FASNAE: The Mindset That Changes Everything

Pronounced faz-nay

How to stop staying stuck, start solving creatively, and train your brain to move forward—even when it’s hard.

You’re Not Stuck. You’re Just Thinking Like You Are.

We all hit roadblocks. Whether it’s in work, relationships, parenting, or personal goals, we hit moments where we say things like:

• “I don’t have time.”
• “I already tried that.”
• “But that’s not realistic.”
• “It’s just not possible right now.”

These phrases feel true. They feel justified. But they’re not the problem.

The problem is how you’re thinking about the problem.

Let me introduce you to a mindset I teach my clients, my kids, my team—and honestly, myself—every single day.

It’s called FASNAE.
It’s pronounced like faz-nay.
And it stands for: Find A Solution, Not An Excuse.

Once you get this in your bones, you’ll start seeing your own roadblocks differently—and you’ll start seeing new paths where it used to feel like there were none.

What Is FASNAE? (And Why It Changes Everything)

FASNAE isn’t about hustle or toxic positivity.
It’s not about pretending everything’s fine or pushing through at all costs.

It’s about developing the skill to look at obstacles (big AND small) with clarity, creativity, and alignment.
It’s about learning to ask a better question when the first answer feels like a dead end.

• See multiple ways to reach the same goal—not just one “right” path
• Integrate their values, preferences, and time constraints into their solutions
• Don’t look for the perfect answer—they look for the next aligned step that moves them forward

People without a FASNAE mindset often:

• See the obstacle and wait for it to be removed
• Get stuck in complaints
• Dismiss potential paths because they don’t feel like ideal circumstances

Why We Get Stuck (Even Smart, Capable People)

Here’s what I see all the time when people are trying to “figure something out”:

They come up with an idea…
…and then immediately follow it with a “But…”

• “But I don’t want to be rude.”
• “But we only have 10 minutes.”
• “But someone will say no.”
• “But I want to keep this simple.”
• “But we don’t have the budget”
• “But I can’t do that.”

Here’s what’s fascinating: Most people see those “buts” as blockers.

FASNAE thinkers see them as design inputs.

If speaking up could move things forward—but you don’t want to be rude—then speak up with kindness.

If you only have 10 minutes—then create a 10-minute version of the solution.

If you don’t have the budget for the ideal—then cut back to a good enough solution within the budget.

If you can’t do it—then ask: Who can?

Every “but” is not a barrier—it’s a boundary. The right solution should respect it.

You can think of the “buts” like bumpers in bowling.

The thought of the bumper keeps you aligned—it’s not there to stop you, it’s there to guide you back to a solution that can work. Just like bumpers guide the ball back to the pins.

That’s what FASNAE is about—finding solutions that fit who you are, how you think, and what matters to you.

When Belief Is the Missing Piece (Explained Through a Sports Analogy)

Sometimes the strategy is solid.
Sometimes the skill is there.
And yet—it’s still not happening.

If you’ve tried all the “right” things and still feel stuck, the real block might not be knowledge or effort. It might be belief.

Because FASNAE isn’t just about finding a way—it’s about believing there is a way worth finding.

When belief is missing, even the best plan won’t take hold.

But once belief clicks in, your brain starts scanning for possibility. You start to see different paths. You create new evidence. And that’s when real momentum starts.

I saw this so clearly while coaching my 12U softball team.

That’s the power of mindset.
FASNAE connects skill, strategy, and belief—so you don’t just know what to do… you actually do it.

The Real Reason “I Don’t Have Time” Keeps You Stuck

Let’s talk about the most common roadblock of all: time.

People say it every day—“I don’t have time.”

But it’s not really about time. It’s about priorities.

If I told you a bag of $1 million was waiting for you and all you had to do was pick it up in the next 30 minutes—you’d find the time.

Why? Because it’s a priority.

We all protect our time. That’s not wrong—it’s wise.

But when you find yourself constantly saying “I don’t have time,” it’s worth asking:

Is this really a priority… or am I just unclear about what matters most right now?

The key to protecting your time isn’t doing less.
It’s doing more of what’s most important to you—based on your current circumstances, values, and priorities.

It’s not about what’s important “in general” or “ideally.”
It’s not about what you think you “should” do.

It’s about what feels most aligned in this moment, given everything you know—and everything you don’t.

This is the heart of a time management mindset.

A Simple System That Changed Everything

One of the simplest things I’ve done?

I used to answer constant questions from my family about what we were doing each week. Where we were going, who had what, who needed to be where.

Every time, I would stop what I was doing, open the calendar, and think about logistics I didn’t want to deal with at that moment.

So I created a shared family calendar.

I taught everyone to use it. Even those that resisted it!

And now I just say: “Check the calendar.”

That tiny shift protects way more than time—it protects:

• Mental energy
• Focus
• The feeling of control over my day

That calendar isn’t just a time-saver—it’s one of my most effective mental energy tools since it honors how my brain works.

I switch between so many roles—mother, leader, home owner, entrepreneur, coach—and I can’t mentally shift gears on demand.

I need things written down. I need systems. That’s not a weakness—it’s wisdom.

The more you understand how you work, the easier it becomes to lighten your load.

Guilt Isn’t the Problem—Clarity Is

Another reason people stay stuck? Guilt.

You want to go to the meeting, but your kid has a game.
You want to take time for yourself, but your parent needs help.
You want to say no, but someone might be disappointed.

Here’s the truth:

Guilt usually shows up when you’re unclear about which of your top priorities to honor IN A GIVEN MOMENT.

You’re not choosing between important and unimportant.

You’re choosing between two things that really matter to you. And that’s hard.

But when you know what you value most in a given moment, considering all circumstances, the guilt shifts.
It doesn’t disappear—but it becomes manageable.
You move forward with confidence, not confusion.

You’re not selfish for honoring your truth.
You’re strategic. And human.

Reprogramming Your Brain to Think in FASNAE

Okay—so now you’ve seen what the mindset is and what’s been holding you back.

Here’s how to start building your FASNAE muscle, using my 4Rs framework:

5. Believe it’s possible. (REPROGRAM)
   Because until you believe it is, you won’t be able to find a solution that works.
   The moment you believe you can, your brain starts looking for the way. As Dan Sullivan says, “Your eyes will see and your ears will hear what your brain is looking for.”
6. Leverage AI as your thought partner! (REPROGRAM)
   Once you believe there is a way, even if you do NOT know how. Then share all you realized in steps 1-5 with an AI “partner”. Share what’s bothering you. Share the roadblocks. Share what makes you uncomfortable. Share the “buts” and the potential solutions. There is nothing like brainstorming with “someone” that wants to brainstorm, that will not get annoyed and that has the knowledge of the internet!
7. Surround yourself with others who believe in possibilities. (REPROGRAM)
   They do NOT need to know the ‘how’; they just need to share the mindset that solutions are out there. When you come together with these like-minded thinkers, creativity flows and the ‘how’ will reveal itself. This opens up your ability to REIMAGINE…

Reimagine: What Would Life Be Like If FASNAE Was Your Default?

• You stop waiting for permission—because you know aligned momentum matters more than perfect circumstances
• You stop overthinking and start acting—because you trust your decision-making clarity, especially when it comes to the “next” move.
• You make decisions with more ease—because you trust the process to evolve as you go
• You stop waiting for perfect and start creating momentum with what you have
• You turn “that’s hard” into “let’s find a way”—and it shifts the tone of everything
• You model resilience and clarity—not with words, but with the way you move through the world
• You no longer need everything to be easy—because now you know how to make it lighter
• You start attracting people who think this way too—because they want to feel lighter too
• You even teach others to think this way—your kids, your team, your community—and you feel more supported to find solutions vs excuses

Final Thought: What If This Was Just the Beginning?

If you take nothing else from this post, take this:

You’re not stuck. You’re just being invited to think differently.

That blocker IN your way?

It might actually be THE way—like bumpers that guide the bowling ball back to the pins.

The blockers are NOT the obstacle. They are the instruction. They are helping you see what to embrace to find a solution, NOT an excuse.

This post is just a glimpse of the full mindset coaching work I do with clients every day.

If this resonated with you, you’ll also love this post on my 4 R’s Framework—a method to move from misalignment to clarity, confidence, and momentum.

And who knows—maybe one day there’ll be a book. For now, we can start with a new word. A word you can share with your friends, colleagues and family. A word that will one day be in the official dictionary 🙂

Because this?
This is just the beginning.

But for now—
If this changed how you think, I’d love for you to send it to someone who’s ready to stop spiraling and start solving.

Because that’s what FASNAE people do.
They find a solution, not an excuse.