The Thrive Careers Podcast

Start Small, Win Big: How Micro Goals Build Career Momentum

• Olajumoke Fatoki • Season 1 • Episode 26

Share episode

In this reflective solo episode, Olajumoke Fatoki shares a personal moment that turned into a powerful career metaphor: taking a walk with her son led to the realization that progress begins with small, intentional steps. If you're feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure where to begin in your career journey, this episode offers a practical roadmap to get moving.

Olajumoke challenges listeners to shift from vague goals to specific micro actions that create momentum. Whether it’s applying to two jobs per day, messaging professionals on LinkedIn, or posting once a week about your career journey, these consistent efforts build confidence and clarity.

🧠 Key Insights & Actionable Takeaways

  1. Micro Goals Drive Momentum
    • Success starts with small wins. Set a reachable goal (e.g., apply to two roles today) and let that accomplishment fuel your next step.
  2. Inaction Comes From Ambiguity, Not Laziness
    • Many professionals get stuck waiting for perfect conditions. A lack of clarity, not motivation, is the real roadblock.
  3. Turn Clarity Into Action
    • Don’t just plan — do something specific:
      • ✅ Apply to 2+ relevant roles per day
      • ✅ Send 1 LinkedIn message to expand your network
      • ✅ Rewrite 3 resume bullet points with impact-based language
      • ✅ Share 1 post a week about your growth or insights
  4. Consistency Trumps Volume
    • Don’t try to be everywhere. Choose the one platform where you feel most comfortable and show up consistently.
  5. Movement > Waiting
    • Progress isn't about knowing everything upfront. It's about starting. Action brings clarity, which builds confidence.

📌 Thrive Tip of the Week

“Set a goal. Hit it. Then raise it — not for perfection, but to unlock your potential.”

🎯 Ideal For:

  • Career changers
  • Newcomers to a job market
  • Professionals returning from a break
  • Job seekers feeling overwhelmed

career micro goals, job search strategy, overcome career stagnation, actionable job search tips, career clarity, LinkedIn networking, Thrive Careers Podcast

🔗 Subscribe, share, and stay intentional — your momentum starts now.

Support the show

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to:


Let’s keep thriving together!

[00:00:11] Olajumoke Fatoki:
Today's episode is a reflective one, inspired by something that happened to me this week. Interesting, right? If you've been feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure of where to begin in your career journey—or even where you are right now—this episode is for you. Stick around.

[00:00:45]
Story, story…

[00:00:51]
Story time! So, here’s what happened this week. I decided to do something different. Instead of heading straight home after dropping off my son at school, I took the bus with him, then got off and decided to walk back home. Now, for someone who works from home most days, that’s already a win! Deciding to take a walk back home is me trying to exercise my muscles and break the sedentary lifestyle that working from home brings.

I’m grateful for the flexibility, but sometimes you have to make intentional efforts to shift things. So I said, “Let me be intentional about this walk.” I set a small goal: I would walk until I reached a particular building down the road. Once I got there, I’d hop on another bus and go home.

But here’s what happened—I got to that building, and I kept going.

[00:02:50]
I set another small goal. And then another. And I kept pushing a bit further. Before I knew it, I had walked much farther than planned. And it felt good. That was the lightbulb moment for me.

When we set even a small goal and hit it, it gives us the energy to stretch a little further. But when we set nothing, we hit nothing—and we stay where we are. This applies to your career, your job search, your business—almost anything.

[00:04:20]
I've seen so many job seekers, especially newcomers or professionals in transition, fall into this pattern of inaction—waiting for perfect conditions to move. Not because they’re lazy, but because there’s no clear starting point. You might say, “I want to land a job,” but without a specific next step. Or maybe, “I need to grow my network,” but you don’t know who to talk to. Or “I need to change my career,” but the big picture feels too overwhelming, so nothing changes.

[00:04:49]
The good news is—we can flip that script.

[00:05:11]
Big goals are exciting. We want impact, stability, and success. But here’s the truth: You can’t reach a big goal if you don’t start with a small one.

I didn’t realize how far I could go until I gave myself a small, clear target. Once I hit that, everything aligned to keep me going. That’s how momentum works. If you don’t start from somewhere, you remain stuck.

[00:06:42]
So, here are some micro goals you can try this week:

  • Instead of just saying, “I want a job,” decide how many jobs you'll apply to this week.
  • I once spoke to a friend who applies to 40 roles per day when she’s job hunting. That might be extreme, but at least aim for two roles per day that match your skills and values.

[00:08:04]
If your goal is networking, start by sending one friendly message to someone on LinkedIn. Ask for an informational chat. There are tons of message templates out there—send me a DM and I’ll share one with you.

[00:08:19]
If your goal is to update your resume, reframe it. For example: “Rewrite my top three bullet points using strong, results-based language.”

[00:08:48]
Trying to become more visible? Share one post this week about your career journey or a recent lesson. That one post can create the momentum you need. Consistency is key—even if it's once a week.

These small moves build real momentum. They build confidence. That’s how you turn clarity into action—and action into progress.

[00:10:40]
So again, if you’re job hunting:

  • Apply to 2–3 roles this week that match your values and skills.
  • Break it down to two applications per day to make it manageable.

Remember: getting a job is a job.

[00:11:16]
If networking is your goal, reach out to people in your industry whom you admire. Ask to connect. Build relationships one step at a time.

[00:12:29]
Want to increase your visibility?

  • Choose one social platform that feels natural to you.
  • Share your journey.
  • Start with one post this week.
     Then keep going next week. And the week after. Don’t worry about perfection—just start.

[00:14:31]
Let me speak to your heart for a moment:
If you've been saying, “I’m waiting for the right time,” or “I just need a little more time,” hear this with love—you don’t need more time. You need a starting point.

Waiting keeps you stuck. Movement—no matter how small—creates clarity. Clarity brings confidence.

Don’t get to December saying, “I wish I had started in July.”

[00:15:29] Thrive Tip of the Week:
Set a goal. Hit it. Then raise it—not for perfection, not for pressure, but because when you give yourself direction, you unlock your potential. You don’t know how far you can go until you start.

The second half of the year is still yours to shape—one intentional action at a time.

[00:16:21] Closing:
If this episode spoke to you, share it with a friend who needs that push. Message me on LinkedIn at Olajumoke Fatoki or on Instagram @ThriveCareersHub. I’d love to hear what small goal you’re setting this week.

Don’t forget to grab your free Career Clarity Playbook—the link is in the show notes.

Also, check out our earlier episode on goal setting from the beginning of the year. I’ll drop the link below.

Until next time—keep working, keep growing, and keep thriving.
 This is Olajumoke Fatoki, and you’ve been listening to the Thrive Careers Podcast.

People on this episode