Live Brave with Dr Margie Warrell: Recent Episodes
Dr Margie Warrell
Are you living your bravest life? In today’s fearful world, living bravely has become indispensable for living well.
Join best-selling author Dr Margie Warrell as she shares practical wisdom and empowering conversations with world-renowned thought leaders such as Marianne Williamson, Steve Forbes, Sri Sri Ravi Shanker and Tal Ben-Shahar that get to the heart of what holds us back.
This podcast will inspire you to master fear, reframe failure and find the courage to step fully into your own power to enjoy greater success and fulfillment in your work, relationships and life.
Want to be a change-maker but too often doubt if you can? Listen, dare, then do.
For a long time, leadership was measured by how well we could perform under pressure, stay composed, and keep pushing through. But in a world that feels more chaotic, divided, and emotionally depleted than ever, I believe that model is breaking down. In this episode, I sit down with Amy Elizabeth Fox, CEO and co-founder of Mobius Executive Leadership and co-author with Nicholas Janni, of Leading in Chaos to explore why the inner life of a leader matters more now than ever.
Amy shares what years of working with senior leaders have taught her about unresolved childhood wounds, emotional numbing, trauma, and the survival strategies that can quietly shape how we lead, relate, and make decisions. We talk about the insecure overachiever, the cost of carrying uncried tears, and why healing is not separate from leadership, but central to it.
This conversation is an invitation to make peace with your past, extend more grace to yourself and others, and lead with more courage, wholeness, and emotional honesty. Because the old operating system of command and control is no longer enough. A braver, wiser, more humane kind of leadership is being asked of all of us.
The Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Mobius Executive Leadership Amy Elizabeth Fox, MA, is a leading expert in vertical development, transformational change and trauma informed consulting. Since 2005 she has led immersive executive leadership programs around the world and served as a pioneer in introducing healing into the field of organizational development.
Get Leading in Chaos: https://amyelizabethfox.com/new-book-publication/
Do you ever feel like you're off track, falling behind, or failing at this wild mystery tour we call life? The difficulties. The detours. The closed doors. The doubts and dreams that didn't survive contact with reality. The idealized "got it all together" version of yourself you thought you'd be by now… but clearly aren't.
Let's face it: we're living in a time loaded with uncertainty — where plans feel fragile, the future impossible to read, and for many people, the gap between the life they have and the life they hoped for has never felt wider.
So we do what humans do. We resist. We rail. We replay. We try to control the uncontrollable. And without meaning to, we add to our own suffering.
Here's the paradox: it's through accepting that life is hard that it becomes less hard. Not giving up — but embracing life just as it is, with all its messiness and unanswered questions, so we can stop expending precious energy fighting what is and start finding what's possible within it. Because the struggle you're resisting right now holds something you haven't found yet. Purpose often lives not in the life we planned, but in what we do with the one we have.
In this final solo episode of the series, I share five liberating truths — hard-won, not borrowed — to help you make peace with your problems and your path, and in doing so, live more purposefully within it. From the weight of self-doubt, to the labels that keep us small, to what it really means to be both more ambitious and more compassionate with yourself.
Where you are right now is not the end of your story. It's part of how you're being shaped for it.
The Courage Gap — Available on Amazon + independent bookstores https://margiewarrell.com/thecouragegap/
- The LinkedIn Course https://www.linkedin.com/learning/activating-courage-transform-discomfort-into-bold-confident-action
"I feel too encouraged," — said no one. Ever. Yet countless people are burdened with self-doubt. Which is why a few well-timed words of encouragement can make a profound difference. Encouragement isn't soft. It's a superpower - and research backs it up. In this episode, I explore why encouragement is like verbal sunshine and why giving it generously doesn't just lift the person receiving it, it transforms the person offering it too. I share the story of a new mother who nearly turned down the career opportunity of a lifetime until one phone call changed her mind, why one of America’s greatest CEO’s made encouragement a core leadership practice, and how speaking into who someone ‘can be’ - rather than their present fear - can help them close the gap between where they are and where they're capable of going. If you want to be the kind of person others want to work with, work for, or just have more of in their life, this episode will remind you that you hold more power to impact others than you may sometimes think.
The Courage Gap — Available on Amazon + independent bookstores https://www.amazon.com/Courage-Gap-Steps-Braver-Action/dp/1523007249
The LinkedIn Course https://www.linkedin.com/learning/activating-courage-transform-discomfort-into-bold-confident-action
We are not living through a period of change in higher education. We are living through a change of era — and while educational leaders see it coming, centuries of tradition run deep, anchoring them in place at the very moment bold action has never mattered more.
As generative AI rewrites the rules of the workforce at breathtaking speed, a degree alone is no longer enough. The question facing every university leader today isn't whether disruption is coming - it's whether they'll have the courage to lead it, or be flattened by it.
Sharon Pickering, Vice-Chancellor of Monash University - one of the world's top 50 and Australia's largest, with a growing global footprint - has the courage to say what others won't: the old educational models are broken, complacency is a slow death sentence, and imitation is the fastest route to irrelevance.
In this conversation, Sharon makes the case for what higher education must become - and why getting there demands institutions to disrupt themselves and dare to reinvent education for the 21st century. We explore what it really means to equip today's young learners for a world being remade in real time, why distinctiveness is a survival strategy and not a branding exercise, and why Monash's founding mission of social and technological transformation has never felt more urgent.
If you care about the future of education, the leaders we're shaping, or what it takes to turn a bold vision into reality, this one's for you.
The Courage Gap — Available on Amazon + independent bookstores https://www.amazon.com/Courage-Gap-Steps-Braver-Action/dp/1523007249
- The LinkedIn Course https://www.linkedin.com/learning/activating-courage-transform-discomfort-into-bold-confident-action
We live in a world that constantly invites comparison. Every time we pick up our devices, our newsfeeds flood us with curated images, updates, and highlights from everyone else’s lives. It’s designed to capture our attention—but all too often, it leaves us feeling “less than,” stoking insecurity and fueling endless comparisons.
Comparison is human. Decades of research show it’s part of how we navigate the world. But when we measure our insides against other people’s outsides, or our weaknesses against their strengths, it drains our creativity, our energy, and our focus.It also shortchanges everyone else of what we might otherwise bring to the world (much less ourselves!)
I’ve been there—more times than I care to admit. But over time, I’ve learned something powerful: no one else has your unique combination of talents, experiences, opportunities, passions, and hard-won wisdom. No one is positioned to make the impact you can make, right where you are.
Your race. Your lane. Your pace. It’s time to stop scrolling, stop comparing, and start running your own best race.
- Stop letting comparison steal your confidence. Learn how to bravely run your own race and close the gap between your doubts and your potential. The Courage Gap — Available on Amazon + independent bookstores https://www.amazon.com/Courage-Gap-Steps-Braver-Action/dp/1523007249
- The LinkedIn Course https://www.linkedin.com/learning/activating-courage-transform-discomfort-into-bold-confident-action
What kind of world would we be living in if those in power weren’t leading from unhealed wounds?
Raj Sisodia, co-author of Healing Leaders Now, joins me on the Live Brave Podcast to explore the profound connection between personal healing and leadership impact. Whether we realize it or not, what we have not healed within ourselves shapes the way we lead, influence, decide, and connect.
Unresolved trauma does not stay private. It gets amplified.
Raj shares his deeply personal journey of what he calls his “year of conscious awakening,” a period that included silent retreats, spiritual journeys, coaching, and confronting buried wounds he didn’t even know were there. That inner work reshaped not only his life but his philosophy of leadership.
We explore why minimizing our wounds keeps us stuck, how unconscious patterns derail even the most senior leaders, and why healing is not self-indulgent; it is a leadership responsibility.
Resources:
Read my latest book, The Courage Gap: https://margiewarrell.com/thecouragegap/
Transform discomfort into bold, confident action: The LinkedIn Course https://www.linkedin.com/learning/activating-courage-transform-discomfort-into-bold-confident-action
About Raj Sisodia
Described as an “Intellectual Shaman” in a book with that title, Raj Sisodia has been on a mission to bring caring, humanity, and healing to business and capitalism since the 2007 publication of his groundbreaking book Firms of Endearment: How World Class Companies Profit from Passion and Purpose. A founding member and Chairman Emeritus of the Conscious Capitalism movement
Raj is co-author of the New York Times bestseller Conscious Capitalism (2013) and Wall Street Journal bestseller Everybody Matters (2015)
Book: Healing Leaders 7 Steps to Recovery of Self
Website: https://rajsisodia.com/
Disappointment hurts. It arrives when what we hoped for collides with what actually happened—when people fall short, plans unravel, or a future we were counting on quietly disappears. And yet, disappointment isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s evidence of care.
In this episode, I explore the anatomy of disappointment—why it cuts so deeply, especially when it involves people we trusted or outcomes we were attached to. She unpacks how our expectations, often unexamined, intensify our pain—and how learning to hold hope without gripping too tightly can help us move forward with a wiser heart, not a closed one.
You’ll learned why disappointment with people so often hurts more than disappointment with events, how unrealistic expectations quietly set us up for heartbreak, and how to look inward with honesty without self-blame. Margie draws a crucial distinction between optimism and attachment, trust and naivety —offering language and insight for moments when trust has been shaken or broken.
This is not about lowering your standards or giving up on people or life. It’s about growing wiser without losing compassion. Guarding your heart without hardening it, transforming disappointment into refining discernment rather than diminishing hope.
Because while disappointment will visit us all, it doesn’t get the final word.
In this episode, I will help you trust that the dots connect backward, and that sometimes the disappointments we think are ruining our path are actually revealing it.
Resources:
Read my latest book, The Courage Gap: https://margiewarrell.com/thecouragegap/
Transform discomfort into bold, confident action: The LinkedIn Course https://www.linkedin.com/learning/activating-courage-transform-discomfort-into-bold-confident-action
Our identity - as people and leaders - isn’t forged in one defining moment. It’s built over time, through small choices that test our values long before the stakes feel high. In this conversation with JoAnne S. Bass, the first Asian American and first female to serve as Chief Master Sergeant of the United States Air Force where she was responsible for nearly 800,000 serviceman, we discuss how practicing courage in small ways early in our careers expands our capacity to exercise courage in big ways when the stakes are greater as our careers progress and influence grows.
JoAnne shares her journey from trying to blend in early in her career to embracing her identity as a leadership strength, even when it risked disapproval. We talk about the decisions that strengthened her integrity and why values matter more than certainty. If you’ve ever hesitated to speak up or wondered what leadership is asking you to grow into, this episode invites a more honest look at the moments shaping you now.
Get my book The Courage Gap: https://margiewarrell.com/thecouragegap/
Transform discomfort into bold, confident action: The LinkedIn Course https://www.linkedin.com/learning/activating-courage-transform-discomfort-into-bold-confident-action
About Chief Master Sgt. JoAnne S. Bass
Joanne Bass made history in 2020 when she became the 19th Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force—the first woman to serve as the highest-ranking enlisted leader in any branch of the U.S. military responsible for over 780,000 servicemen and women. Her appointment marked a transformative moment for the armed forces and for leadership at large. Over her 31-year career, she has been a relentless trailblazer. Today, she advises organizations, serves on nonprofit boards, and speaks globally on leadership, culture, and service.
JoAnne S. Bass on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-bass/
Like it or not, change is coming. The question is: will you participate in it consciously, or spend your energy resisting what's already in motion?
Whether change arrives as a disruption you didn't choose or as a quiet whisper you can't ignore, both ask the same thing of you—let go of what's familiar. And that can shake your sense of who you are. Who are you without the roles, routines, or identities that have defined you up until now?
My recent trip to Egypt reminded me that even the most enduring structures don't stay the same. The pyramids are still standing, but they've been shaped by thousands of years of weather, time, and human touch. Part of us craves permanence and certainty. Another part of us is always being invited to grow, evolve, and step forward. That tension lives in all of us—especially when we're standing at a threshold.
In this episode, I share three practical ways to move through change with more courage and emotional clarity:
- How naming what you're resisting actually loosens its grip
- Why fear of loss drives more resistance than fear of change itself
- Why discomfort isn't a warning sign—it's an invitation to grow into a bigger version of yourself
Change might feel threatening, but it also carries the seeds of renewal, resilience, and deeper alignment with who you're becoming.
Join me for the Courage Is Calling Reset Retreat: https://www.meawisdom.com/workshop/courage-is-calling-reset-on-your-bravest-path/
Get my book The Courage Gap: https://margiewarrell.com/thecouragegap/
"There's a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in." A line from Leonard Cohen's 1992 song Anthem that feels especially true when purpose starts to feel unclear.
So many people hit a point where the clarity they once had around their purpose begins to crack. What felt certain starts to crumble, and it's easy to think you've somehow lost your way or that something's gone wrong with you.
But here's what takes courage to see: those cracks aren't signs of failure. They're often where purpose gets to re-form itself—not through figuring it all out alone in your head, but through honest conversation, real reflection, and the brave souls willing to walk the uncertain path alongside you.
In this Live Brave podcast episode, I sit down with Richard Leider—whose bestselling book The Power of Purpose, now in its 4th Edition - to explore why disillusionment might actually be an invitation. Not to give up on purpose, but to let it evolve into something truer and more alive.
Join me in February for the Courage Is Calling Reset Retreat: https://www.meawisdom.com/workshop/courage-is-calling-reset-on-your-bravest-path/
✉️ Stay connected https://margiewarrell.com/newsletter/
About Richard Leider
Richard Leider, founder of Inventure – The Purpose Company, is one of America’s preeminent executive-life coaches. He is ranked by Forbes as one of the “Top 5” most respected executive coaches, and by the Conference Board as a “legend in coaching.” Richard has written twelve books, including three best sellers, which have sold over one million copies and have been translated into 20 languages. The Power of Purpose (4th edition) is considered a classic in the personal growth field.
Get Richard’s books
Learn more about Richard.
Website: https://richardleider.com/
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardjleider/
What happens when trust in leaders and institutions breaks down? In this episode, I'm joined by journalist and speaker Mariana Atencio, who grew up in Venezuela and witnessed firsthand what happens when trust slowly erodes across government, media, and social systems. That lived experience reshaped her understanding of courage, purpose, and self-trust. Her story isn't just about politics. It's about what we can all learn when certainty disappears and fear starts shaping decisions.
We explore why self-trust is foundational to great leadership, how personal adversity can clarify purpose, and why authenticity is so vital in a fractured and polarized world. Mariana shares her concept of a "signal audit" to help leaders stay grounded when external validation falls away, and the power of giving ourselves permission to be imperfect to lead with greater courage and humanity. This conversation is an invitation to trust yourself more deeply and to lead bravely, even when the ground feels unsteady.
Sign up for Mariana's Substack, PERMISSION TO BE by Mariana Atencio:
https://substack.com/@marianaatencio?r=56ynk2&utm_medium=Click
About Mariana Atencio
Mariana Atencio is a Peabody Award-winning Venezuelan American journalist,
bestselling author, and keynote speaker who helps leaders build trust and lead high-
performing teams in times of change. A former Univision anchor and NBC News
correspondent, she reported for over a decade from high-stakes environments where
truth is tested and courage is essential. Mariana also teaches executive
communication—helping professionals speak with clarity and confidence when it
matters most. Her TEDx talk "What makes YOU special?" has over 25 million views.
She writes PERMISSION TO BE by Mariana Atencio on Substack—an honest,
practical space for anyone ready to give themselves permission to speak, lead, and be
fully themselves.
Join me in February for the Courage Is Calling Reset Retreat: https://www.meawisdom.com/workshop/courage-is-calling-reset-on-your-bravest-path/
✉️ Stay connected https://margiewarrell.com/newsletter/
Leadership today is more complex, faster-paced, and more uncertain than ever before, and I see how that's leaving many capable leaders stuck between playing to win and playing not to lose. In this episode of the Live Brave Podcast, I'm joined by Alan Guarino, who I worked alongside for many years, and together we reflect on what modern leadership truly demands when clarity is elusive and the stakes feel higher.
Drawing on decades of advising senior leaders and insights from his new book Greatness Code, Alan shares a practical framework for sustained success built on social capital and five essential qualities: stamina, courage, resilience, persistence, and passion. Together, we explore how leaders can redefine success beyond titles, prepare for life after peak roles, and build leadership capacity that lasts across an entire career.
This conversation offers a grounded look at leadership as a long game, shaped by character, relationships, and the choices we make when certainty isn't guaranteed.
Alan's book: Greatness Code
Alan Guarino is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Class of 1982. His father immigrated to the United States in the 1920's, and then left school after the eighth grade, Alan was raised by working class parents to value service, and strive to achieve. Like many Baby Boomers, he has lived the American Dream—rising from humble beginnings to become a trusted advisor to global leaders.
Over the course of his career, Alan has advised and recruited hundreds of top executives—guiding careers, transforming boards, and helping organizations around the world execute their strategies.
Join me in February for the Courage Is Calling Reset Retreat: https://www.meawisdom.com/workshop/courage-is-calling-reset-on-your-bravest-path/
✉️ Stay connected https://margiewarrell.com/newsletter/
So often we tell ourselves that growth will come once we feel more confident, more prepared, or more certain. But what I've learned, through my own life and through conversations like this one, is that growth usually begins much earlier than that.
I sit down with Lisa Nichols to explore what happens when we stop waiting and start saying yes. Yes to what's already within us. Yes to the next step, even when it feels unfamiliar. And yes, to using our gifts, rather than focusing on what we think we lack.
Lisa shares the deeply personal story behind her book Something Extra, inspired by her daughter Allie, and how that journey reshaped the way she thinks about courage, leadership, and possibility. Together, we talk about comparison and how easily it pulls us off course, the quiet ways we hold ourselves back, and why stepping forward before we feel ready is often the very thing that changes us.
This conversation is an invitation to notice where you might be sitting on the sidelines of your own life and to consider what could shift if you simply said yes and stepped in.
My question for you:
Where are you being invited to say yes right now, even if a part of you would rather wait until you feel more ready?
Get Lisa's book Something Extra: https://somethingextrabook.com/
Join me in February for the Courage Is Calling Reset Retreat: https://www.meawisdom.com/workshop/courage-is-calling-reset-on-your-bravest-path/
✉️ Stay connected https://margiewarrell.com/newsletter/
Your personal brand is shaped by the stories you tell and the truths you hide. And when those stories come from fear, self-protection, or old narratives, they quietly limit your confidence, visibility, and leadership presence. In this conversation with personal branding expert Goldie Chan, I explore what happens when you stop shrinking your story and begin showing up with more honesty, courage, and authenticity. We talk about how personal branding really works, how to protect your energy in a digital world, and how evolving your narrative helps you step forward as the leader you are becoming.
On this episode, we explore:
- How your personal brand is shaped by your inner stories
- Why hiding your story limits confidence and visibility
- What authentic personal branding looks like in real life
- The role of community in strengthening your courage
- Practical shifts for showing up bravely online and at work
Join me in February for the Courage Is Calling Reset Retreat
• The Courage Gap — Available on Amazon + independent bookstores
•LinkedIn Learning Course: https://www.linkedin.com/learning/activating-courage-transform-discomfort-into-bold-confident-action
✉️ Stay connected Www.margiewarrell.com/newsletter
▶️ Watch the Live Brave Podcast on YouTube
@margiewarrell https://www.youtube.com/@margiewarrell
Goldie Chan is a keynote speaker, author, advisor and cancer survivor. Goldie founded Warm Robots, an award-winning social media strategy and creative agency based in Los Angeles with global clients.
Get Goldie's book: Personal Branding for Introverts
Follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goldiecylon/
How often do you put off the very thing you most need to do because it will feel awkward?
You hold back from asking, saying, or doing what matters, not because it's wrong, but because it feels uncomfortable.
In this episode, I explore why awkwardness is not a sign you're failing. It is often evidence that you're choosing your values over comfort. Confidence does not come before action. It follows it. Courage is not about eliminating discomfort or waiting until you feel ready. It is about acting in alignment with who you want to be, even when your nervous system would prefer you play it safe.
Avoiding awkwardness does not make life safer. It makes it smaller and quietly sells you short. Every time you decide to brave an uncomfortable moment, you cast a vote for the person you are becoming and strengthen your capacity to lead with integrity, clarity, and influence.
Episode Takeaways
- Avoiding awkward situations limits personal growth and leadership potential.
Putting off uncomfortable conversations, requests, or actions keeps you stuck in patterns that feel safe but prevent progress. - Awkwardness is a signal of values-aligned action, not failure.
Feeling uncomfortable often means you are choosing integrity and long-term impact over short-term comfort. - Confidence is built through action, not before it.
Waiting to feel ready or confident delays growth. Taking small courageous actions rewires the brain and builds self-trust over time. - The brain is wired to favor comfort and certainty.
Understanding this helps explain why hesitation shows up even when you know what the right next step is. - Leadership requires choosing values over emotional discomfort.
Effective leaders act based on who they want to be, not how they feel at the moment. - Repeated courageous behavior strengthens confidence and credibility. Neuroscience shows that practicing bravery makes future courageous actions easier and more natural.
Resources
Courage is Calling: Reset Your Bravest Path
Transform discomfort into bold, confident action: The LinkedIn Course
✉️ Stay connected Www.margiewarrell.com/newsletter
▶️ Watch the Live Brave Podcast on YouTube @margiewarrell
Fear shapes our lives in ways we often don't recognize. It colors our decisions, narrows our vision, and quietly convinces us to play smaller than we're meant to. Yet fear can also become the catalyst that strengthens our character and deepens our courage — if we're willing to meet it with honesty and self-leadership.
In this conversation, bestselling author and CEO Mick Hunt shares how early adversity shaped the leader he became, and how emotional intelligence, integrity, and self-leadership helped him transform fear into purpose. He opens up about the promise he made at ten years old, the hard decisions that tested his character, and the mindset that anchors him in moments of uncertainty.
We explore what it truly means to lead yourself first — from regulating your emotions and making values-aligned decisions to navigating tough conversations and staying grounded in a world that feels increasingly polarized. If you're working through self-doubt, stepping into bigger responsibilities, or wanting to strengthen your confidence from the inside out, this episode offers a steady, practical toolkit for building courage that lasts.
Books mentioned
• The Courage Gap — Available on Amazon + independent bookstores
• Viktor Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning
•LinkedIn Learning Course: https://www.linkedin.com/learning/activating-courage-transform-discomfort-into-bold-confident-action
✉️ Stay connected Www.margiewarrell.com/newsletter
▶️ Watch the Live Brave Podcast on YouTube
@margiewarrell https://www.youtube.com/@margiewarrell
Learn more about Mick Hunt
He is a multiple-time Forbes Business and Coaches Council Member, a trusted advisor to executives and entrepreneurs, and the host of the Mick Unplugged Podcast a global platform where he sits down with influential leaders to unpack the principles behind success, resilience
Follow Mick: https://www.instagram.com/mickunplugged/
Listen to Mick Unplugged Podcast https://mickhuntofficial.com/podcast/
Small daily actions shape our lives far more than big resolutions. Every courageous change I've ever made began with one simple choice — a choice to show up a little braver than I felt like being at the moment. In a world that constantly pushes us to "Go Big," I've learned that our greatest growth doesn't come from big, lofty actions but from the small, intentional acts we repeat every day.
In this episode, I talk about how identity drives behavior, why momentum matters more than motivation, and how small daily wins slowly rewire our brains and expand our capacity to do bigger things over time. I share the moments when I doubted my path, the choices that helped me reclaim agency in difficult seasons, and the practical tools I rely on — including my favorite "One Brave Minute" practice — to stay grounded when life feels shaky or overwhelming.
If you're navigating uncertainty, needing a 'reset' or just trying to become the person you know you're capable of being, this episode will help you begin right where you are… one choice, one action, at a time. Each small step, no matter how tiny, casts a vote for the person you're on the way to becoming.
Episode Takeaways:
- Small daily actions create lasting change more reliably than big resolutions or dramatic resets.
- Courage is built through repeated micro-choices, not bold leaps or perfect timing.
- Identity drives behavior; choosing who you want to be clarifies what action to take next.
- Momentum matters more than motivation, especially during seasons of doubt or overwhelm.
- Small wins release dopamine that reinforces confidence and expands capacity over time.
- Agency is reclaimed by focusing on what you can control, even in difficult circumstances.
- The "One Brave Minute" practice lowers resistance and makes hard things feel doable.
- Each small action casts a vote for the person you are becoming.
Read: The Courage Gap
Join me in February for the Courage Is Calling Reset Retreat
*▶️ Watch the Live Brave Podcast on YouTube
@margiewarrell*
**✉️ Stay connected Www.margiewarrell.com/newsletter****
Fear often shapes our choices long before we notice it, nudging us toward safety instead of growth. In this new Courage Works series on the Live Brave Podcast, I unpack how hidden threat biases and self-protective scripts quietly limit our confidence, decision-making, and potential. I explore how fear becomes ambient in an uncertain world, and why it so often trades our potential for false security. Drawing on my work with leaders at Google, Amazon, and NASA, I share why courage is a learnable daily practice and the meta skill we all need to lead and live with greater clarity and impact.
My hope is that this episode helps you recognize where fear is shaping your choices and gives you a clearer path to acting with more intention, integrity, and bravery.
On This Episode * Why fear becomes ambient and shapes daily decisions without our awareness * How internal scripts keep us playing small and undermine confidence * Why avoidance creates less security, not more * Courage as a learnable and scalable skill for work and life * How bold action aligns you with your deepest values * A reflection prompt to notice where fear may be holding you back
Resources
Order My Book: The Courage Gap
Retreat, Modern Elder Academy, Feb 2026
Join the Live bravely newsletter: Www.margiewarrell.com/newsletter
New Course: LinkedIn learning Course
What if the real cost of playing it safe isn't what you miss today—it's who you never become tomorrow?
Your brain treats your future self like a stranger—and that's why you keep choosing comfort over courage. In this episode, I explore the neuroscience behind this disconnect and why it leads us to make decisions our future selves will regret. You'll discover why prioritizing what feels safer today is actually the riskiest choice you can make.
I share Richard Branson's advice that inspired my climb up Mt. Kilimanjaro (with my four kids!) and why you need to risk more "worthy failure" - the kind you'll never regret. If you're ready to start making braver choices you'll never regret, this one is for you.
In this episode:
- Why your brain treats your future self like a stranger—and how to change it
- The Timidity Tax: the invisible cost of letting fear make decisions
- How to build empathy for the person you are yet to become
- What worthy failure means—and why your future self will thank you for it
Related Links & Resources
- Read The Courage Gap
- Free Webinar: Nov 25, 2025 Close Your Courage Gap
- Retreat: Courage is Calling — Feb 15-19 2026 with Modern Elder Academy
- LinkedIn article: "Don't Betray Your Future Self — Bet on Them"
- Read my Kilimanjaro story: "What's Your Kilimanjaro?"
We’ve all had those moments of hesitation—“Do I speak up or stay quiet? Do I make the change or stick with the familiar?” Too often, fear of feeling awkward, exposed, or foolish keeps us playing it safe. Yet the awkward moments we try hardest to avoid aren’t obstacles—they’re the very gateways to the growth, opportunities, connection and confidence we desire the most.
In this episode, I share why my response to the “Pool Guest” (Ep 127) turned out to be wiser than I first thought—and why it matters. Because the more we practice braving the awkward in everyday moments, the more courage we build to back ourselves in the bigger ones that can truly change the trajectory of our work, relationships, and life.
Ultimately, awkward isn’t the obstacle, it’s the opening. I hope this episode gives you the nudge you need to risk the awkward moment your biggest future is riding on
Courage is Calling Retreat: Modern Elders Academy, Santa Fe, February 2026
Warning: This episode may not be your cup of tea if you’d rather not hear about nudity (or Oprah… or Jill Biden). Why? Because it starts with a wild and wacky story ripped straight from my morning. It might make you laugh, raise your eyebrows, and—hopefully—not judge me too harshly for failing to walk my own talk and say, “Could you please put your clothes on?”
Let’s face it: if our deeply ingrained patterns didn’t sometimes win out, there’d be no need for courage.
As I share in this episode, to be human is to be flawed, fallible, and to fail. But growth comes not from getting it right all the time—it comes from not missing the learning when we don’t.
In reflecting on my own recent lapse of courage, I’m reminded that some of our greatest treasures come from the times we trip up and fall short of showing up as the person we most want to be.
Read my blog on this experience at www.margiewarrell.com and drop a comment! I'd love to hear your thoughts.
- Order The Courage Gap
In this episode, I sit down with Alex Pease, a former Navy SEAL whose extraordinary story—both heart-wrenching and deeply inspiring —threads through The Courage Gap. Alex’s journey reveals the truest measure of courage: the willingness to embrace vulnerability and give ourselves grace.
We dive into the universal need to belong, the power of authentic leadership, and why forgiving our failures is essential—not just for healing the past, but for unlocking our future.
If you’ve ever resisted lowering your guard, struggled to make peace with your past, or wished for the courage you admire in others, this conversation is for you. Alex’s insights will challenge, inspire, and remind you that true strength—and the most meaningful connections—come from facing our fears and the parts of ourselves we might otherwise want to hide.
Compelling listening for anyone ready to step into a braver, more authentic life, this is one of my most inspiring conversations.
- Order The Courage Gap
In this episode, I unpack a key principle from The Courage Gap—one I learned early in life: “Growth and comfort can’t ride the same horse.” Because while staying in our comfort zones might feel safe, over time, it can slowly cause us to shrink on the vine of our own lives.
I share a few personal stories of my own dance with discomfort, including the time I risked looking like a borderline stalker as I refused to let my fear of feeling awkward keep me from taking the very actions that would open new doors and enable me to travel far… literally!
We’ll explore why the “tyranny of a comfortable life” can keep us stuck, what Maslow observed about our deep need for growth, and how neuroscience shows that even the smallest brave actions can rewire our brains and strengthen our ‘courage muscles’ over time.
If there’s something you’ve been putting off or playing small around, I hope this episode gives you the nudge (or loving kick) you need to step into your ‘courage gap’ and make peace with discomfort!
- Order The Courage Gap
In this episode, I speak to General Stanley McChrystal to explore the intersection of courage and character—two mutually reinforcing virtues being put to the test in today’s world. Building on his powerful Foreword for The Courage Gap and themes from his upcoming book On Character, we discuss how to find the courage to do the right thing, particularly when uncertainty is high and there’s a lot at stake. Together, we explore why anchoring to core principles is essential for staying true to ourselves and shaping a better world.
- Order The Courage Gap
- Write a review on GoodReads
- Stan’s new book On Character
Sweaty hands. Butterflies in the belly. A total sense of paralysis. Let’s face it—fear is deeply physical.
In this episode, I explore another key concept from The Courage Gap: how to reset your fear at the physiological level. Fear isn’t just in your mind—it embeds in your body. Understanding this unlocks a powerful pathway to cultivating courage and harnessing the full power of your physical presence.
I share a personal experience from 2020 when COVID-19 tilted my world totally off its axis, triggering my fear and leaving me awash with anxiety. While very humbling, it reinforced the importance of learning how to reset our ‘defensive self’ at the ground level and respond more effectively when stressors pile up.
Learn how to turn the psychology of fear into the physiology of courage, so you can bring your bravest self, to your biggest challenges and boldest goals.
Get ready to breathe in courage, breathe out fear and play your bravest game.
- Order The Courage Gap
- Write a review on Amazon
- Write a review on GoodReads
All behavior is belief-driven. Finding the courage to take actions that would strengthen our relationships and improve our future requires examining the narrative we’re living in—including the stories we tell ourselves. These stories can fuel doubt, shrink confidence, and keep us stuck in place. This episode shares why the price tag of our self-protective stories is never worth the payoff and how you can rescript your narrative to connect to the courage lying dormant within you. If you ever feel defensive, insecure, frustrated with your situation, or more anxious than you’d like to be, take a listen!
- Order The Courage Gap
- Write a review on Amazon
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Write a review on GoodReads
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Download the Workbook
Ever found yourself going down a rabbit hole of ‘What ifs?’
What if I mess this up? What if it all goes to hell in a handbasket? What if I just don’t have what it takes? What if ….?
You’re not alone.
Your brain isn’t wired to focus on the positives. It’s wired to focus on the negatives - on what you don’t have or don’t want to happen. Yet dwelling on deficits siphons your confidence, feeds your worries, shuts down your ability to find solutions, narrows your vision, and keeps you stuck in ruts - of thought or action - that you are wholly capable of climbing out of!
So in the latest episode of my new podcast series on closing your ‘courage gap,’ we dive into the power of focus—and how resetting your attention on what you want, rather than what you fear, can transform your life.
As I’ve written in The Courage Gap, until you are clear about what you really want, your fear of what you don’t want will direct your life.
Take a listen!
SHOW LINKS:
- Order The Courage Gap (US)
- Order The Courage Gap (Aust)
- Join Margie’s LIVE event and Book Launch Team
- Live Brave Podcast interview with Bonnie Ware
- Marathon Blog Post
- Engage Margie to speak at your event
As we step into a new year, many set resolutions — but let’s face it, the vast majority will fall by the wayside before February.
This episode kicks off the new year with a new series to celebrate my new book The Courage Gap! Tune in as I guide you to set a bold vision for your year ahead and embrace discomfort as the key to closing the gap between where you are now and where you’d like to by year end.
If you’re not okay to settle, then you need to step forward amid the unknowns. Are you ready? Let’s dive in!
LINKS:
- Order The Courage Gap on Amazon
- Special Live Event Registration
- The Courage Gap
- Margie’s Marathon Blog
This episode was recorded during my brother Frank's visit—a journey of over 10,000 miles from Australia. What makes this journey truly remarkable is that Frank, living with paraplegia, approaches travel with a 'can do' mindset that sets him apart. In a world often focused on limitations, Frank's determination to embrace new adventures despite his life-altering injury embodies the 'live brave' message of this podcast. Frank’s resilience and refusal to let his condition define him serve as a powerful testament to the human spirit. I hope his story will inspire you to be captain of your life, not captive to your circumstances.
Please support my fundraising for spinal injury research with Christopher Reeve Foundation as I prepare for my first marathon!
Link here: https://give.reeve.org/fundraiser/5440297
Not only does nobody enjoy failure, but we also often fail to learn from it, resulting in failing twice! Building on my previous podcast episode with Amy Edmondson (Episode 116), Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at the Harvard Business School, we dive into her latest book, Right Kind of Wrong, and unpack the science of failing well.
This approach helps us avoid the tripwires that often crush courage, limit learning, and expose entire enterprises to greater risks. Learning how to risk more intelligent failure will not only propel you forward more quickly but also spare you the additional setback of neglecting to learn from the invaluable feedback that failure holds.
If you've been holding back from trying something due to the fear of failure, Amy's insights into befriending failure will help you summon the courage needed to take the risk.
Read Amy's book Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well
More about Amy at amycedmondson.com
Leadership isn’t about position or title. It’s about the decision we make, moment by moment, to show up… with head and heart and be a force for good in the lives of others.
In my conversation with Kirstin, we discuss her new book Head & Heart and how you can be the leader the world needs you to be. We talk about staying self-aware (easier said than done!), being humble, having the courage to say sorry and to bring both your head and heart to making each moment better for others. No small task, but one we’re all called toward in some form.
Buy Head & Heart: The Art of Modern Leadership
Take the Head & Heart Leader Scale and self-assess your modern leadership
Learn more about Kirstin Ferguson and book her for an event
"Unsafe cultures endanger everyone," says Amy Edmondson, Novartis Professor at Harvard Business School.
Amy and I unpack why courage and psychological safety are two sides of the same coin, and why fostering psychologically safe workplaces requires people to trust that the pay off for courage is worth the pitfalls.
Regardless of your position, making people feel safe to be honest and vulnerable with you – including sharing things you may not enjoy hearing - is vital for any meaningful relationship to flourish, personally or professionally.
Check out Amy’s book, The Fearless Organization
You like to think of yourself as a person with integrity, right? Yet, doing what’s right is easier said than done. In a world where examples of poor character are easy to find, it’s easy to rationalize cutting corners or telling “little white lies". However, we often underestimate the cost of compromising what we know, deep down, is the right thing to do.
This episode is a siren call to the highest angels of your nature, guiding you in cleaning up any fractures to your integrity, in your relationships and in your life. If you want to move forward lighter, more rooted to your deepest values and guided by your True North, listen up then lean in to level up how you’re running your life. Doing so will spare you a considerable amount of mess down the track.
Stanley McChrystal spent his military career navigating the real and deadly risks of combat, finishing a four-star General in Afghanistan overseeing 147,000 soldiers. He has walked the path of courage in ways most of us never will, concluding that the greatest source of risk lays in us - in how we identify, assess, respond and learn from risk.
We cover a lot of ground in our conversation – from the need for more moral courage in leaders today to raising resilient kids.
If you want to navigate risk better and lead smarter, this episode is for you.
EPISODE LINKS:
RISK: A User's Guide
The McChrystal Group
Watch our full conversation on YouTube
This episode is inspired by chapter one from my book Find Your Courage: The Courage To Take Responsibility
The quality of your life directly correlates to your willingness to own your experience of life and resist the temptation to blame others or pity yourself. We live in a culture that encourages people to feel powerless and operate from a victim mindset. Yet your greatest power lays in taking full and compete ownership for your life. Sure, you cannot always choose your circumstances, but you always get to choose your response.
In this episode, I unpack what it really means to be responsible for your life and challenge you to stop making excuses and justifications for what’s not working. Taking responsibility is not always comfortable, but it’s absolutely essential for living a truly rewarding life.
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
Find Your Courage: 12 Acts for Becoming Fearless in Work and Life
Margie’s other books can be found at www.margiewarrell.com/books
Let’s face it, if it were easy to be brave with our lives - to lean into our fears, choose ‘courage over comfort’ and lay our pride, ego and vulnerability on the line, more of us would. Truth is, our deep seated fears often keep us from taking the very actions that would help us create more rewarding lives. In this new series, I invite you to step back and consider where and how you’re being called to step up and ‘take courage’ even as that little voice in the back of your head urges you not to.
If you need a little encouragement right now, you’ve landed in the right place!
I'll be sharing insights from my first book Find Your Courage (McGraw Hill, 2009) throughout this series. Check out this book and all my books at www.margiewarrell.com/books
Get Margie’s Newsletter at www.margiewarrell.com
It’s easy to criticize those in leadership roles for their lack of courage. Yet before we can change the world around us, we must first look at the world within us and reclaim the power we so often give to our fears. So as we close out one year and look toward the next, I invite you to think about where you may be letting your deepest fears keep you from moving toward the bravest vision and honoring your highest values. This podcast invites you to reflect on three key questions. Whatever your answer, I hope that you will move in that direction. Your future is riding on it.
Every trait you admire in others also resides in you. Yet, it's easy to tell ourselves the lie that we have to first have more resources outside of us before we can become the person we’d most like to be.
Not true. Deciding how you will show up for life right now is the most powerful way to become the person you eventually want to be.
In this podcast, I invite you to start acting like the person you want to become and look after yourself as the would. There is no more powerful way to live life than by intentionally deciding how we will show up regardless of our situation or our setbacks.
If you are feeling anything but fully positive and powerful in how you are showing up, take a listen.
Download my Five To Thrive here
Order You’ve Got This! audio book
Decisions, decisions, decisions. Every day you make hundreds of decisions. Some large, many small. Yet too often fear – conscious and unconscious – keeps us from making the decisions that would serve us most – in our careers, relationships and lives. Left unchecked, fear of what might go wrong can drive us to make short-sighted, reactive, overcautious decisions that limit our lives in ways we often cannot see in the moment. So whatever challenges you are facing right now, take listen and then make the best decision you can. One year from now, you will be so glad you did.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
- How to be brave TEDX TALK
- You’ve Got This! Book
- How to avoid sweating decisions
In this podcast, I dive into the dark shadows in which we carry shame that disconnects us from others and keeps us from living our best and bravest lives. As I share one of my most significant experiences with shame, I explain how 'shame stories' are not the truth, yet they warp our perception and shape our reality. Over time, they can keep us stuck in self-sabotaging patterns that disconnect us from all that is lovable in ourselves and good our lives. If you have any area of your life in which you hold secrets or feel “less than”, then this podcast is for you. Read my blog post: Shame Keeps Us Stuck
Chapter 19 – Sharing Secrets in my book Brave
If your life was a Grand Masterclass, what lesson would it be teaching you? In this comeback podcast, I extend three invitations to transform what tests you the most into your most profound opportunities to learn and grow into the person your life is calling you to be. Beware – your fear and pride are pulling in the other direction. Please rate and review! USEFUL LINKS: Stop Playing Safe Audio Book
Live Bravely - My Four Lessons for Living Bravely
TEDx Talk How To Be Brave
You’ve Got This! The Life-Changing Power of Trusting Yourself
Time is a finite resource so learning how to multiply your time is a game-changer. In my conversation with Rory Vaden, New York Times bestselling author of Take the Stairs and Procrastinate on Purpose, we unpack how you can allocate your hours in the day in ways that create more time for what you love most and what makes the biggest impact for others.
- Get your free consult with BrandBuilds Group at margiewarrell.com/brand-you
- Learn more about the Live Brave Women’s Weekend Feb 2022
- Take my free Live Bravely video course
You are what you repeatedly do. And what you repeatedly do profoundly shapes the environment you create around you. So if you want to live a bigger, braver and more meaningful life you have to be really intentional. This starts with clearing out the ‘stuff’ that keeps you thinking small and creating an environment - physical, mental, emotional and spiritual - that sets you up to think bigger, act braver and thrive... no matter what. So how can you do that? In this episode I share practical strategies from the final chapter of Stop Playing Safe on how you can build the habits of mind and behavior that will help you bring your bravest self to your biggest challenges and highest goals more often.
Grab your copy of Stop Playing Safe here
Check out my Live Brave Weekend here
Victoria Labalme draws on over 20 years in the performing arts to help awaken the inner genius that lives in all of us. In our conversation, she shares insights from her best-selling book Risk Forward to help you embrace not knowing and take the very risks you need to move forward to creating a career and life you love.
- Get the first four chapters of Victoria's book Risk Forward free here
- Live Brave Women’s Weekend
- Take my free Live Bravely video course
When a lifelong student of leadership, Captain David Marquet, took over the helm of the USS Sante Fe Nuclear Submarine, it was the worst-performing sub in the fleet. His decision to give intent versus give orders ’turned the ship around' taking it from worst to first and achieving the highest retention and operational standings in the US Navy. In my conversation today we unpack his leadership philosophy and insights on bringing out the best in others and ourselves. More about David Marquet: * Learn more about David * David's book - Turn the Ship Around
Links and courses:
- Live Brave Women’s Weekend
- Take my free Live Bravely video course
Research has found that the biggest predictor of high-performing teams is psychological safety; that is how safe people feel to speak up, share mistakes or ask for help. Yet creating a 'culture of courage' is not just relevant to organizations, it’s relevant to each and every one of us in every sphere of life. When people around you feel safe and encouraged to be open, honest, and to engage in candid conversations, it not only helps them to achieve more but it creates an environment in which everyone is able to bring their bravest selves to their biggest challenges and boldest goals. So whether you’re a leader of many or just trying to lead yourself to higher ground, this episode will help you become a more inspiring ambassador for the world (and family, and community and workplace) you want to live in. It draws on the three-part framework for leading more bravely and cultivating a ‘culture of courage’ outlined in Chapter 7 of my book Stop Playing Safe.
Grab your copy of Stop Playing Safe here
Check out my Live Brave Weekend here
Belarusian Veronica Tsapkala embodies the courage required to lead change in the most challenging of circumstances. Fearing political persecution in Belarus after her husband Valery Tsepkalo was denied registration in the 2020 Belarus Presidential election by President Lukashenko, Veronica was forced to flee her country. She has since become a passionate voice for democracy in Belarus. In our conversation, Veronica shares her vision for her homeland while calling each of us to be vocal in standing up for the principles and the freedom we can so easily take for granted.
Find out more about the Live Brave Women’s Weekend, Feb 25-27, 2022
In this 100th episode of the Live Brave Podcast, I share 5 ways you can be braver in your life, starting with focusing on the bravest vision for your future. Of course, setting a bold goal doesn’t mean you’ll land on your feet every time, but as I share in this episode, it’s not what you accomplish from living bravely that matters near as much as who you become in the process of daring to try. Resources for this episode: * Live Brave Women’s Weekend * Take my free Live Bravely video course * You've Got This! * Blog post: Give More Grace – To Yourself, To Others
How often do you risk failure? Chances are it’s not near as often as would be serving you. As I discussed with entrepreneur Robert Glazer, the difference between winners and losers lies in how they win and how they lose. Our tendency to over-personalize failure keeps us from taking the very actions that would help us fail forward and succeed faster. If you’ve been holding back from trying something new, or particularly attached to your comfort zone, then please listen up!
- More about Robert here
- Learn more about the Live Brave Women’s Weekend Feb 2022
My conversation with AJ Vaden, co-founder of the Brand Builders Group, explores how each of us can share our unique gifts and express our one-of-a-kind brand of brilliance most powerfully in the world. In sharing her own journey of discovering her unique ’super power’ AJ has learned how each of us can find within ourselves everything we need to build our reputation for solving problems in ways that no one else can. If you sometimes wonder if you’re on the right path or want to step more fully into your unique purpose and power, you’ll enjoy where our conversation takes us.
- Get your free consult with BrandBuilds Group at margiewarrell.com/brand-you
- Download your free You’ve Got This Manifesto here
- Learn more about the Live Brave Women’s Weekend Feb 2022
Life is full of stressors - situations that have the potential to trigger a neural highjack and send us into a downward spiral of negative emotions. In this episode, I share the steps from my SOAR approach detailed in Chapter 6 of Stop Playing Safe to rising above those situations that too often pull us down and keep us responding to our challenges more constructively and with greater clarity, calm and courage.
Grab your copy of Stop Playing Safe here
Check out my Live Brave Weekend here
My conversation with Chester Elton, bestselling leadership author explores how you can curb overwhelm, manage anxiety and live more gratefully. It’s a conversation rich in laughter and practical strategies you can use to become more of the calm, centered and big-hearted person you aspire to be.
More about Chester here
Chester's latest books: Leading with Gratitude and Anxiety at Work
Check out my Live Brave Weekend here
We all like to think that our way of viewing the world - and the people, problems and possibilities in it - is the right way. In fact, we all have what’s called a ‘confirmation bias’ that drives us to look for evidence to support our existing beliefs and behaviours and ignore or discount those which contradict them. Yet only when you are willing to say "I don’t know" or "I could be wrong" and to actively seek out alternative perspectives that challenge your own best thinking can you unlearn what you think you know and relearn what you need to know. So if you keep finding yourself struggling with the same problems or you feel like you’re not achieving the results you want, maybe it’s because you’re operating on an outdated or incorrect mental map. In which case, this episode which draws on Chapter 5 of Stop Playing Safe is for you!
Grab your copy of Stop Playing Safe here
The quality of your relationships is determined by the quality of the conversations you have in them. But often the conversations we most need to have are those we least want to have – too uncomfortable, too awkward, too risky. In this episode, I will share with you a few of the strategies I’ve written about in Chapter 4 of Stop Playing Safe to help you speak up about the issues that pull you down so you can resolve conflict faster and enjoy far stronger relationships with others than you ever would otherwise. So if you’re feeling any degree of frustration, tension or stress in any relationship right now, this episode is for you!
Grab your copy of Stop Playing Safe here
In this episode, I interview leadership consultant Dr Tim Clark who shares his four stages framework for building psychological safety and doing the hard things that leaders must do in a very human way. We unpack the 'why’ and 'how’ of connecting from both heart and head, embracing vulnerability and giving candid feedback. And so much more!
More about Tim and his book The 4 Stages of Psychological Safety here
More about the Live Brave & Thrive Weekend here
Daniel Gade spent a year in hospital after losing his leg while serving in the US Army in Iraq, yet, he is by no means a victim. Rather he is a passionate advocate for helping wounded warriors to thrive. His life story (which is far from over) holds a powerful lesson on actively choosing how you will show up for life, regardless of the circumstances you find yourself in. In a period of history when so many people are almost encouraged to operate from a victim mindset, Dan is testament to the principle that we are the creators of our own destiny and that those experiences which test us the most can ultimately shape us in the most positively transformative ways. More about the Live Brave & Thrive Weekend here Dan’s book Wounding Warriors is available at www.woundingwarriors.com or Amazon.
None of us are immune to cutting corners, justifying little white lies or taking the more expedient path even when we know, deep down, it’s not the right one. Clearly, no one sets out to damage trust yet the little decisions we make every day can undermine the trust we build in our relationships. When people can truly trust you - your character, competence and commitment to doing what is right over what is easy - it changes everything. It’s why grounding yourself in a foundation of integrity is so important to being able to discern the right course of action and to build the ‘high trust’ relationships required for you to truly thrive and succeed in every domain of your life. In this episode, I break down my four pillars of trust model from Chapter 3 in Stop Playing Safe. I hope it will not only help you be a more ‘trust-worthy’ person but also to become a braver one; willing to take the harder actions in those moments when it matters most.
Grab your copy of Stop Playing Safe here
Let’s face it, if it were easy to accomplish big things, more people would be out there, pushing boundaries and risking failure. But as I discussed with Patrick Leddin, author of The Five-Week Leadership Challenge, it’s who you decide to be when plans go awry that makes life meaningful and makes the biggest impact on others. From parachuting into trees to running canceled half-marathons and climbing Kilimanjaro, in this podcast we discuss how you can find the inner grit to step up, show up and push on, no matter what.
Have you ever looked back and wished you’d been braver? Of course, you have. It’s because we humans are wired for safety; to focus more on what we could lose than on what we could gain - to steer away from short-term risks and toward whatever shores up our sense of security. But at life’s end, most people regret far more the risks they didn’t take than those they did. In this podcast, I share some of the research from Chapter 2 of Stop Playing Safe – why you need to embrace the discomfort that living your best life ultimately requires of you and the value of daring to lean toward risk... taking the very actions your fear would sooner you didn’t.
Ambassador Verveer was the first U.S. Ambassador for Global Women’s Issues and is the Executive Director of Georgetown University’s Institute for Women, Peace and Security. Our conversation began with discussing the urgent action required to address the immediate needs of women and girls in Afghanistan to protect their future. Our conversation then moved on to the importance of building collective will to advance the social and economic empowerment for women, the need for male allies and applying a gender lens to "building back better" from the Covid-19 pandemic. * Sign Petition to Biden Administration to honor the commitment to Afghan women and girls * Georgetown University Institute for Women, Peace & Security * Margie’s Women’s Day Forbes Column
My conversation with Kevin Cashman, 6x author and co-leader of CEO and Executive Development at Korn Ferry was as far-reaching as it was profound, most notably when Kevin shared his near-death experience in 2020. We dived deep into what it means to live ‘on purpose’ and how you can apply his 3G framework to lead yourself and others through this stormy time anchored to a deep and compelling Why. Listen up! This interview holds deep wisdom for us all.
Kevin’s Books:
Leadership from the Inside Out
The Pause Principle: Step Back to Lead Forward
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a catalyst for many of us to step back and reassess our lives; what we are doing with our time and talents each day and why it matters.
In Chapter One of Stop Playing Safe, I share my four-part framework for getting ‘on purpose’ so that you can develop your greatest strengths in a way that is most meaningful to you and makes the highest degree of contribution for others. If you’ve been feeling stuck, or just ho-hum, taking time to get really clear about how you want to measure your one and only precious life can forever alter its trajectory.
Grab your copy of Stop Playing Safe here
Welcome back to my fourth series of the Live Bravely Podcast. After taking an extended ‘leave of absence’ I’m excited to be back with this brand new series focused on supporting you to show up in the world as the biggest bravest person you have it within you to be. I get that some people see the word leader and tune out. If that’s you, please don’t. The truth is that every one of us can be a positive force for good in whatever circles we’re spinning in… which is what leadership is all about. So as you look toward the future beyond this pandemic, I hope the interviews and insights I share in this series will encourage you to step into your power more fully and be the kind of person (and leader) others want to be around. Please check out the wholly revised edition of Stop Playing Safe: How to be braver work, leadership and life.
As we look forward beyond this pandemic, I enjoyed a deep dive conversation with Dr Phil about its impact on mental health, irrational fear and building the confidence to ‘get back to life’. We covered a lot of ground, from removing the stigma around mental illness and the long-term impact of social isolation to how we can help our kids build self-esteem and confidence by better managing our own fears and mental wellbeing.
After years of derailed plans to return to my children in the USA, I am finally moving back to America. Recorded the day before leaving Singapore, I reflect on the power of embracing problems as opportunities to build our muscles for life. If you’ve had plans derail in 2020 or are feeling weighed down by your own problems – worried about the future and unsure how you’ll handle it – this podcast is for you. * Grab a copy of You’ve Got This! * My Reset Your Life Compass course (use the code RESET2020 for 50% off until the end of 2020)
The over-simplification of the Law of Attraction (LOA) has given it a bad rap in recent years. So whether you’re a confirmed LOA fan or its biggest cynic, you’ll enjoy this conversation with Andrew Kap, the bestselling author of The Last Law of Attraction Book You'll Ever Need To Read.
Episode links:
- Andrew’s book: The Last Law of Attraction Book You’ll Ever Need To Read
- You’ve Got This! The Life-Changing Power of Trusting Yourself
- My online Reset Your Life Compass Coaching Program
When plans derail and you find yourself in circumstances you’d never have chosen, it's easy to fall into self-pity, fear or blame; feeling like life is working against you. In this podcast, I share news of moving back to the US after years of twists and turns. I encourage you to keep faith that life is working for you, even when you cannot see how; that you will eventually "live into the answers'' as dots only connect looking backward.
- My Reset Your Life Compass course (use the code RESET2020 for 50% off until the end of 2020)
- Grab a copy of You’ve Got This!
As 2020 has disrupted the normal flow of life, it’s also taught us to embrace the uncertain, the unplanned, and unwanted that life throws at us. But this is easier said than done. Today’s conversation with Dr Paige Williams, author of AntiFragile, provides actionable science-backed advice to help you become anti-fragile, including how to get more comfortable with the uncomfortable and why challenging your shoulds is vital to thriving in tough times.
Learn about Paige’s book AntiFragile: www.drpaigewilliams.com/book
Take the AntiFragile survey: www.theantifragilesurvey.com
Life Compass Course: www.resetyourlifecompass.com
Life doesn't happen to you, it happens FOR you. Recorded when I was fresh back from two months overseas, this podcast will inspire you to reframe your biggest challenges so you can turn them into your greatest gifts and growth.
For more inspiration and resources, check out:
- Reset Your Life Compass at www.resetyourlifecompass.com (use the code RESET2020 for 50% off until the end of 2020)
- Grab a copy of You’ve Got This! at www.margiewarrell.com/ygt
- My quarantine experience - www.bit.ly/2G4KUsa
Turia Pitt is living proof that with the right mindset, anything is possible. Since suffering severe burns to over 85% of her body during a 100km ultramarathon, Turia has gone on to become a bestselling author, two-time Ironman and humanitarian. Enjoy my conversation with Turia as we discuss her new book, Happy and Other Ridiculous Aspirations. More about Turia at turiapitt.com
Every attribute we admire in others also lives in us. The good news is that who you decide to be is entirely within your control. Confidence, courage, optimism, gratitude… these are all muscles you can strengthen with practice. So, in times when it's easy to let problems define us, it’s vital to be deliberate in defining ourselves; identifying the power virtues of the person we want to be and then practicing them daily.
Taking 100% responsibility for the energy you let in and the energy you put out is always important. But, in the midst of challenging times, when we are feeling fragile, we have to be even more vigilant about the energy we let into our emotional space.
More at margiewarrell.com
My illuminating conversation with Bronnie Ware, a former palliative care nurse who wrote The Five Regrets of the Dying, will help you reframe your challenges and look at your life through a larger lens, helping you to find the courage to step beyond the fears that keep you from living the life you truly want, and not the one others expect of you. More about Bronnie Ware at bronnieware.com
In the midst of difficulty, we often want to ‘mask up’ or pull back from the people around us. Yet research shows that people who have strong social support not only bounce back faster from difficult times but are also strengthened by the strength of their relationships. In this podcast, I share why reaching out and asking for help is not a sign of weakness but a sign of courage.
We are wired for certainty so when life is uncertain, it’s innately uncomfortable and can easily trigger anxiety. Recorded on the eve of flying across the world amid COVID-19, I reflect on the importance of embracing uncertainty in the midst of an already uncertain time.
Your hardships and heartaches may shape who you are, but they don’t define who you are. Only you get to define that. And therein lies your greatest power – to choose how you will show up and who you will be despite the circumstances of your life. In this episode, I share what I learned after being held at gunpoint in an armed robbery and soon after, losing my first child nearly five months into my pregnancy. If you sometimes feel overwhelmed by your challenges, take a listen.
My conversation with Janine Garner, author of Be Brilliant, will inspire you to stop selling yourself short and to start focusing your time, talents and energy on stepping fully into your own brilliance, regardless of what is going on around you.
My July28/29 virtual workshop
Janine Garner’s book Be Brilliant
Sadness is a natural response to loss. It holds the hidden gift of pointing us toward what truly matters most. Yet in the midst of loss, we often seek to numb the pain, push it down or distract ourselves from it. In this podcast, I share how I processed the grief of losing my youngest brother to suicide. If you are struggling with loss in any form, you may find healing in these words.
This week, I sat down in my own living room with Mary Barrett, a fellow coach, friend and neighbor. Mary shares her 18-year journey to fulfilling a lifelong dream of motherhood and we talk about not only why we must surrender our attachment to how we think life should be but why we should enjoy life’s unfolding in a spirit of curiosity and wonder. A perfect tonic for flagging spirits in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. You’ve Got This Workshop Latest book You’ve Got This More about Mary Mary’s podcast: A Cup of Tea with Mary B
In this podcast, I draw on a heart-wrenching moment with my brother as he processed the brutal news that he would never walk again after a life-changing motorbike accident. If you have found yourself dwelling on what you don’t want or can’t do, or what isn’t fair, this episode is for you.
Our language is not just descriptive, it’s also generative. The words we speak powerfully impact our experience of our circumstances. In this podcast, I share how to use language in ways that empower you to deal with your challenges with greater resilience, courage and optimism.
The suggestions I share are taken from my new book, You’ve Got This! More here: margiewarrell.com/ygt
Check out my Courageous Conversations Masterclass at courageousconversationsmasterclass.com
World-renowned specialist in human behavior, Dr John Demartini unpacks the science of stress and shares how we can build resilience by finding meaning in our challenges – reframing obstacles as 'on our way’, not 'in our way’. If you want to find purpose in the midst of tough times and live in greater alignment to your highest values, take a listen.
Learn about Dr John Demartini’s Breakthrough Experience program and work at drdemartini.com
Register for my You've Got This! virtual workshop coming up on June 30/July 1 here >> my.margiewarrell.com/workshop
We live in a culture that can take positivity to excess – overgeneralizing to 'be positive' in all situations. Yet forcing ourselves to choose happy in difficult situations denies our full human experience, keeping us from processing the harder emotions that are part and parcel of living a full, wholehearted life. In this podcast, I explain why the emotions we don’t own will own us and how sometimes feeling bad is the best thing you can do for yourself.
Read my Forbes column here: https://bit.ly/2URuisf
In this podcast, I share with you my call to action – my Manifesto – to trust yourself more deeply and doubt yourself less often. It is also available in a printer-friendly version to pin-up so you can read it often. It’s during challenging times that trusting ourselves will lead us to higher ground.
Download your copy at margiewarrell.com/ygt
This pandemic has upended all our lives and left many of us feeling anxious, overwhelmed and ungrounded. In this podcast, I share my personal journey (so far) through this pandemic and how you can use this crisis as a catalyst to rethink how you’re ‘doing life’ and move forward more purposefully, aligned to your deepest values and highest vision.
Margie’s Reset Your Life Compass Course: www.resetyourlifecompass.com
[Enter 2020VISION for 70% off until 15th May, 2020]
More at www.margiewarrell.com
Recorded during quarantine – while my husband is in hospital with COVID-19 – I share powerful insights on how to become more grounded in your true strength and cope better with the swirl of emotions brought on by this seismic disruption to our lives.
Grab a copy of my new book You’ve Got This! The Life-Changing Power of Trusting Yourself at margiewarrell.com/ygt
The biggest way we limit our power is by doubting it. Daring to trust that you are more powerful than you’ve given yourself credit for will embolden you to step up to the plate in your life and become the person you’ve always known you can be. If ever there was a time the world needed you to step up, speak up and be a positive change agent, it is now! In this podcast, I share a few thoughts relating to chapter twelve of my new book, You’ve Got This!: The Life-Changing Power of Trusting Yourself. You can grab your copy at margiewarrell.com/ygt
When plans derail and you find yourself confronted by an unwanted new reality, it’s natural to rail against it. But letting go of your fight with ‘what is’ liberates you to refocus your energy on making the best of your new situation. So if you’re struggling right now with how life is, take a listen! In this podcast, I share a few thoughts relating to chapter 11 of my new book, You’ve Got This!: The Life-Changing Power of Trusting Yourself. You can grab your copy at margiewarrell.com/ygt
We’ve all heard the saying, you become the company you keep. Yet too often we spend time with people who only fuel our doubts rather than our confidence. In this podcast, I share a few thoughts relating to chapter ten of my new book, You’ve Got This!: The Life-Changing Power of Trusting Yourself. I get underneath why we hang on to ‘habit friendships’ and what you can do to cultivate a community of people around you who will embolden your thinking and help you trust yourself more and doubt yourself less. You can grab your copy of You’ve Got This! at margiewarrell.com/ygt
Believing that a higher force is at work in our lives is a risk. Yet, it’s a risk worth running - one that can transform our very experience of being alive; emboldening us to face our challenges and pursue our highest aspirations from a place of faith and self-trust rather than from fear and self-doubt. In this podcast, I share a few thoughts relating to chapter nine of my new book, You’ve Got This!: The Life-Changing Power of Trusting Yourself. You can grab your copy at margiewarrell.com/ygt
Fear of the coronavirus pandemic has consumed the collective psyche of people globally. When so much is out of our control, we have to double-down on what lays within it. In this special edition, I share my personal stories and research from my latest book You’ve Got This! The Life-Changing Power of Trusting Yourself on how you can stay grounded amid the uncertainty and channel your energy into what sets you up to weather this life storm and emerge from it better off. Grab your copy at margiewarrell.com/ygt
Genuine vulnerability is a form of power that gives us access to our true strength and forges stronger bonds in our relationships. Learning to risk lowering the masks we wear to protect ourselves, liberates us to experience a whole new dimension of joy, connection and fulfillment. In this podcast, I share a few thoughts relating to chapter seven of my new book, You’ve Got This!: The Life-Changing Power of Trusting Yourself. You can grab your copy at margiewarrell.com/ygt
Humility is a virtue yet too often we hide behind it because we’re afraid we aren’t worthy of what we truly want. In this podcast, I share a few of my Ten Commandments of Courage and why so many of us, particularly women, often struggle to own their worth and too often sell themselves short. All of which just short changes everyone around us. You can read more in chapter seven of my new book, You’ve Got This!: The Life-Changing Power of Trusting Yourself. Grab your copy at margiewarrell.com/ygt
All of us have a unique combination of gifts, talents, strengths, skills, personality and hard-won wisdom. Yet too often we compare our weaknesses with other people’s strengths and fail to hone our gifts for fear that we will be exposed to the world as inadequate. Daring to trust in your unique talents is the first step to stepping fully into your own brilliance. In this podcast, I share a few thoughts from chapter six of my new book, You’ve Got This!: The Life-Changing Power of Trusting Yourself. You can grab your copy at margiewarrell.com/ygt
Resilience is not what you have, it’s what you do. It’s the times we feel too busy and burdened to take time out for ourselves – to reset, recharge and reconnect – that we need to prioritize it most. In fact, it’s the small little things we do every day that can make the most profound impact on our ability to thrive under pressures and soar over the problems that might otherwise pull us down. In this podcast, I share a few thoughts relating to chapter five of my new book, You’ve Got This!: The Life-Changing Power of Trusting Yourself. You can grab your copy at margiewarrell.com/ygt
You’re not perfect, you never will be. But most importantly, you’re not supposed to be! In this podcast, I share a few thoughts relating to chapter four of my new book, You’ve Got This!: The Life-Changing Power of Trusting Yourself... my experience of getting off my own back and being a little kinder to myself and why embracing our fallibility liberates us to dare more, learn more and enjoy life a whole lot more in the process. You can grab your copy of You've Got This! at margiewarrell.com/ygt
Nothing worthwhile is achieved with a guarantee of success. Yet too often we let our fear of not having what it takes to turn our aspirations into reality drive us to settle for less than the life we truly want to live. Connecting with the highest vision for our lives is an act of courage in itself. It’s also a prerequisite for living a life that truly lights us up (regardless of whether we land on the mountain top!). In this podcast, I share a few thoughts relating to chapter three of my new book, You’ve Got This!: The Life-Changing Power of Trusting Yourself. You can grab your copy of at margiewarrell.com/ygt
None of us are immune to self-doubt. Yet too many of us let our doubts sit in the driver's seat of our lives. Learning how to manage self-doubt is critical to building self-trust and realizing how little reason you have to doubt yourself to begin with. In this podcast, I share a few thoughts relating to chapter two of my new book, You’ve Got This!: The Life-Changing Power of Trusting Yourself. You can grab your copy of at margiewarrell.com/ygt
The fastest way to build confidence is to do exactly what you’d do if you had it. In fact, research shows that action precedes belief. In this podcast, I share a few thoughts relating to chapter one of my new book, You’ve Got This! The Life-Changing Power of Trusting Yourself. You can grab your copy of at margiewarrell.com/ygt
Sometimes we have to be braver than we want to be – to defy our doubts and trust ourselves that "we've got this" even when we’re not sure we have. Learning to trust ourselves more deeply and defy the doubts that hold us back is vital for going after what we want in our life; for changing what we don't and staying grounded in ourselves amid the uncertainty. I created this podcast series to reinforce the messages of my new book, "You’ve Got This!: The Life-Changing Power of Trusting Yourself". I hope it emboldens you to trust yourself more deeply and doubt yourself less often. To grab your copy, head over to margiewarrell.com/ygt
Fear is a potent emotion. Left unchecked, it can overtake our lives. Being in Singapore amid the coronavirus outbreak has given me an up-close and personal experience of how much faster fear can spread than any virus. In this podcast, I share five things anyone can do to stay calm and keep coolheaded when fear is overtaking those around them.
Are you rejecting yourself before anyone else has the chance? Many do. Yet the most successful people risk rejection countless times throughout their lives. When it happens, they know it’s not personal. It’s just life. Accordingly, they refuse to misinterpret someone else’s subjective assessment of them to mean anything about their own worthiness. In this podcast, I will help you reframe rejection in ways that embolden you to risk more of it and, in doing so, set you up to succeed much faster – in your work, relationships, and life.
Jacqui Cooper is indisputably the greatest aerial skier of all time. Having represented Australia for over 20 years, Jacqui competed in 139 World Cup events, nine World Championships and was a key competitor in five Winter Olympic teams. Jacqui's story is one of self-belief, passion, triumph, tragedy and the ability to overcome adversity against the odds. If you’ve ever struggled with doubt and disappointment, her hard-won wisdom is worth a listen.
More about Jacqui at jacquicooper.com
Let’s face it, if it were easy to pursue a big bold vision for your life, more people would be! In this podcast, I share three simple actions you can take to set yourself up to thrive and rise in 2020... and far beyond.
To learn about my Reset Your Life Compass course, visit resetyourlifecompass.com (I also share a discount code in the podcast!).
You can also check out my last book, Make Your Mark, at margiewarrell.com/books
The quality of our relationships is determined by the quality of the conversations we have in them. Yet too often the conversations we most need to have are those we least want to have. They require us to risk vulnerability, emotional discomfort and confrontation. All of which we are wired to avoid. In this podcast, I share how to find your courage to speak up in ways that build trust, deepen relationships and lead to better outcomes for all… sparing yourself a lot of avoidable stress in the process.
In a world that is constantly pressuring us to fit in, keep up and look good, it’s easy to grow disconnected with the truth of who we are. In this conversation, I talk to fellow coach and author Kemi Nekvapil about what it means to show up as 100% human and to live deeply authentic and truly power-full lives.
More on Kemi at www.keminekvapil.com
On a recent trip to New York I had the opportunity to chat with Alicia Tillman, Chief Marketing Officer, SAP. In this podcast, she shares her insights about moving up the ranks in large organizations including the importance of playing from your strengths and asking yourself "What would my future self want me to do right now?” Alicia shares practical advice for anyone who aspires to greater success and influence in their career, work, relationships and life.
Marianne Williamson is not your usual Presidential candidate. Yet as she explains in this candid interview, it’s unreasonable to think that those whose political careers have created the current situation in America are those best suited to lead it out of it. Marianne opens up about the mockery she’s received running a campaign built on ‘the politics of love’, waging a moral revolution against collectivized hatred, and why all public policy should be built around the principle of helping people to thrive.
Ever worry about what other people think of you? As social beings, it’s only natural to want to be liked. Yet too often we let the opinions of others hold greater weight in our lives than our own. In doing so, we surrender our power to them, letting what they think determine the value we place on ourselves, stifling our authentic self-expression. This podcast will help you reclaim the power you may have unconsciously surrendered and look within to define how you feel about yourself.
How would you cope if your worst nightmare came true? Rosie Batty found out when her son Luke was brutally killed by her estranged partner. Her brave and compassionate response to this horrific trauma inspired millions yet it couldn’t heal the primal wound in her heart. In this heartwarming, and heart-wrenching conversation, Rosie shares her insights on refinding her humor and channeling her pain in ways that gave meaning to her loss and that will inspire your own courage in the face of life’s heartaches.
We aren’t wired for taking the brave option, we’re wired for taking the safe one. In fact, our brains are wired to focus more on what we could lose than what we might gain. Little wonder we too often look back and wished we’d been braver. In this podcast, I share how you can rethink the risk so you can do just that.
Lynne Twist is a global visionary committed to ending world hunger. From working with Mother Theresa to mentoring Nobel Laureates, she’s gained unique insights into our unconscious beliefs about money and how rethinking our relationship to money gives us access to a richer experience of life. If you’ve ever had angst around money, this illuminating conversation is for you.
More about Lynne, her book The Soul of Money and her work at www.SoulOfMoney.org
As human beings, we live in ’stories’ - the things we tell ourselves about who we are. As we create these stories, they create us; expanding our future... or shrinking it. Where are your stories holding you back? In this podcast, I share how you can step back from your stories and rewrite the ones that are not serving you so you can live a more meaningful and more connected and more authentic life.
As President and CEO of the United Nations Foundation, Kathy Calvin has been instrumental in leading a host of initiatives that have improved the quality of life for millions of people around the globe. In this interview, she talks about her lessons on leadership, fixing mistakes, managing stress, and building a more equitable world.
Ever hold back from speaking up or taking the stage because it makes your stomach squirm? Fresh off the stage from doing the closing keynote address at a large speakers convention, I share my three-pillar framework to help you speak up (whether it be to an audience of one or one million!) with greater presence and to achieve better outcomes, for yourself and others.
New York Times Bestselling Author Ron Kaufman has built an international reputation as an expert on customer service. Yet his passion for service goes far beyond a transactional exchange. In this high energy and thought-provoking conversation, Margie and Ron unpack what it means, and what it takes, to live life in service of others. If you’re ready to be inspired… listen up!
When someone you care about is doing it tough, it’s human nature to want to ease their burden or make it all go away. It's why when others fear is in overdrive and their faith is fragile, you must be extra strong in your own. In this podcast, I share my hard-won wisdom on staying strong when your heart is hurting for someone, doubling down on your ‘best-self’ rituals, and leaning into your own courage — one day, one hour, one moment at a time. By putting on your own spiritual ‘oxygen mask’ first, you become a stronger source of courage for others.
Ending world hunger sounds like an audacious goal, but as Cathy Burke shares in this illuminating interview, it’s entirely possible. As CEO of The Hunger Project in Australia and later Vice President of the Hunger Project globally, she learnt first-hand just how powerful a shift in mindset can be. Cathy’s insights will help you rethink how you are approaching your challenges, beginning with learning to ask the right questions.
More at www.cathyburke.com
Rethink your future - www.livebraveweekend.com
Courage is a skill and like all skills, it can be learned. To mark the release of my book Train The Brave (the updated version of Brave which is part of Wiley's new Be Your Best book series), I dive into the psychology of building courage, conquering fear, taking risks and putting yourself ‘out there’ so that you can live a bigger, more meaningful and far more fulfilling ’no-regrets’ life.
Order your copy of Train The Brave at amzn.to/2WVe8NR
Take Margie’s free 10 day Train The Brave Challenge at www.TrainTheBrave.com
Connect with me on social media @margiewarrell.com
When more women are seated at decision-making tables, better decisions are made. Yet despite the progress toward gender equity over recent decades, women still lag behind men on many measures — from what they earn to the power they wield at decision making tables. While many factors explain the gender gap, one of the most important levers to plugging the ‘leaky pipeline’ and capturing the full value of gender diversity and inclusion, is emboldening women to overcome their own lack of self-confidence, embrace their feminine leadership strengths and step fully into their power as change makers. In this International Women’s Day 2019 edition, I share a few thoughts on how we can support more women in doing just that.
Often the biggest critic and naysayer in our life is the voice in our own head; the one that is constantly dialling up our doubts, second-guessing our abilities and over-ruminating our decisions. While no one is immune to the voice of an “inner critic” everyone has the ability to reclaim the power we often give it to call the shots. Enjoy this passionate conversation with Susan Brady, author of Mastering Your Inner Critic (Mc Graw-Hill), where she shares strategies to reframe how you relate to your inner critic including how to "deploy compassion”, cultivate self-awareness and build the confidence you need to thrive in your work, leadership and life. Check out Susan’s book on Amazon: www.amzn.to/2ExtuzD
Bill Treasurer has learnt a lot about overcoming fear and living bravely since his younger days as a professional high diver. As an author (his latest book is The Leadership Killer) and CEO of Giant Leap Consulting,Bill is passionate about encouraging others to take a ‘giant leap’ over their fears so they can lead braver lives and make a bigger mark. In our conversation, we discuss the three stages of transformation, how to pick yourself back up after a fall and how to stop letting self-doubt call the shots. More about Bill at www.billtreasurer.com
There’s a lot of talk about love around Valentine's Day. Finding perfect love. Keeping love alive. Yet at the heart of what is required to enjoy deeply loving relationships is the ability to be loving toward ourselves. So this Valentine's, consider how you could be more loving of yourself. In particular, how you can extend inward a little more mercy when you mess up and fall short of being the ever-together person you most aspire to be.
If you’re often doubting whether you’ve got what it takes, this episode is for you! Listen to my insights on how to reframe your self-doubt and take the brave actions that will help you realize how little reason you truly have to doubt yourself. As I share, in recounting my own wrestling match with self-doubt, “Our doubts are part and parcel of what it is to be human. It’s our job to ensure they don’t steer our lives.” So if there’s something you know you want to do, but you’ve doubted if you can prepare for action!
It’s easy to look at people like bestselling author and positive psychology expert Michelle McQuaid and assume they've had it easy; that they have it all together, all the time. Yet Michelle, like so many other accomplished people, has overcome immense challenges including sexual abuse as a girl. Raised in a highly dysfunctional and violent family, she left home at 16 to make her way in the world. In this episode, she shares her journey of healing to inspire you to reframe your past, reconnect with your strengths and reimagine your future.
Learn more about Michelle’s books and groundbreaking work at www.michellemcquaid.com
What would you love to accomplish in 2019? As you begin a new year, I invite you to “begin with the end in mind” and imagine what your ultimate vision of success looks like over the next 12 months.
Only when you dare to connect with the boldest and most inspiring vision for your life (however scary!) will you find the courage, grit and resilience you need to become the person you’re capable of being.
For more, read Margie's Brave New Year blog at margiewarrell.com/blog
Linda Cruse is a force of nature whose humanitarian work around the globe has won her the praise of Sir Richard Branson, the Dalai Lama, and HRH Prince Charles. It began when, as a stressed-out single mum, she was struck with temporary blindness. It rocked her to the core but made her confront the question: "What is the point of living if it has no point?”. In this uplifting interview, Linda will share incredible stories that may well set your life on a whole new trajectory also. Her example will remind you that you are capable of far more than you think. You can find more about Linda, and her latest book - Leading from the Frontline - at www.lindacruse.com
We all know that gratitude is important, but let’s face it, sometimes it’s hard not to get pulled into negative comparisons; to dwell on what’s wrong, or missing or who’s to blame. In this heartfelt podcast, Margie shares how we can practice living from gratitude, regardless of what is going on in our lives and how by doing so, it magnifies our blessings and helps us deal with our hardships with greater courage, grace and humor.
Forbes Editor-in-Chief and two-time US Presidential candidate nominee, Steve Forbes shares why taking a leap into the unknown and reframing failure is crucial for success. Having led the digital transformation of Forbes, his insights will help you navigate uncertainty, take smarter risks and find opportunities amid disruption.
There is no such thing as a perfect marriage, but as I celebrate my 25th wedding anniversary to a great man who has helped me become a better version of myself, I wanted to share a little hard-won wisdom about keeping love alive over the long haul. Whether you’re starting or ending a relationship or, like me, have been in one for over half your life, I hope my insights and stories of forgiveness and love will inspire you.
Is a past experience of failure keeping you from taking the very actions that would lead you to greater fulfillment in your work or other areas of your life? When looking at successful people, we often overlook their setbacks and mistakes and only see their triumphs. Yet every story of success is also a story of learning how to ‘fail forward’ and never letting failure define us. How you interpret your failures will either move you forward or hold you back. Every ‘miss-step’ you take in life is a lesson in what not to do. Every setback is an opportunity to dig deeper and discover strengths and courage that would otherwise lay dormant. This podcast will help you reframe your failures so you can use them to move ahead wiser, smarter and braver than you ever could have otherwise.
Follow and connect with Margie: www.margiewarrell.com
Few business figures in Australia’s history have suffered such a public and humiliating fall from grace as Warwick Fairfax. At age 26, he took over his family’s 150-year-old media empire and within a few years, the Fairfax media dynasty had ended. In this rare interview, Warwick shares his extraordinary journey of refinding himself after such a public shaming. His ‘hard-won wisdom’ will inspire you to forge a life of greater significance and discover within your hardships and setbacks a far greater sense of purpose than you ever would have otherwise.
Emotions are contagious. The challenge we face in our everyday lives is spending more time feeling the positive emotions – optimism, gratitude, connection, confidence - that fuel our wellbeing and success, and less with the negative ones- fear, anxiety, resentment, blame – that don’t. Margie talks about how to short-circuit the low order (often destructive) emotions that sabotage success and hurt relationships and amplify the high order emotions that help you thrive. If you’ve been feeling flat or stuck or negative, listen up!
Follow and connect with Margie: www.margiewarrell.com
Ever wondered what it would be like to spend a year in Antarctica? Former Antarctic Expedition Leader, Rachael Robertson shares how she ‘accidentally’ found herself leading a team of 120 in the world’s most extreme workplace; what it taught her about human nature and embracing adventure in our everyday lives.
Connect to Rachael at www.rachaelrobertson.com
If you’ve been putting off getting into action, this episode is for you! So much of our potential and creativity never gets to see the light of day. Why? Because we have bought into the belief that we have to know everything or be masterful or have a fail-proof plan before we even start out. Margie will not only talk about the importance of stepping into action but how you can do it and why it will help you move forward far more quickly than waiting until you’re sure you’re ready (because that may take a lifetime!).
Many people can be pretty tough on themselves, focusing more on their faults and failings than on their strengths and wins. Maybe you’re one of them? If so you must listen to this interview with one of the world’s top experts on self-compassion, Dr Kristin Neff. She will share how to quiet your inner critic by being kinder to yourself and why doing so will actually help to boost your motivation, improve your learning and achieve more than you would by being super hard on yourself.
Learn more about Kristin and the Mindful Self-Compassion Program at www.self-compassion.org
In this episode, Margie unpacks why the most impressive people are those who aren’t trying to impress. They are so at home in their own skin that they have no need to prove, please or impress. They don’t name drop. They don’t puff out or pretend. They are just themselves. While we all like to be liked, by learning to let go our need to be more like anyone else, we liberate ourselves to become the best version of the fabulous, fallible and "flawsome" person we already are.
Follow and connect with Margie: www.margiewarrell.com
Developed at Google to help employees thrive and perform better under pressure, the Search Inside Yourself (SIYLI) initiative is now a global program with a mission to make mindfulness mainstream.
Rich Fernandez, CEO of SIYLI, shares how you can cultivate mindfulness in your daily life to stay calm under pressure, manage stress, make better decisions, build deeper relationships and combat distraction to quiet your all too busy ‘monkey mind’.
For more on the Search Inside Yourself initiative, go to www.siyli.org
If you’ve ever worried that one of these days people are going to discover that you aren’t as smart, knowledgeable, worthy, or [fill-in-the-blank] as they think, you’re not alone. In this podcast, Margie unravels the psychology behind the Imposter Syndrome, explaining why its the domain of high-achievers and how you can stop letting your fear of being exposed hold you back and keep you from owning your value and celebrating your success.
Follow and connect with Margie: www.margiewarrell.com
Do you have a vision for your life that inspires you? Are you working toward goals that light you up? If yes, Margie's conversation with Kristina Karlsson, founder of KikkiK and author of Your Dream Life Starts Here, will help you stay in action toward bringing it into reality. If no, it will help you give yourself permission to dream bigger and stop selling yourself short while providing practical strategies to get, and stay, in action. So if you’re feeling stuck or just need a reminder about why your biggest dreams matter, tune in. Your life is as big as you dare to dream it.
Find more about Kristina’s new book, Your Dream Life Starts Here, at: www.kikki-k.com