In this episode of The Uncovered Self, we explore a truth that can feel uncomfortable at first — but once you hear it, something inside you may begin to shift:

The goals you’re chasing on the surface might not be the goals you truly need.

Most of us set goals that look great on paper:  

Be more disciplined. Save more money. Communicate better. Stop procrastinating. Feel more confident.  

These goals matter — but they’re often what I call safe problems. They’re logical, measurable, socially acceptable… and they don’t require you to feel anything uncomfortable.

Beneath every safe problem is a risky problem — the emotional truth you’ve been protecting:  

I’m scared of being seen. I’m scared of failing publicly. I’m scared of disappointing people. I’m scared of not being enough.

Safe problems keep you busy.  

Risky problems set you free.

In this episode, we explore why your mind gravitates toward safe problems, how your protector parts step in to keep you from feeling vulnerable, and why this isn’t a flaw — it’s a strategy your system learned long ago.

Drawing on Internal Family Systems, attachment theory, and the work of John Bradshaw, we look at how your inner protectors — the problem‑solver, the planner, the peacemaker, the listener — all work to keep you safe, even when they hold you back from what you truly want.

You’ll hear a simple example of how a goal like “I want to be more disciplined” often hides a deeper longing for safety, belonging, and self‑trust.

And you’ll be guided through a gentle reflection exercise to help you uncover the risky problem beneath your own goals — with compassion, not pressure.