Beyond The To-do List

Welcome to the first episode of 2026! If you’re feeling that “new year, new me” pressure: goals, plans, fresh calendars, the whole thing—this one’s for you. Because when life inevitably punches your perfectly color-coded week in the throat, the issue isn’t your planning… it’s what you thought planning could control. This episode is all about Control vs. Agency—and how to stay productive when outcomes refuse to cooperate.In this episode we cover:• Why Control Breaks (and Agency Doesn’t): Control tries to guarantee outcomes; agency chooses your response when the day goes sideways.• The Identity Trap of Productivity: What happens when “being on top of things” becomes self-worth—and why that makes disruptions feel like failure.• The 4-Step Agency Process: Name what you’re trying to control, separate what’s in your hands vs. not, choose one “agency lever,” then replan from reality.• Stabilization Over Catching Up: Why the goal isn’t to “win the week,” but to stop the panic spiral and choose the next stabilizing mo