“The first step was being honest with myself… Sometimes you just have to get over your own bullshit.“
🌟 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?
The first museum built specifically for colorblind people recently opened.
Apparently, every piece is a pigment of imagination.
You’re Already “Ready” Enough
Happy November…
Halloween is behind us, the holidays are on the horizon, and New Year’s is already whispering that familiar pressure:
“Shouldn’t you be further along by now?”
This is the season of big reflections and even bigger resolutions. It’s the time of year when we start eyeing 2026 and wondering what needs to change. That means we are about to start telling ourselves we just need a little more time. A little more prep. Just one more thing.
But here’s the truth that nobody talks about:
“I don’t think I’m ready yet” is the fastest way to stay stuck.
This month on the Operation Melt blog, we’re flipping that script.
Because one mindset has the power to unlock everything you’ve been putting off:
Don’t wait to be ready. Figure it out as you go.
Readiness is a myth.
Momentum is what actually creates clarity.
And taking one messy step today will get you further than six more months of waiting for the perfect plan.
Let’s stop trying to predict every move.
Let’s stop obsessing over being fully prepared.
Let’s start. Let’s adapt. Let’s learn by doing.
How Margaret Got Over Her Own Bullshit and Did It Anyway
This month’s Interview with a Goal-Crusher features Margaret, an inspiring artist I’ve had the privilege of knowing for years. Watching her journey unfold has been incredible, and right now, she is absolutely killing it.
Margaret recently took a bold step, expanding her art from a passion project and side hustle into her primary job. That leap has taken (and still takes) courage, grit, and persistence. But more than anything, it’s taken the willingness to stop waiting to be ready.
Margaret’s story is a master class in figuring things out as you go.
I hope this interview inspires you to stop waiting and take that first step toward your goal. No matter what it is.
Please introduce yourself and tell my readers about you and what you do.
I’m sure readers know this already, but my name is Margaret Manley, and I’m a local artist here in Columbus.
This year marks the beginning of making my work an actual business and source of income through vending at events around the city, and I’m pleasantly surprised at how well they’ve gone thus far! You can usually find me at the German Village Farmers Market on Saturday mornings, but you might also see me working the desk at The Fitness Loft, or literally running around town.
What motivated you to become a professional artist? What was your vision? Can you share some/all of your story?
I’ve worn a couple of different hats in the South Columbus community – gym manager, server, bartender… The common denominator over the years has been art.
In every job I’ve had, art has found a way to work its way in. But it wasn’t until 2020 that I sold my first piece, and only just this year made it an official business. Up until now, I’ve posted my work and taken commissions when the opportunity arises, but it was always something I did on the side.
When people would ask me what my goal was with art, after a long pause, I just kept saying the same thing – “In an ideal world, people would buy the things I make for fun, and it would be enough.”
Earlier this year, I decided I had to know whether or not that was possible, and so far this year has answered with “yes, it is.”
What was the first step you took to get started with your goal?
The first step was being honest with myself; I had to identify and acknowledge what I wanted.
Even when it meant quitting a job.
Even when it meant telling the IRS that I was making money.
Even when I wasn’t sure that it made sense.
For me, following the steps towards a goal has never been the challenging part; it’s identifying what I want the goal to be. The more I kept telling others about the “dream” of other people enjoying my work the same way I did, the more I realized I had to see it through.
What were your biggest challenges in achieving your goals? How did you overcome them?
For me, it was really just deciding to pull the trigger and do the damn thing.
It wasn’t that the decision was a complicated one or that I didn’t know what to do; it was just deciding to do it. Once I realized I was standing in my own way of what I wanted to do, it made it a lot easier to tell myself to get over it.
Sometimes you just have to get over your own bullshit.
What goal success tips and techniques have worked well for you that you would like to share with my readers?
Reverse engineer it.
Whatever it is, chances are you’re not the first person in the world to do it.
Find somebody who has done even just one small part of what you want to do, and ask them how they did it. Once you’ve got an informed overview of the process, break it down into smaller steps, write them down where you can see them every day, and aim to complete at least one a week.
What is one big goal you are pursuing now?
I still consider myself new to the world of oils, and I’d like to do some bigger pieces in that medium. Oil is more time-intensive than watercolor or drawing, but it opens up a lot of creative possibilities once you know how to use it.
Once market season slows down, I’m really looking forward to working on some bigger landscapes and other concepts I’ve had rattling around in my head but haven’t had the time to start.
What else would you like my Operation Melt readers to know about you, your journey or about goal success in general?
I feel like a lot of my answers here might have created a sense of having “made it” as an artist, and I want to emphasize that’s far from the truth.
Doing what I do is incredibly rewarding, and I’m thrilled that it’s been successful so far, but this is still the beginning, and I’d consider myself on an upward learning curve.
I’m not in galleries or exhibiting my work anywhere notable. I haven’t done any residencies, or taught a class, or even have a relevant degree. I am continuing anyway because I can’t not make art.
The more you enjoy the process itself, the less important the end goal becomes.
How can people learn more about you?
I’m really active on Instagram. It’s where I post most of my work as well as keep people up to date about events I vend at, communicate about commissions, sell work, etc.
I also have a website! It’s pretty minimal at the moment, but I’d love to get some more traffic there as well.
Isn’t Margaret’s story a total work of art?
She knew what she wanted, but didn’t know if it would work out.
She didn’t wait to be ready, she started working on it.
She owned her mindset and challenged her own bullshit (hint: that was just her inner critic)!
Margaret’s story isn’t just inspiring… it’s available. She made a bold choice to treat her art like it mattered. And from that choice, everything started to shift.
You can make your own bold choice… you’re already “ready” enough!
Margaret and the Art of Project Managing Her Life
Margaret certainly didn’t become a professional artist overnight. It took commitment, determination, and tons of hard work. But hard work wasn’t enough. Achieving her goal required proven goal-crushing strategies.
Many of those strategies perfectly illustrate my Project Manage Your Life (PMYL) principles:
✅ Set SMART Goals:
Margaret’s art was more than a hobby… it was a calling.
She was already turning that calling into a hobby and a side hustle. That’s what prompted her to pursue her goal.
Margaret had a specific goal and knew exactly what she wanted to accomplish. She had to know whether people would buy the things she makes for fun. And, would it be enough to make her art her primary job?
She took a big step and learned that the answer was a resounding “yes.”
✅ Build a plan that works for you:
Once Margaret committed to her goal, she needed a plan… and her plan wouldn’t look like other people’s plans.
Her first step was a big dose of honesty. She needed to acknowledge that she really was going to do this and not let things stand in her way.
The first step was being honest with myself; I had to identify and acknowledge what I wanted. Not a job. Not taxes. And, definitely not her inner critic (more about that in a minute).
She committed and reverse-engineered her path as best she could.
You’ll notice that making sure she was “ready” before starting to move was not part of her plan. If she waited until she felt “ready,” she might still be waiting.
Her success plan: commit, tell people, start moving, and figure it out as she went.
✅ Expect and plan ahead for problems:
Margaret knew where her biggest problem would be… her own brain.
As she said, she had to get over her own bullshit. That meant keeping her inner critic under control.
She decided to do the damn thing, pulled the trigger, and started telling other people about her dream. Talking about it helped fortify her own commitment.
Margaret embraces one more essential strategy to avoid a big goal-killer. Let’s chat about that in the next section because it is all about her approach to enjoying the journey.
✅ Enjoy the journey:
In any goal-crushing journey, it is easy to count all the ways in which you haven’t reached the finish line. Spoiler: that finish line will keep moving as you do. That’s why we need to focus on “The Gain” and not “The Gap” as I explained in One Simple Exercise That Changes Everything.
Likewise, Margaret can tell you all the ways she hasn’t “made it” yet. But that laundry list of future accomplishments isn’t keeping her from celebrating her progress. Even this interview is a step in Margaret’s celebration of her progress toward her goal. That’s good, because she is killing it!
Margaret has committed to a journey where she is turning a passion into a profession. She is committed to enjoying every step in that process. As she said, “The more you enjoy the process itself, the less important the end goal becomes.”
One major achievement worth celebrating is that Margaret committed to her dream and started working on it. She didn’t wait until she was “ready” to get started.
You’re Ready Now… Let’s Get Started!
Are you working to be “ready” to start pursuing your biggest goal?
You’re never going to be “ready” until you start moving. I assure you, you are “ready” enough to take that first small step… then another… and another. Nothing builds readiness like action.
I created the Project Manage Your Life (PMYL) system to give you common-sense tools to help you take that first step. This system will guide you through committing to your goal, creating your plan, and building momentum no matter what your goal may be.
Project Manage Your Life takes everything I use with my coaching clients and packages 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 you from “I’m not ready yet” to “I’m unstoppable” 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.
💥 Do you want to stop waiting to be “ready” and start living your journey? Let’s start figuring it out, today!
✨ 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