Before you finalise your career goals for 2026, there’s something you need to understand: your brain isn’t showing you all your options.

Your goals don't start with ambition. They start with identity. And when your identity is tightly attached to your current role, company, or industry, your brain predicts your future based on those narrow boundaries—filtering out opportunities that don't match who you think you are.

In this episode, I break down the neuroscience behind why your career goals might be smaller than your actual potential—and how to expand what feels possible before you start planning.

What You’ll Learn:

* Why your brain shows you an “edit” of career options, not a blank canvas

* How your identity acts as the gatekeeper of your career growth (not your skills or performance)

* Why familiar goals feel safer than expansive ones—even when they’re wrong for you

* The real reason ambitious goals can feel threatening to your nervous system

* How to loosen your identity so your brain shows you bigger possibilities

* What to pay attention to before you set your 2026 career goals

If you're interested in finding out more about the Repattern career lab - sign up to my newsletter here to get the details as soon as doors open: https://thepossibilitypattern.substack.com/

Timestamps: 00:00 - 03:09 How we think we set goals03:11 - 05:20 How you brain curates what options you see05:30 - 11:00 How your identity shapes your career 11:13 - 11:58 Why this is more important than ever12:00 - 13:31 Questions to ask yourself

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