In this Accomplishment Project panel episode, we explore a better way to set goals — one that doesn’t rely on hustle, pressure, or forcing outcomes.

I’m joined by five members of the Accountability Success Circle, the long-running community that has served as the incubator for The Accomplishment Project. Each panelist brings a distinct lens shaped by leadership, creativity, parenting, entrepreneurship, and real-life seasons of change.

Together, we talk honestly about why traditional goal-setting often falls apart, how accountability can be supportive instead of harsh, and why small, sustainable habits tend to matter more than grand plans or perfect systems.

This conversation is grounded, human, and practical — focused on alignment, self-trust, and building goals that actually support your life.

Meet the Panel

This conversation features five members of the Accountability Success Circle, each bringing a different perspective on goals, habits, and accountability shaped by real life, work, and seasons of change:

• Terry Brown – Creative and social media professional whose art-forward goals emphasize sustainability and self-trust

• Mike Mackrory – Software engineer and endurance athlete navigating major life transitions through steady, habit-driven goals

• Alex Myers – Leadership development coach and former mental health professional focused on strengths-based, sustainable growth

• Annie Sisson – Multi-passionate entrepreneur and storyteller centered on intentional living, creativity, and alignment

• Gary Ware – Co-Founder of the Accountability Success Circle, facilitator, and author of Playful Rebellion, exploring goals through play, identity, and mindset.

All panelists have participated in GOAL30 challenges, annual planning retreats, or long-term accountability work within the community.

Episode Timestamps

00:01 – Welcome + why this is the first-ever panel (“No Hustle Required”)

01:49 – Meet the panel + one word describing each person’s relationship with goals

03:48 – What most people overlook when setting goals

07:05 – What we should do less of (all-or-nothing, unrealistic systems, constant output)

11:15 – Redefining accountability as support, not pressure

14:40 – What kind of accountability doesn’t work

18:45 – Comparison, metrics, and why chasing numbers can backfire

24:40 – Habits, structures, and practices that help goals stick (including GOAL30)

34:00 – Why community changes everything

40:36 – Final mindset shifts when you feel overwhelmed + closing

Reflection Prompts

What’s one goal you might be approaching with pressure instead of curiosity?

What small, sustainable habit could support that goal instead of overwhelming you?

If you enjoyed this episode, please:

Subscribe to the show⁠Visit The Accomplishment Project on Substack ⁠

Leave a quick comment or review

Share this episode with someone who wants a healthier relationship with goals

Resources

⁠Accountability Success Circle (Incubator for The Accomplishment Project)⁠

In this Accomplishment Story episode, we look back on the journey of executive coach and speaker Barb Wade, whose career spans Hollywood acting, studio leadership, and more than 25 years of transformational coaching.

From early achievement pressure and a breakout acting role on Saved by the Bell, to running a department at DreamWorks, to realizing that external success wasn’t delivering internal fulfillment, Barb shares what it looked like to give herself permission to change course without making herself wrong.

We dig into imposter syndrome, redefining success, the realities behind six- and seven-figure coaching businesses, and one of Barb’s most powerful frameworks: focusing on what’s on your side of the street and letting go of what isn’t. It’s a grounded, honest conversation about accomplishment from the inside out.

Episode Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome + What Is an Accomplishment Story?
01:33 – Why Barb’s Story Matters
02:06 – Barb’s Work Today: Coaching, Leadership, and Empowerment
03:03 – Growing Up a High Achiever
04:46 – Theater Dreams, College, and Choosing a “Fallback”
06:02 – Moving to Hollywood and Going All In
06:36 – Landing a Breakout Acting Role
08:20 – Life as a Working Actor (Including Saved by the Bell)
09:27 – Leaving Acting for the Other Side of the Camera
10:59 – A Decade in the Studio System
11:30 – Imposter Syndrome and Anxiety Behind the Scenes
13:10 – Discovering Self-Worth Beyond Achievement
15:15 – Returning to School and Finding Coaching
17:16 – Leaving Hollywood for Good
18:41 – Early Coaching Challenges and Income Uncertainty
21:03 – Parenthood and Designing a Sustainable Career
22:23 – The 2008 Financial Crisis and a Major Pivot
26:43 – The Truth About Six- and Seven-Figure Coaching
30:16 – Burnout, Alignment, and Returning to Core Work
31:19 – Parenting, Special Needs, and Business Boundaries
33:14 – Looking Ahead Without Over-Planning
35:46 – Rethinking Prestige, Money, and Quality of Life
39:39 – Defining Accomplishment: “Your Side of the Street”
42:41 – Icing on the Cake vs. What Really Matters
43:52 – Where to Find Barb + Closing Reflections

Connect with Barb

Barb’s website: barbwade.com

Reflection Prompts

Where in your life might external success be masking what you actually need or want?
What’s one thing on your side of the street you can acknowledge yourself for today?

If you enjoyed this episode, please:

• Subscribe to the show

• Visit The Accomplishment Project Website (Substack)

• Leave a quick comment or review

• Share this episode with someone questioning what “success” really means

Resources

• 🎬 Saved by the Bell clip featuring Barb Wade (YouTube)
• Accountability Success Circle⁠ (Incubator for The Accomplishment Project)

When you feel stuck, do you push harder—or get curious?

In this episode

In this Expert Topic episode of The Accomplishment Project, I’m joined by my friend and business partner Gary Ware (founder of Breakthrough Play and author of Playful Rebellion). We dig into how curiosity helps you overcome obstacles, reframe anxiety and overwhelm, and find momentum in your accomplishment journey.

• Our origin story: the "sliding into" DMs that kicked off a 10-year friendship and collaboration

• Curiosity vs. anxiety: openness, possibilities, and getting the prefrontal cortex back online

• Gary’s health/running story: shifting from all-or-nothing to small experiments

• A team exercise that exposes the multitasking myth and helps leaders delegate

• Simple curiosity prompts you can use today: What else could be true? What am I not seeing yet? What’s surprising me?

• A playful “curious questions” game that reveals insights from Filipino culture to musicals

• The closing reflection: Is the juice worth the squeeze?

  
  

• Episode Timestamps

  00:00 The Story of Our Connection

• 05:42 Why Curiosity Matters

• 12:12 Curiosity vs. Anxiety

• 16:20 A Real-Life Curiosity Reframe

• 20:36 How to Practice Curiosity

• 22:10 Curiosity in Teams and Leadership

• 25:52 Creativity and Flow at Work

• 30:56 Improv as a Curiosity Gym

• 34:46 Curious Questions Game

• 40:56 Final Takeaway: Is the Juice Worth the Squeeze?

• 
  

  About Gary

Gary Ware is a facilitator, keynote speaker, and the founder of Breakthrough Play. He helps teams boost creativity, connection, and collaboration through play and improv. He’s also the author of Playful Rebellion.

Connect with Gary:

• Breakthrough Play

• Instagram

• LinkedIn

• Book: Playful Rebellion

• 
  

  Resources & Links

  The Accomplishment Project Website (Substack)

• Accountability Success Circle

• Bonus: Curious about the workshop that first connected Gary and me? Watch the webinar version here.

Hi friends! I’m so excited you’re here for the very first episode of The Accomplishment Project! This project has been brewing behind the scenes for years, and today I’m sharing where it came from, what it’s about, and what you can expect going forward.

💡 What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• How writing Finding Success in Balance pushed me to burnout

• Why productivity isn’t the full picture when it comes to accomplishment

• The role of stories, experiments, and emotional honesty in this project

• The four formats I’ll be exploring in future episodes

• A real-life look at why I decided to launch a podcast (finally)
  

If you’ve ever questioned your definition of success or felt disconnected from traditional goal-setting advice, you’re in the right place.

📚 Books Referenced

• Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

• The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin

• Rejection Proof by Jia Jiang
  

🔗 Resources & Links

• 📘 Finding Success in Balance (by Apryl Zarate Schlueter)

• 🌐 The Accomplishment Project

• 🌐 Accountability Success Circle

• 🌐 The Cheerful Mind
  

🙏 A Note of Thanks

This show is supported by the Accountability Success Circle — a small but mighty community where I’ve spent the past eight years testing ideas, finding support, and exploring what meaningful accomplishment really looks like. If you’re craving encouragement and structure around your goals, come join us.

💜 Want to Support the Show?

If this episode resonated with you, here are a few ways to help:

1. Subscribe on your favorite podcast app

2. Share the episode with a friend or two

3. Sign up at theaccomplishmentproject.com to get future updates and behind-the-scenes content
   

Thanks so much for tuning in! And now that the first episode is out of the way, it's all on the up and up from here!

💜 Apryl

This isn’t your typical productivity podcast. In this short trailer, I introduce The Accomplishment Project and share what it’s all about—from honest stories to the emotional side of getting things done. It’s part pep talk, part productivity, and 100% human.

Watch the video trailer and video versions of each episode on my YouTube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@thecheerfulmind