
One of my biggest challenges was facing the fear and doubt that came up around whether I could really do this… could I reach people and make a real difference?
I used to think that once I was “ready,” the fear would disappear. But the truth is, it doesn’t work like that. Fear and doubt still show up sometimes, but now I know I don’t have to believe them.
What changed everything for me was realizing I didn’t have to wait for fear to go away before I could start. I stopped resisting it, stopped expecting the process to always feel good, and just decided to move forward anyway.
I see this pattern all the time in the work I do with my clients. For some reason we have this idea that changing our lives is going to feel amazing, but it’s the result that feels amazing. The process often feels wildly uncomfortable because it’s new and unknown. Keep your eye on the end result, keep going, and you’ll make it!
What goal success tips and techniques have worked well for you that you would like to share with my readers?
Here are a few of the most powerful goal-setting tips that have worked for me—and that I share with my clients all the time:
1. Start with mindset.
Ask yourself: Who’s the version of me that already achieved this? How did she think about her goal? What kept her going?
Your job is to begin adopting that mindset now. Not once you’ve arrived, but on the way there.
2. Make your goals measurable.
Even something that feels vague, like “be happier,” can be tracked. I love using a simple 1–10 scale to check in with how I feel at the end of each day. Tracking your progress keeps you grounded, focused, and honest with yourself.
3. Allow your negative emotions without letting them run the show.
Fear, doubt, judgment and more, they’re all part of the process. The key is to let yourself feel them without letting them stop you. One of my favorite mantras for this is:
“In order to (create the life I deeply desire), I’m willing to feel (whatever’s uncomfortable), and I’m committed to taking action from (a grounded, empowered emotion).”
For me, that sometimes sounds like:
“In order to keep showing up as a life coach, I’m willing to feel judgment from myself and others, and I’m committed to taking action from service and belief.”
4. Check in with your vision as you go.
Remember that as you get closer to your goal, you can see things more clearly. You may find that what you thought you wanted from far away… isn’t actually it. And that’s okay. It’s part of the process. Keep checking in to make sure your goal still lights you up.
(One time I completed nail tech training and passed the board exams even though I knew a couple weeks into class that I didn’t want to do nails. Ha! It’s okay to be a quitter when it comes to goals that aren’t aligned anymore!)
5. Use failure as a stepping stone.
Every time you fail, it’s actually a win in disguise.
You’re learning more about what works for you and what doesn’t. It’s your opportunity to adjust, get clearer, and keep going stronger than before.
What is one goal you are excited about right now?
One goal I’m really excited about right now is creating something that helps people learn how to coach themselves… something simple, powerful, and totally life-changing. It’s still in the early stages, but I know how transformational it is when you realize you can shift your mindset, navigate hard emotions, and create new results just by learning a few key tools. I’m pouring my heart into it and planning to release it later this year—I can’t wait to share it with more people.
What else would you like my Operation Melt readers to know about you, your business, your journey or about goal success in general?
I want you to know that change is absolutely possible—no matter where you’re starting from. The key is doing the mindset and feelings work together. When you learn how to manage your mind and allow your emotions (instead of avoiding or resisting them), you become truly unstoppable.
Goal success isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being willing to take small steps, feel it all, and to keep going. Whatever your goal is, you’ve got this. I believe in you!
How can people learn more about you?
You can find me at kaylalair.com, where you can enroll in my free mini course to start creating a life you love by mastering your mindset and energy. I’m also on Instagram and Facebook @kaylathelifecoach, come say hi and follow along for mindset tips, journaling prompts, and inspiration to live your best life.
I find Kayla’s story incredibly inspiring. Too often, people ignore the feeling of being called to something more. Instead, they stay stuck in a traditional 9-to-5 path that drains them… because it’s what they think they’re “supposed” to do. They end up shoulding all over their own happiness. But not Kayla.
She listened.
She followed her gut.
She did the work.
Kayla started with deep internal work to prepare herself for the journey ahead. And once she experienced her own transformation, she felt ready (and driven) to help others do the same.
Like many great coaches, Kayla walked the path first. That lived experience gives her the empathy and insight to support her clients in powerful, transformational ways.
And perhaps most impressively, Kayla didn’t just focus on goals… she focused on mindset. She recognized that the road would be bumpy and that fear, self-doubt, and setbacks were part of the process. So she planned ahead. She prepared herself to face them, not avoid them.
💡 How Kayla Used Project Manage Your Life to Crush Her Goal
Without knowing it, Kayla embodied many of the core principles of the Project Manage Your Life (PMYL) system. Let’s break it down:
✅ Commit to SMART Goals
Kayla had a clear outcome in mind—and more importantly, she understood her “why.” That deep emotional connection made her goal relevant, meaningful, and sustainable.
✅ Build a Plan That Works for You
Her approach wasn’t one-size-fits-all. She prioritized inner transformation before building her business. That custom plan (rooted in who she is) laid the foundation for lasting success.
✅ Expect and Plan Ahead for Problems
Kayla knew the journey wouldn’t be smooth sailing. So she focused on building her mindset toolkit. That preparation helped her face imposter syndrome, doubt, and detours with strength and perspective.
✅ Enjoy the Journey
Kayla doesn’t just love what she does… she loves how she gets to do it. She celebrates the freedom, the flexibility, and the growth. As she put it, “The fun, growth & expansion is never over! I continue to coach myself & get coached by others that inspire me.”
🔥 Now It’s Your Turn
Kayla succeeded because she answered a calling, did the internal work, and stayed committed… even when it got hard.
So let me ask you:
What calling have you been ignoring?
What would it look like to say “yes” to it?
Once you do, the rest is just a project… one you’re fully capable of managing.
That’s exactly why I created Project Manage Your Life, to give you a clear, proven system to turn dreams into goals, and goals into reality.
📘 Good news! Project Manage Your Life and the Project Manage Your Life Workbook are now available! These tools are your personal roadmap to transformation.
🛠️ Ready to stop spinning your wheels and start building momentum?
I’m here to help. Whether it’s through the books, the workbook, or personalized coaching, let’s build your next big win…. step by step… goal by goal.
💥 So… what’s holding you back?
✨ I believe in you, let me help YOU believe in you! ✨
Calling All Goal-Crushers…
Know a goal-crusher with a story worth sharing? Or maybe it’s you? Let’s connect … I’m always looking for inspiring new interviews! I am always looking for new Interview with a Goal-Crusher candidates. Hit me up and let me know who I should be talking to.
Meet Coach Tony
Tony Weaver is a master life coach, technologist, consultant, writer, and founder of Operation Melt.
He helps project managers and other left-brained high-achievers pursue their biggest goals.
Through free resources, personalized coaching, and his proven Project Manage Your Life system, Tony empowers clients to move their dreams from “someday” to success — one step at a time.
Learn more about Project Manage Your Life, the system my clients and I use to crush our goals, at OperationMelt.com/PMYL/
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