Planning Mistakes

If your plans always look beautiful on paper but somehow fall apart a few weeks into the new year, you’re not alone. Most women solopreneurs don’t struggle because they’re unmotivated. They struggle because their planning process doesn’t reflect real life, real capacity, or the season they’re in.

As we move toward 2026, here are three common planning mistakes I see (and used to make myself) again and again, and what to do instead so your next plan actually sticks.

1. Setting Too Many Goals at Once

When everything feels important, it’s easy to create a plan overflowing with goals, projects, and ideas. It looks inspiring on paper… but becomes overwhelming in practice.

Why it happens:

• Pressure to “do it all”
• Comparing yourself to others
• The fresh-start feeling of a new year

The shift: Choose a handful of goals that truly matter to you and your business. Let everything else wait until you wrap up your first batch of goals. When your focus narrows, your progress expands.

2. Separating Your Life and Business Plans

Many women plan their business in one lane and their personal life in another as if the two don’t overlap. But they always do.

If you’re caregiving, navigating health changes, preparing for a move, or simply craving more space, your business plan needs to take these factors into account.  Also, when we don’t make time for life in our schedule, we can fall out of alignment with our values and overall life goals.

Why it matters: Your capacity is shaped by everything happening in your life, not just the hours you work.

The shift: Create a holistic plan. Let your personal and professional priorities sit at the same table so you’re choosing what matters most on both sides.

3. Building Plans on “Wishful Time,” Not Real Time

It’s easy to imagine you’ll have long, open weeks in the new year. But real life rarely plays out like a blank calendar.

Signs you’re planning with wishful time:

• You routinely underestimate how long things take
• You assign big projects to already-full weeks
• You expect future-you to have more energy or focus than current-you

The shift: Do a simple capacity check:

• How many hours do I realistically have
• What commitments already exist
• Where do I need support
• What would make this lighter

A plan rooted in truth is a plan you can follow.

Why These Shifts Matter

When you avoid these mistakes, something powerful happens:

• You make clearer decisions
• You stop overcommitting
• You experience less overwhelm
• You have more focus
• You build momentum
• You create space for the life you want to live

Your plan becomes something supportive instead of stressful.

Want Support Creating a Plan That Actually Works

If you want support creating a grounded, sustainable plan that matches your real life and real capacity, the E-Suite is open for enrollment. It’s where women solopreneurs get month to month guidance, structure, and clarity to plan intentionally and grow without burnout.

👉 Learn more about the E-Suite at: www.knowyoutogrowyou.com/e-suite