The Art and Science of Thriving
Welcome to The Art and Science of Thriving, the podcast where high-achieving professionals unlock the secrets to living a fulfilling, balanced, and high-performing life.
Through evidence-based insights in neuroscience, psychology, and high-performance strategies, we’ll explore how to achieve success without burnout, create clarity and purpose, and thrive in every area of your life.
Michael Schiel, a high performance coach and transformation consultant, hosts the podcast. Michael helps overwhelmed people and teams find their purpose, achieve their goals, and reach peak performance while creating well-being, balance and fulfillment in their lives
The Art and Science of Thriving
Episode #92: Michael's Version: How to Plan Your Best Year without Burning Out
If you’re thinking ahead to the new year and want to start strong without slipping into the usual overwhelm, this episode will help you do exactly that.
This is Michael’s Version of one of the most downloaded episodes I’ve ever released — a refreshed, clearer, more aligned re-recording of “How to Plan Your Best Year.”
Much like Taylor Swift re-recording her albums, this is the episode I always wanted to release: still built on the same evidence-based principles as the original, but now sharper, more grounded, and easier to apply.
In this episode, I walk you through a science-backed approach to planning your year that avoids the biggest traps most people fall into.
We explore why long-term motivation often collapses after the initial excitement, and how to design your goals in a way that your brain can sustain over time.
You’ll learn:
- Why only about 10% of New Year’s goals make it past February
- The six evidence-based principles that create a meaningful, achievable year
- How to define what “your best year” actually means (without unrealistic pressure)
- A simple, powerful 4-step protocol for planning your year
- The most common planning mistakes — and how to avoid them
- Four success strategies to keep your goals achievable, energizing, and realistic
Whether you’re looking to make progress on a few important goals or you simply want a more sustainable approach to planning the year ahead, this episode will help you clarify what matters, set achievable targets, and create momentum that lasts.
Resources Mentioned:
- Register for my December workshop: How to Plan Your 2026 Goals Without Burnout
- Join the Thrive Hive for monthly support, tools, and coaching
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