57 | Feeling Defeated Before Setting Goals? Christian Authors, Fix This First!

It's that time of the year when you're gearing up to set new goals… but instead of feeling excited, you feel defeated.

If you’re ending 2025 feeling worn out from all the effort you poured in—and still wondering why the results didn’t match the work—this episode is going to meet you right where you are.

Today, I’m sharing a moment from my own author journey when discouragement hit before I even started planning for the new year. And more importantly, the unexpected shift God brought that completely changed how I now approach my goals, my work, and my author business.

Inside this episode, you’ll hear:

🖋️ A deeper look at the real source of that “What’s the point?” feeling

🖋️ The one thing Christian authors often skip when they rush into goal-setting

🖋️ Why your effort may not be showing visible fruit yet—and what that actually means

🖋️ A fresh, faith-filled shift that can change how you step into 2026

This isn’t a pep talk or productivity lecture. It’s a heart reset—one that brings clarity, peace, and grounded direction for the year ahead.

You’ll also hear about two resources designed to help you move forward with intention:

🤔 The “What’s Keeping You Stuck?” Quiz

A quick, eye-opening diagnostic to help you pinpoint what’s blocking your breakthrough.

❤️‍🔥 The Revive to Thrive Way™

My brand-new transformational program for Christian authors, opening January 2026.

Join the waitlist for early-bird pricing and first access.

If you’re hesitant to set new goals because the weight of this past year still lingers, take a breath and press play. This episode will help you walk into the new year lighter, steadier, and with renewed direction.

👉 Listen now to uncover the secret to becoming an anointed scribe!

Transcript

I don't know about you, but if you're anything like me, you're probably thinking back over this past year thinking about how you're going to do things better in the new year.

You are setting goals, making plans, strategizing,

trying to find a better path forward.

But back In December of 2022, these thoughts took me to a pretty bad place in my career because I felt defeated before I even got to set these so called new goals.

I remember sitting at my desk, looking at my sales dashboard, my email list, my numbers, my social media analytics, and just feeling this crushing weight because the numbers told one story.

I had worked hard that year.

I'd shown up consistently. I'd launched books, I'd posted content. I'd done everything the experts told me to do.

But here's what the numbers didn't show.

I was exhausted,

burnt out. I didn't feel any closer to the vision God had given me for my author platform. And worst of all, I was drifting away from God.

In fact, I felt further away from everything than ever.

And as I started thinking about the next year, about setting new goals and making new plans,

all I could remember thinking was,

what's the point? I'm just going to work hard again and end up in the same place.

Friend, if you've been there, if you are there right now, if you're working hard, doing all the right things,

but still not seeing the results you hoped for and and you are desperate to move forward, stay with me. This is episode 57.

I'm Urcelia Teixeira, ex real estate agent turned award winning Christian fiction author.

When I wrote my first novel on a bucket list whim, I had no idea it would spark a spiritual journey that would redefine my calling.

But you know what friend? Self publishing wasn't easy. I got caught in the hustle chasing rankings and sales while desperately trying to stay rooted in Christ.

Now, by God's grace, I'm building my author business his way. And now he's called me to help you do the same.

Welcome to the Anointed Scribe Podcast where faith meets business for Christian writers. Let's write, publish and grow our author business God's way.

Are you ready? Well then, let's get started.

Hey, it's your author friend, Urcelia. And welcome to the Anointed Scribe Podcast.

If you're new here, a special welcome to you. Thanks for being here. I pray that you will find a reason to want to subscribe at the end of this episode.

And if you're a regular, thank you for coming back. I'm trusting that God is already working in your heart and author business through the insights he is sharing with you through this show.

So before we get into today's topic, I just want to quickly mention something.

I created this free quiz just for you. It's called what's keeping you stuck? And honestly, with a year wrapping up,

it feels like the perfect time to just pop, pause and take a breath and actually assess where you are at, right?

Because I think a lot of us get to December and we look back at the year thinking,

wait, I worked really, really hard, so why don't I feel further along?

So this quiz takes like two minutes and it basically helps you figure out what's exactly blocking you, what's actually keeping you stuck, what's holding you back,

so to speak.

Whether it's exhaustion or comparison, confusion about what you've even building,

where to go, the direction, it gives you some clarity on what's really going on.

And honestly, the results might surprise you because sometimes what we think is the problem isn't actually the root issue at all.

So if you're feeling stuck right now or you're just ready for some honest clarity before we head into the new year, definitely take the quiz. I'll pop the link in the show notes for you.

But here's the thing, and this is what we are diving into today.

What to do when you are feeling you are working hard but you are still not seeing results.

And you have to set new goals and somehow find your way forward.

Because I know a lot of you are in this spot right now.

You've put in the work,

you've been consistent, you've done the things but the results you hoped for, they just not there, right?

And with a new year approaching, you are feeling more pressure. You are facing this tension between wanting to set the goals and strategize and,

you know, do all the right things and go into the new year with fresh new perspective and strategies. But you're feeling defeated before you even start, right?

So let's talk about this. Let's really, really dig into this.

First, I want to address something that I think we all need to hear.

Hard work doesn't guarantee immediate results and that's not a failure on your part.

We live in a world that promises instant everything, instant results,

instant success,

instant gratification.

And the author world is no different, friend.

We see authors who seem to blow up overnight,

who launch bestseller lists, who build platforms in what looks like record time.

But here's what we don't see. The years of work that came before the failures, the seasons of planting with no visible harvest.

In Galatians 6. 9 and you know this verse, Paul writes, let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

And of course, one of the key points in this verse is at the proper time,

not our time,

not when we think we should see results at the proper time.

And I think that's one of the hardest things about this author journey. Because we can do everything right.

We can write great books,

build our platforms, show up consistently, and still not see the results we expected when we expected them.

But that doesn't mean the work isn't working.

It just means we might not be seeing the fruit yet.

There's a difference between work that's ineffective and work that's still germinating beneath the surface.

So let's get practical.

If you're working hard but not seeing results,

here are some possibilities to consider.

Number one.

You're measuring the wrong things.

This is huge.

Sometimes we are so focused on one metric,

sales numbers, follower counts,

email lists, reviews that we miss the real fruit that's growing.

Maybe your sales haven't exploded, but readers are emailing you about your book and how it changed their life.

That's fruit.

Maybe your list isn't growing as fast as you'd like, but the people on it are deeply engaged.

That's fruit.

Maybe you're not hitting best seller lists, but you're growing in your craft, in your faithfulness, in your obedience to your calling.

That's fruit.

So ask yourself, am I measuring what actually matters, or am I measuring what the world tells me should matter?

2. You're in a season of preparation,

not promotion.

This took me a very long time to figure out, but not every season is a harvest season. It can't be.

Some seasons are for planting,

some are for tending,

some are for pruning, and some.

Some are just for waiting.

In John 15, Jesus talks about the vine and the branches, right? And he says something really interesting. He says, every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.

Pruning doesn't feel like growth.

It feels like loss. I get it. It feels like a setback. But pruning is preparation for greater fruitfulness.

Maybe you're not seeing results right now because God is preparing you for something bigger.

Maybe he's pruning what needs to go so that what remains can flourish.

Number three.

You are planting in the wrong soil. This one is a Hard one to hear, but sometimes we are working really hard on strategies or platforms or approaches that just aren't the right fit for us or what God is calling us to build.

Maybe you're trying to do what everyone else is doing, but God's giving you a different blueprint.

Maybe you're building on a platform that doesn't actually serve your readers or your calling.

Maybe you're chasing someone else's definition of success instead of God's definition of success.

It's worth asking,

is what I'm building actually aligned with what God has called me to build,

or am I just following the crowd?

Number four, you're exhausted and need rest, not more hustle.

Here's something we don't talk enough about. I think sometimes the reason we are not seeing results is because we are simply burnt out. We are running on empty, and no amount of strategy or effort can compensate for depleted energy and creativity and an empty spiritual well.

God designed us with rhythms of work and rest.

We see it in creation. Six days of work, one day of rest.

We see it in the fields, planting, seasons, fallow seasons.

Maybe what you need right now isn't a new strategy. Maybe it's a Sabbath. Maybe it's rest.

Maybe it's permission to rest without guilt.

Because here's the truth.

Sustainable fruitfulness requires rest.

So what do you actually do when you're working hard but not seeing results?

First,

assess honestly.

Take some time. Like really take time to look at what you've been doing. It's the perfect time to do it now, over the Christmas season.

Ask yourself, what am I measuring?

Is that the right metric?

Where am I spending my energy?

Is that where God wants me to focus?

Am I trying to do too much or the wrong things?

Am I rested or am I running on fumes?

Get honest with yourself and get honest with God about where you actually are.

Secondly, turn over the timeline.

This is where faith comes in, friend. You have to release your grip on when you think things should happen and trust God's timing.

That does not mean you stop working. It means you stop tying your worth and your faithfulness to outcomes you simply can't control.

Proverbs 16:3 says, Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.

So commit the work.

Trust God with the results.

Third, adjust where needed. If something genuinely isn't working,

if you've given it time, you've been faithful, and it's clear that it isn't the right path, it's okay to pivot. I pivoted. It's okay to pivot, you will survive.

Faithfulness doesn't mean stubbornly sticking with something that God's clearly redirecting you away from.

Ask God what needs to change,

what needs to stay,

what needs to go,

and then have the courage to make those adjustments.

Fourth, keep showing up even when you can't see the fruit yet. Keep doing the work God's called you to do. Keep writing.

Keep serving your readers. Keep being faithful in the small things.

Because here's what I know to be true.

God honours faithfulness.

Maybe not on our timeline, maybe not in the way we expected,

but he does honour it.

And the work you are doing right now,

even if you can't see the results yet, it matters. It's not wasted. It's not pointless.

You are planting seeds that will bear fruit in the proper time.

Friend, I know this is a hard season. For a lot of you, December can feel heavy when you're looking back at a year of hard work and wondering why you're not further along.

But I want you to hear this. You are not failing. Don't believe the devil's lies to think that you're a failure. You are not behind the work you've done and the work you are going to do.

It matters.

Maybe you just need to adjust your metrics.

Maybe you just need rest.

Maybe you need to pivot.

Maybe you just need to keep faithfully showing up and trust God with a timeline.

Maybe you just need to pause and wait.

Whatever it is, don't give up.

Don't let discouragement steal your calling.

Now, if you're sitting there thinking, okay, great, this is helpful, but I still feel stuck and I don't know exactly what needs to change. I know something has to change, but I have no idea what needs to change.

Friend, I have a couple of resources that might actually help you.

First, I created the free quiz I mentioned earlier for precisely this reason.

It takes two minutes and it helps you identify your specific stuck pattern.

It helps you zoom out to hone in, if you know what I mean. Because sometimes just naming what you're dealing with brings clarity.

So I highly recommend you take the free quiz. The link is in the show notes.

Second,

if you are realizing you need more than just surface level adjustments,

if you're feeling like something foundational needs to change,

there's only one way to lasting breakthrough, friend,

and it's rooted in my brand new program called The Revive to Thrive Way™.

I promise it will completely transform you and your author business.

I know because I'm living proof of it. What's in this program is exactly the steps I took to get from where I was to where I am now.

So if you want to go deeper and get lasting breakthrough, I'm opening enrollment for The Revive to Thrive Way™ in January 2026.

I'm so excited about it and truth be told,

as I was creating the content for it, I was just in awe of God. I was just reminded of where I was and where I am now after I did exactly what I'm now going to teach you in this program.

And I'd love to see you thrive too.

I have a wait list where you can learn more if you sign up. You'll also get early bird pricing when enrollment opens.

That link to get onto the waitlist is also in the show notes.

But here's the thing friend. Whether you take the quiz,

whether you join the Revive to Thrive Way™ wait list,

or just take what we talked about today and go pray about it, my hope is that you are walking away from this episode today feeling encouraged and ready to set new goals for the New year.

I know God hears your prayers.

I know God sees your faithfulness and that the work you are doing is not wasted. But I also know that God keeps His promises and that no matter what,

his plan for your life will prevail.

The question is,

are you going to keep doing this on your own or will you let him show you the open door that no man can shut?

Friend, before I let you go, I want you to use the Send me a message link in the show notes and let me know where you need God to show up for you today so I can pray for you.

It's 100% anonymous. I can't see your name or your email or your phone number. I can't even reply to you. But I can read your request and I can pray for you.

So I encourage you to use this feature to send me a private message to to let me know what you are struggling with right now so we can come together and take this to the Lord in prayer.

And if you found today's episode helpful, please consider subscribing and leaving a review.

You know firsthand the impact this has on discovery. So please help me get this show into more listeners ears. I have a mission and I cannot do it without you.

Oh and if you want more tips outside of the show, see sign up to my monthly 5 minute manna emails. The link is in the show notes. Okay, so that's it for today's show.

Thank you for listening. And remember, for such a time as this,

you have been called to thrive as God's anointed scribe.