“Even the goals that once seemed impossible are absolutely within reach.“
🌟 Welcome to Interview with a Goal-Crusher! 🌟
Every month, I sit down with someone who’s crushing their goals and building a happier life in the process. These are real people, not gurus … just like you. Think of it as free mentoring … straight from people who’ve done the hard work and have the wins (and lessons) to prove it.
Are you ready for a dad joke?
I offer you this "dad joke" as a light "amuse-bouche" to entertain your mind before we get serious. My dad joke may be groan-worthy, but it's worth every penny you paid for it, right?
🎃 Halloween Humor Season 🎃
A skeleton walks into a bar and says to the bartender, "give me a beer and a mop."
(my favorite Halloween dad joke)
Your Journey, Your Way
Happy October… my favorite month of the year!
This month, every Operation Melt blog is built around one truth:
Your journey doesn’t have to look like anybody else’s.
After more than a decade of coaching and mentoring people, I’ve learned something important. No two goal journeys are the same. Even when two people are chasing the “same” goal, their why is different. Their circumstances are different. Their journey will always be unique.
And yet, when the path feels hard or uncertain, that’s when most of us start talking shit about our own goals:
- “This is dumb.”
- “It doesn’t matter.”
- “It’ll never work.”
That’s not honesty. That’s fear, trying to sabotage you.
So when that voice shows up, remind yourself of the truth: your goal matters because it matters to you. Nobody else has to get it. Nobody else has to approve.
Your job is simple: own your path, do the work, and prove yourself right.
All month long, you’ll hear stories, lessons, and tools to remind you that the only path worth following is the one that belongs to you.
Badassery on Her Own Terms: Lindsay’s Bodybuilding Journey
I will start with a confession: I have been excited for this interview since the moment I reached out to Lindsay a few months ago. We loosely knew each other from an old job, but had not talked much. When she posted about her bodybuilding journey on social media, I knew I wanted to learn more and share it with you.
This summer, Lindsay stepped on stage for her first bodybuilding figure competition, achieving a goal she had carried for more than twenty years. That alone is impressive. And as I learned in my interview with Teresa about her own bodybuilding journey, the amount of discipline and work involved is no joke, nothing short of badassery. Lindsay confirms that below, and she does not sugarcoat it.
Now, you may be wondering what bodybuilding has to do with your goals, especially if you are not grinding for hours in the gym. The answer is: everything. Lindsay’s story is about balancing real-life constraints, family responsibilities, and personal priorities while still pursuing a dream. That is something every one of us can relate to.
Like Lindsay, you are busy.
Commitments pull you in every direction: family, work, community, everything.
That’s exactly why her story matters: it proves big goals can fit into a packed life.
But it is going to need some discipline, creativity, and a strong “why.” And yes, it also takes proven tools, systems, and accountability to keep moving forward. That is where I can help.
Lindsay’s journey looks nothing like mine, and it probably looks nothing like yours either. That’s the point. Today’s interview is the perfect kick-off to October’s theme: Your journey does not have to look like anybody else’s.
Your path will not look like Lindsay’s, mine, or anyone else’s. That is exactly why it matters.
Please introduce yourself and tell my readers about you and what you do.
Hi, I’m Lindsay. I’m a wife, mom, yoga instructor, licensed professional counselor, and strength training enthusiast. My work centers on supporting clients as they navigate and overcome mental health challenges, helping them build resilience and find balance. I teach weekly yoga classes, where I aim to enhance physical, mental, and emotional well-being through mindful movement, breathwork, and meditation.
I find joy in encouraging others to become the best version of themselves.
Beyond my professional life, much of my free time is spent at my children’s sporting events and extracurricular activities, cheering them on as they grow not only as athletes but also as compassionate, confident, and stress-resilient individuals.
As the wife of a law enforcement officer, I take great pride in supporting my husband in both his calling and his daily life. His work requires courage, dedication, and sacrifice, and I strive to be his steady source of encouragement and strength. Whether it’s creating a peaceful home for him to recharge, offering a listening ear after a long shift, or standing beside him with unwavering love and respect, I am grateful to support him in a role that serves and protects our community.
If there’s one thing I know for certain, it’s that life comes in many phases. The one I’m in right now doesn’t leave much room for hobbies, adventures, or downtime—but I’m fully embracing our young kids while prioritizing my physical health, so I’ll be ready for all the adventures once time allows.
What motivated you to become a figure competitor? What was your vision? Can you share some/all of your story?
A friend of mine in college first introduced me to the world of bodybuilding by inviting me to the Arnold Classic in 2003. From that moment, I was instantly captivated by the sport. I knew deep down it was something I would pursue one day.
In high school, I spent much of my time on stage—as a cheerleader, in show choir, and in nearly every school musical. The idea of returning to the stage, this time in a sport that people could enjoy at any age, felt both exciting and natural.
Years later, my husband began training with a former professional bodybuilder, Mike Francois, at a local gym. He was working through back injuries from his job and found great success in Mike’s group training environment. He eventually convinced me to join him.
The funny thing is, I had once kept a poster of Mike in his bodybuilding days on the wall of my college apartment. Training with him years later felt like a full-circle moment.
Between raising kids, I started training with him consistently, always keeping in mind that he hosted his own bodybuilding show locally—and I knew that when the time was right, I wanted to step on his stage.
I was ultimately drawn to becoming a figure competitor because I wanted to challenge myself in ways I never had before—both physically and mentally. Strength training had always been a passion, but competition gave me the chance to push beyond my limits, commit to discipline, and discover what my body was truly capable of.
More than the physical transformation, this journey has taught me resilience, confidence, and the power of consistency. For me, competing isn’t just about what happens on stage—it’s about setting an example for my children and clients. I want them to see that with dedication and hard work, even the goals that once seemed impossible are absolutely within reach.
What was the first step you took to get started with your goal?
After having my last child in April 2021 at age 38, I knew I needed to prioritize my health—not only to stay strong and healthy but also to maintain my sanity while raising five kids. When my daughter was about six months old, I started graduate school, and the childcare at our gym gave me the perfect chance to carve out a little time for myself. I’d listen to lectures while walking on the treadmill, and I added in some basic weight training.
My gym time was limited, so I started with just a few days a week.
My regular workouts with Mike had stopped in 2020 due to the pandemic, pregnancy, and the demands of motherhood, and I had fallen a bit out of shape. While I had a basic understanding of exercise and weight training, I didn’t want to spend extra time planning workouts—and making it back to my old gym wasn’t realistic.
Instead, I downloaded the Playbook app, found a trainer whose style I liked, and followed her workouts—loosely adapting them to fit my schedule with one upper-body, one lower-body, and one full-body session each week.
What were your biggest challenges in achieving your goals? How did you overcome them?
My biggest challenges in achieving my goals have been balancing family and work responsibilities.
Because of the nature of my husband’s job, I manage most of the home and family planning—organizing schedules, coordinating transportation for school and extracurricular activities, and keeping everything running smoothly. In the past, I often prioritized their needs over my own, which made it difficult to consistently eat multiple meals a day and make the workouts happen.
To address this, I created strategies that worked for me. I kept my meals simple and clean, relied on my crock-pot daily, and set alarms to remind myself to eat. I’ll admit, there were plenty of times I ate on the go—whether driving between activities, working with clients, or sitting at sporting events.
Another challenge was learning to say no to alcohol at social functions. That wasn’t easy, and the hardest part was reassuring others that I was genuinely okay with my choice.
Getting back into the gym with my trainer required a major shift in my routine. Waking up at 5 AM to be at the gym by 6 AM, four days a week, was (and still is) incredibly difficult. People sometimes assume I enjoy waking up early, but the truth is, it’s a struggle every single day. I do it because I know if I don’t, I’ll miss that workout—and I remind myself how much better I feel once it’s done.
What goal success tips and techniques have worked well for you that you would like to share with my readers?
Start small—and if it feels too hard, scale it back even more.
I began by going to the gym just a few days a week, gradually building up to daily strength training and cardio sessions six days a week. It took me over two years of steady progress to be ready for my first show prep.
In preparing for my show, I set weekly goals—like doing cardio three times a week and strength training three times a week. They didn’t always happen on the same day or at the same time, but setting them as priorities kept me consistent. For me, it wasn’t about following a rigid schedule, but about creating a flexible flow that kept my goals in focus.
Commit to yourself.
Things will come up—people will want your time, or even try to convince you that you want something different. When it got hard to say no, I reminded myself: this is temporary, and if I really want that thing, I can always do it later. By pushing it into the future, most of the time I’d either forget about it or realize it wasn’t that important after all.
What is one big goal you are pursuing now?
My plan is to return to the stage in May/June 2026.
After my last competition, I received valuable feedback from the judges regarding both my performance and body composition. I’ve been focusing on those areas of improvement in the gym while also working through a bulking phase to set myself up for my next prep beginning in February 2026.
What else would you like my Operation Melt readers to know about you, your journey, or about goal success in general?
It’s never too late to challenge yourself—your limiting beliefs, your old habits, and anything holding you back. Prioritizing yourself isn’t selfish; it’s essential. I feel the best I have in 40 years, and I’ve finally achieved a goal and vision I’ve held for over 20 years. You got this!
How can people learn more about you?
I’m not very active on social media, maybe one day, but you can reach me anytime at wellnesswithlindsaysteel@gmail.com.
Wow… I am so glad I reached out to Lindsay to become a featured goal-crusher. Her journey is unique and inspiring. It is impressive how she navigated so many constraints, still got into the gym, and then owned the stage.
There was also a synchronicity in her story. Years ago, she had a poster of Mike Francois on her wall. Later, she trained with him for her competition. It was as if the universe had been giving her a sign all along.
Two lessons stood out to me the most.
First, Lindsay set a massive goal, a true BHAG for you Jim Collins fans. As she explained, “even the goals that once seemed impossible are absolutely within reach.” Her story proves that the biggest and scariest goals are worth chasing if they matter to you.
Second, Lindsay stepped on stage after two decades of steady effort. As she explained, “it wasn’t about following a rigid schedule, but about creating a flexible flow that kept my goals in focus.”
There are no deadlines for your goals. You can start building the life of your dreams at any time.
Your journey and your timeline do not have to look like anybody else’s.
How is Lindsay Project Managing Her Life?
Lindsay did not become a competitive bodybuilder by accident and certainly not overnight. It took hard work, commitment, and smart strategies to make her vision real.
Many of those strategies line up directly with my Project Manage Your Life (PMYL) principles:
✅ Set SMART Goals:
Lindsay had a long-term vision. She wanted to step on Mike Francois’ stage when the time was right. She gave herself grace on timing but never on her outcome.
Her “why” was bigger than herself. She wanted to be a role model for her children and clients, showing that discipline and effort can turn impossible goals into reality. As she put it, you have to commit to yourself no matter how challenging the path.
✅ Build a plan that works for you:
Her life is packed with responsibilities: five kids, graduate school, a husband in law enforcement. That meant she had to design a plan that fit her reality. Early morning workouts, app-based training, crockpot meals, and flexible scheduling became her system. She started with small steps and built up until she was ready for competition.
That is a reminder for us all. Your plan only works if it works for your life.
✅ Expect and plan ahead for problems:
Lindsay knew challenges were coming, and she was ready.
She created strategies in advance and adjusted when life threw curveballs. She learned to manage her mindset, reminding herself of how good she would feel after workouts. She stayed flexible when her trainer was unavailable during the pandemic. She even had to navigate social pressure when she chose not to drink.
Problems are part of the process. Success comes from anticipating them and staying creative when they show up.
✅ Don’t go it alone:
She built a support system.
Lindsay worked with a former pro bodybuilder, relied on a virtual trainer when needed, and treated feedback from judges as fuel to improve. Her family and friends also played a big part in her success.
Big goals are not meant to be tackled solo. You need people in your corner.
✅ Enjoy the journey:
Lindsay’s goal stretched across two decades.
No one sticks with something that long without finding joy in it. Even when training was grueling, she found meaning in the process. The proof is simple. She is already preparing for her next competition.
If you want to sustain a big goal, you need to find ways to enjoy the ride, not just the result.
Lindsay’s journey is inspiring, but it is also instructive. She shows that no matter how busy or complicated your life is, you can still commit to a big goal, build a plan that fits, expect problems, lean on support, and find joy in the process.
That is how you manage your life like a project and how you turn “someday” into success.
Lindsay is a total badass and a goal-crusher through and through. Now it is your turn.
Ready to Start Your Journey
Your journey does not have to look like Lindsay’s. It might be a bodybuilding stage, a career change, or something completely different. What matters is using the right system. Project Manage Your Life (PMYL) is built to help you commit, plan, and build momentum no matter what your goal may be.
I created Project Manage Your Life to keep your goals and dreams from dying of loneliness. My mission is to help you turn them into reality.
I’ve taken everything I use with my coaching clients and packaged it into a 3-part system:
📘 Project Manage Your Life – my complete six-step framework for turning goals into accomplishments. (You can even get it for free below.)
📝 PMYL Workbook – companion guide with templates, trackers, and coaching-style prompts to help you put the framework into practice.
🎯 PMYL Coaching – personalized 1-on-1 support to help you build momentum, overcome challenges, and keep going when it gets hard.
PMYL is designed to move your goals from “someday” to success with structure, clarity, and accountability.
Pro Tip: Start with the Starter Kit
The best way to get started is with the Project Manage Your Life Starter Kit. Inside you will find the full eBook, the interactive workbook, and a guided email mini course that will help you put the system into action and build momentum right away.
Not quite ready for the full kit? You can still grab the free PMYL eBook and start learning the framework today. Click Here to download your free eBook.
💥 Are you ready to commit to your big goal and prove that your journey does not have to look like anybody else’s?
✨ I believe in you, let me help YOU believe in you! ✨
Meet Coach Tony
Tony Weaver is a master life coach, technologist, consultant, writer, and founder of Operation Melt.
He helps project managers and other left-brained high-achievers pursue their biggest goals.
Through free resources, personalized coaching, and his proven Project Manage Your Life system, Tony empowers clients to move their dreams from “someday” to success… one step at a time.
Learn more about Project Manage Your Life, the system my clients and I use to crush our goals, at OperationMelt.com/PMYL/
Meet Coach Tony