The Hidden Reason 99% of Coaches Never Hit Their Goals (And How to Fix It in 15 Minutes)

You've got the expertise. The proven results. The drive to build something bigger.

But if you're like most coaches I work with, there's something frustrating happening: You set ambitious goals, you know exactly what needs to be done, yet somehow you can't seem to gain the traction you need to break through to that next level.

Sound familiar?

I recently sat down with Albert Pellissier, author of "What's On Your Back Burner," and what he shared completely changed how I think about goal achievement. It turns out, the biggest obstacle to your success isn't your strategy, your skills, or even your circumstances.

It's the part of you that secretly doesn't want your goals to happen.

The Real Enemy Hiding in Plain Sight

Albert calls this your "inner character"—a subconscious part of your personality that's actively working against your conscious goals. And here's the kicker: it's not because you're lazy or lack discipline. This inner resistance exists for one reason: it thinks your goals are dangerous.

Take Albert's story. At 36, he desperately wanted to get into real estate investing. He had all the knowledge, the drive, and even a plan. But for years, he couldn't pull the trigger. The "logical" reason? He didn't have enough money for a down payment.

But when Albert dug deeper using his own process, he discovered the real culprit: a story his father told him as a child about wealthy real estate investors whose families "couldn't stand them." That 12-year-old version of Albert had decided that wealth equals family destruction—and had been sabotaging his real estate dreams ever since.

The 15-Minute Exercise That Changes Everything

Here's Albert's surprisingly simple process for uncovering your hidden resistance:

Step 1: Write down your goal and list all the "logical" reasons you haven't achieved it yet.

Step 2: Flip the script. Imagine your goal is already achieved. You're living it right now. Then ask yourself: "What worries me about this new reality? What concerns me? What could go wrong?"

Step 3: Write down everything that comes up, no matter how irrational it seems.

When Albert guides people through this exercise, he sees the same stunned look every time. Suddenly, people realize they have a laundry list of fears they never consciously acknowledged—fears that have been quietly steering them away from their goals.

The Most Common Hidden Fears Holding Coaches Back

In Albert's work with entrepreneurs and coaches, he's identified several patterns that show up repeatedly:

Fear of financial mismanagement: "If I make six figures, will I blow it all and end up worse than before?"

Fear of outshining others: "If I become too successful, will my family think I'm too good for them?"

Fear of criticism: "If I put myself out there with a podcast or book, what will people say about me?"

Fear of relationship damage: "If I make more money than my spouse, will they leave me?"

These aren't logical fears—they're protective mechanisms developed earlier in life that no longer serve you.