Why do some goals stick while others fade?

In this episode, psychologist Leila Ainge explores the psychology behind effective goal-setting — blending insights from real conversations with three guests and research on motivation, social identity, and resilience.

You’ll hear how Rebecca, Jen, and Darren each navigate creative ambition, self-belief, and belonging, and how their stories reveal the deeper psychological forces shaping success.

Expect practical reflection points on:

• The difference between approach and avoidance motivation
• Why flexible four-week check-ins outperform rigid plans
• How your social identity shapes confidence and action
• What it means to design goals that fit who you’re becoming

This is your psychology-backed guide to setting goals that work with your identity, not against it.

Ready to stop guessing what’s driving your goals?

Download your free Goal Reflection Log — the first exercise from my psychology-backed coaching framework — and start your next check-in, not check-up.

Create space to think before the new year rush and design goals that actually fit who you’re becoming.

👉 www.leilaainge.co.uk/coaching

Designer and illustrator Darren Scotland, founder of Ace of Place, joins psychologist Leila Ainge to talk about creative ambition, belonging, and the self-doubt that often comes with growth.

Darren’s 2026 goal is to grow his business from a solo studio into a collaborative creative brand — one that celebrates homes, buildings, and the stories that make them meaningful. Together, he and Leila unpack what it means to balance ambition with authenticity, to manage fear of failure, and to build systems strong enough to hold a bigger vision.

This conversation explores:

• How our sense of place shapes identity and purpose
• Why flexibility and structure are both essential for creative growth
• The inner voice that whispers “Who do you think you are?”
• legitimacy, belonging, and self-belief in business

If you’ve ever tried to scale a business, start a creative project, or make your work feel real in the eyes of others, Darren’s story will resonate.

🎧 Listen for practical insight, honest reflection, and a reminder that success isn’t just built — it’s believed.

In this episode of Psychologically Speaking, psychologist and researcher Leila Ainge talks with Rebecca Slater, who’s setting a powerful goal for 2026: to write her first book.

Together they explore what it really takes to move from wanting to doing — overcoming procrastination, creating time, and building habits that last. Rebecca shares how shifting her mindset, using community support, and redefining success are helping her take the first steps toward authorship.

This episode looks closely at the psychology of writing goals, the myth of the “perfect time,” and how accountability and self-compassion can turn creative aspirations into action.

Plus, stay tuned for a sneak preview of next week’s guest, Darren Scotland, who shares his big ambition for 2026

• Goal setting and mindset shifts
• Overcoming procrastination
• Time management
• Writing habits and creative discipline
• Accountability and community support

www.leilaainge.co.uk

In this first conversation of The Goal Experiments, psychologist and researcher Leila Ainge speaks with yoga teacher Jen Vaughan about the tension between giving and receiving, authenticity and marketing, nurture and profit.

Together, they unpack what happens when care is your craft: how to claim space, ask for fair payment, and show up as your whole self without feeling like you’ve lost something in the process.

We follow Jen as she sets her first 2026 “goal-resolution”:

1. Claim space and set clearer boundaries
2. Ask for testimonials and feedback
3. Experiment with authentic marketing that reflects who she really is

If you’ve ever found it uncomfortable to be paid for the work you love, this episode offers a grounded, compassionate look at the psychology behind self-worth and the art of being visible.

• The psychology of pricing and self-worth
• Feminine identity in business and creative work
• Authentic marketing vs. performance
• Balancing nurture with ambition
• Setting goals that feel true to you

Leila’s goal for 2026 is to double the number of listeners who tune in each week.

Share this episode with two friends or colleagues and ask them:

“What’s your goal for 2026?”

www.leilaainge.co.uk/coaching

In this episode, psychologist and researcher Leila Ainge explores the quiet tension many women experience in business — the space between ambition and the pressure to be “good.” Drawing on findings from Good Girl Economics, her research collaboration with Nicky Denson-Elliott, Leila examines why conversations about profit, visibility, and ambition can feel uncomfortable for women, even in supportive entrepreneurial spaces.

Listeners will hear how gendered expectations and internalised narratives shape pricing decisions, confidence, and self-presentation — and why women often soften their ambition in order to belong. Leila highlights the gap between what women say they value and how they behave in practice, revealing how context, impression management, and identity dynamics influence those choices.

This episode explores:

• The cultural scripts that link likability with being underpaid
• Why “being nice” can quietly undermine business growth
• How impression management and belonging shape what women say (and don’t say) about money
• The emotional labour of performing goodness in business
• How psychological safety influences conversations about profit and success

And as a bonus, listeners also get a first sneak preview of the two goal-setters joining Leila for Season 4 of Psychologically Speaking, where she follows real people working towards their 2026 goals

references and links

Mazzei, L. A. (2003). Inhabited Silences: In Pursuit of a Muffled Subtext. Qualitative Inquiry, 9(3), 355–368.

Morison, T., & Macleod, C. (2014). When veiled silences speak: reflexivity, trouble and repair as methodological tools for interpreting the unspoken in discourse-based data. Qualitative Research: QR, 14(6), 694–711

www.leilaainge.co.uk/research

Welcome to my favourite field, yes.. you heard that right. In this episode I'm talking about the suprising benefits of noticing a tree, field or bit of nature near to you.

What’s the real difference between joy, fulfilment, and striving? In this episode, psychologist Leila Ainge explores the psychology behind our endless chase for more—and why true joy often hides in life’s quieter moments. Drawing on research into hedonic adaptation and flow, Leila unpacks how to tell the difference between healthy ambition and the anxiety of overstriving. You’ll learn how to savour success, sustain motivation, and find balance between progress and peace.

Plus—Leila shares exciting news about Season 4 of Psychologically Speaking and a live Joy Experiment you can join to put the science of joy into action.

What does it really mean to be seen? In this episode of Psychologically Speaking, I sit down with Karen Staniland- Platt, a Manchester-based photographer and writer who’s passionate about capturing women as they truly are.

We talk about what happens when women step in front of the camera: the nerves, the joy, the shift in self-image that can follow. Our conversation ranges from the pressures of social media filters to the liberation of candid photography, and why authenticity is such a powerful antidote to perfection.

Karen also shares the story behind the Passion and Purpose Club, a community she created to bring women together during the isolation of COVID a space that’s grown into a source of connection, courage, and inspiration.

This episode is about more than photos. It’s about women reclaiming visibility, finding freedom in aging, and choosing to show up as ourselves even when the world is telling us otherwise.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• How photography can help women be seen and celebrated authentically
• Why Karen built the Passion and Purpose Club and how it continues to empower women
• The double-edged impact of social media on self-image
• How candid shots can unlock genuine joy and self-acceptance
• Why visibility matters so much for women in life and business
• The unexpected freedom that comes with aging and self-reflection
• The role of community in breaking isolation and boosting confidence

Karen is a photographer working exclusively with women across the UK who are following their passions, be it running their own business, a cause or a creative pursuit. A fierce feminist, she loves to challenge both how we show up in the world and how we as women are viewed in it, and uses photography to empower women to embrace who they truly are. In 2021 she founded a community for women called the Passion & Purpose Club that brings women together to inspire each other and get fresh photos on a monthly basis, increasing their visibility together. Clubs are now operating across the North of England and London with more to come. Find out more at www.withpassionandpurpose.co.uk

Leila and Hannah explore the themes of joy, productivity, and marketing strategies. They discuss the importance of celebrating small wins, the awkwardness of creating B-roll content, and the psychological aspects of anticipation and joy. Hannah shares her journey of developing a 10-minute marketing approach, emphasizing the power of timers and gamification in overcoming procrastination. The discussion also touches on the significance of nostalgia in marketing and the impact of seasonality on business strategies. Ultimately, the conversation highlights the importance of finding joy in both personal and professional endeavors.

Hannah Isted is the founder of HI Communications, supporting small business owners with their marketing.

She is the author of The Best 90 Days Ever, an Amazon bestselling book and marketing membership. It shares a quick, daily prompt that shows businesses how to promote what they do in just 10 minutes a day and make it simple, easy and fun. 

She has worked with hundreds of small business owners, helping them to increase their online presence through her membership, courses and workshops. In her email newsletter and podcast The Best Marketing Podcast Ever, she shares marketing advice to help product and service businesses get out of their own way and consistently promote themselves. 

Find her on Instagram @hicommunications_ or her website www.hicommunications.co.uk.

Wow, There's a big debate around being a generalist vs niching down, but this conversation with Katie proves that it takes specialist knowledge about specific industries and types of organisations to be a generalist in HR. I loved this chat so much.

Katie Elliott is a CIPD qualified HR consultant and the founder of HR Katie. She has spent more than a decade working in HR, starting in recruitment before moving into a generalist role where she gained experience in every aspect of people management, from onboarding and supporting managers with complex issues to leading projects for senior teams.

In 2021, Katie set up her own consultancy after realising her passion for working with start-ups and small businesses. Through HR Katie, she now helps founders and business owners feel confident about their responsibilities as employers and create workplaces where people are happy, supported and able to thrive.

Katie’s approach is hands on and human, with a focus on values led culture and practical HR that makes sense in the real world.

For more information, head to www.leilaainge.co.uk or https://www.hrkatie.co.uk/