I’ve wanted to become an author for 20 years, but life, perfectionism, and people-pleasing keeps winning. In this opening conversation I sit down with therapeutic coach Lara Rickard to name what really stops us and to declare—out loud—that I’m building my writing life in real time, mess and all.

What actually happens in this episode

• ​We unpack what’s missing from the conversation about successful author careers and why women with jobs, kids, pets, and partners often put everyone else first—and how that stalls creative goals.
• ​Lara explains embodied compassion and how it helps untangle perfectionism, procrastination, and the urge to “fix yourself before you start.”
• ​I share my pattern of struggling to commit to drafts until their done.
• ​Together we discuss the Core Quadrant model to show how our biggest character flaws actually stem from our core strength.

If you’re juggling real-life responsibilities and still aching to write, follow along as I figure it out—one honest episode at a time.

You can find Lara on instagram @lararickard_

follow mean instagram @exitplanwriter

Or email me at podcast@exitplanwriter.com and I can put your character through the Core Quadrants model

Exit Plan: Writer is a writing podcast hosted by me; Dajana Holst, an author starting from scratch and building a writing life in public. Through clever experiments in creativity, income, and mindset, you get the juicy how-to—I get the trial and error trauma. Let’s pivot together into a more intentional, independent writing life.

Thank you in advance for subscribing—it supports my unhinged life choices and gets me one step closer to never hearing the phrase “circle back” again.