Most people don’t struggle with fitness because they don’t care — they struggle because they care deeply and don’t have a system that actually fits their life, body, and energy.

In this episode, Liz sits down with Heather Sumlin, mental performance coach, to talk about fitness goal setting from a very different angle. This is not about hype, pressure, or forcing motivation. It’s about building goals that hold up when life gets busy, motivation fades, or your body isn’t cooperating.

If you’ve ever started the year excited… only to stall out a few weeks later, this conversation will feel very familiar — and very relieving.

What we cover in this episode:

• Why motivation isn’t the problem (and never was) Motivation is unreliable by nature. Heather breaks down why systems, structure, and environment matter more than “wanting it badly enough.”
• ‘Should’ goals vs goals you actually want Many fitness goals fail because they’re inherited from comparison, guilt, or expectation. We talk about how to tell the difference — and why it matters for follow-through.
• Why big goals don’t translate into daily action Ambition isn’t the issue. Translation is. Learn what a goal actually needs to tell you about this week and today.
• How starting too big leads to burnout Especially for high-achievers, the instinct is to do more. We discuss how starting smaller often creates faster, more sustainable progress.
• Reframing setbacks as feedback instead of failure Missed workouts, low-energy weeks, or schedule chaos aren’t reasons to quit — they’re information. Learn how to adjust instead of abandoning the plan.
• Setting goals that fit real life and real bodies Fitness goals don’t exist in a vacuum. We talk about planning for stress, fatigue, hormone shifts, health fluctuations, and busy seasons — without losing momentum.
• The single most important mindset shift for executing goals Heather shares the one shift that consistently helps people follow through — and what success can actually look like six months from now.

Why this matters for dog handlers

As handlers, our time and energy are limited — and the fitness we do needs to transfer into better handling, more confidence, and more fun with our dogs. This episode is about creating goals that support that reality, instead of stealing time and energy from it.

How to get ahold of Heather!

Webinar happening January 13, 2026

Patreon

Book your intro call with Heather

Performance Analysis Journal

Do you want help with the SYSTEM behind your goals?

If you’re listening and thinking, “Okay… but where do I actually start?” Liz has built a Course Finder Quiz that matches you to the right starting point from 50+ handler-specific programs — so you’re not doing more than you need, or starting in the wrong place.

👉 Take the quiz and find your best starting point here: https://caninehandlerfitness.outgrow.us/CHF-Course-Finder

As we head into a new year, a lot of handlers start thinking about how to improve — speed, endurance, confidence, clarity on course.

In this episode, Liz shares a short list of high-ROI focus areas that help handlers move better, react faster, and feel more confident on course — without spending endless hours in the gym or grinding through workouts that don’t transfer.

This isn’t about doing everything. It’s about doing the right few things.

Think of this as a behind-the-scenes checklist: the pieces that quietly make handling smoother, cleaner, and more fun — while protecting your body for the long haul.

🔑 What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Why the first 4–6 weeks of fitness gains are about neuromuscular adaptation, not muscle — and why that’s good news
• How to stop training randomly and start building workouts that actually transfer to handling
• What “real” core strength looks like for handlers (hint: it’s not crunches)
• Why mobility matters — but only in the places that count
• How training deceleration and force absorption protects your body and improves confidence
• The mindset shift that helps you train like the teammate your dog already believes you are

💡 Why This Matters

When your fitness supports your handling:

• You move more efficiently
• Your cues get clearer
• You fatigue later in runs
• You spend less time fixing problems and more time enjoying your dog

The goal isn’t perfection. It’s transferable strength, better movement, and more fun together.

If you’re ready to train smarter — not harder — and want to know where to start, take our quick course finder quiz. You also get a free trial AND private 1-1 with Liz.

👉🏼 CLICK HERE: Find your best starting point from 50+ dog-sport-specific courses

Whether you’re brand new, coming back after a break, or ready to level up, this quiz matches you with the program that fits your body, your goals, and your dog.

This episode isn’t about “new year, new you” hype. It’s about honest reflection, meaningful change, and creating momentum in a way that actually lasts.

We walk through how to look back at the past year with clarity (without beating yourself up), how to notice when you’ve slipped into valleys of low energy, discouragement, or feeling stuck, and how to build your environment so inspiration doesn’t rely on motivation alone.

We talk about friendship, community, accountability, and why big dreams don’t come from magical bursts of effort — they come from ordinary, doable actions layered consistently over time.

You’ll learn:

• How to evaluate your year without shame — and still learn from it
• What it means to be in a “valley” and how to recognize it
• Why your environment matters more than willpower
• How to bring others into your goals (and why that helps you succeed)
• My Top 5 Ways to turn big ideas into real-life action

This episode is here to remind you: You are capable of more than fleeting inspiration. Your highest self deserves commitment, gentle discipline, and support. And yes — you can build strength, resilience, joy, and possibility… one step at a time.

Let’s make this year meaningful, not manic. 💛

Feeling ready for support and an action plan? Take our 5-question quiz to get matched with the program that's right for YOU. Take it here!