Fearless Forward

By challenging herself to run 330km across mountain terrain – facing extreme physical discomfort, sleep deprivation, and mental exhaustion – Linda Hubbard discovered that pushing boundaries leads to profound personal growth and unexpected calm. To break free from comfort zone paralysis, we must first identify what truly matters to us beyond our immediate comfort, then build a support system of peo...

Many organisations struggle to build structures that balance leadership and equality. Traditional hierarchies often lead to inefficiency, lack of clarity, and a stifling of innovation. Employees can feel disconnected or undervalued, and companies can lose sight of their mission in pursuit of profits. Mark Vletter’s approach offers a different way forwards. By embracing self-management and holacrac...

Navigating life’s biggest changes takes resilience and adaptability, especially when multiple challenges occur simultaneously. Even highly capable individuals can struggle when faced with unexpected events, from starting a business and having a child in a foreign country to dealing with illness and death. Jon and Lori Smith’s experience highlights the importance of acknowledging the cognitive stre...

Facing our fears means understanding how they shape our actions, while creating space for self-awareness, connection, and growth in both personal and professional contexts. Carlos Saba is the co-founder of the Happy Startup School, an alternative business school and learning platform that focuses on helping entrepreneurs and professionals align their work with their values and passions. With a PhD...

As change makers, we an become overwhelmed and anxious about our place in the world, the impact we have, and the resources we have to create it. These feelings often stem from deeper fears, like that of losing what we cherish or even the fear of dying. This can leave us feeling stuck, disconnected, and unable to act. For therapist Agnes Otzelberger, facing these fears head-on helped her feel more...

Many of us struggle with finding peace and quiet in our fast-paced, noisy lives. This lack of space to reflect and connect with ourselves can leave us feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, and stuck in patterns that don’t serve us. The solution is to embrace quietness, slow down, and create intentional space for reflection and connection. Pete Mosley’s approach shows us how we can live more in tune w...

Losing a loved one unexpectedly is a devastating experience. It can be even harder when the circumstances involve negligence and injustice. Many of us might feel overwhelmed by the enormity of seeking accountability, or unsure of how to move forwards while grappling with grief. Nigel Burt, father of Olivia who was killed in a preventable accident while queuing at a night club, shows us a way throu...

Many people working in sustainability feel disillusioned and burned out. The problem is that businesses often prioritise profit over real, impactful change. Sustainability is seen as secondary, and those driving it are left feeling unsupported and powerless. This lack of meaningful action leaves even the most dedicated individuals questioning their efforts. Kathryn Sheridan suggests slowing down,...

How we process and respond to traumatic experiences matters more than the experiences themselves. Openly discussing loss, maintaining connections to loved ones who have passed, and allowing ourselves to feel and express grief fully can lead to far better outcomes. Sanderson Jones is a former standup comedian and the co-founder of Sunday Assembly, a worldwide movement of non-religious congregations...

Our upbringing, and the patterns and behaviours we carry, shape how we show up in our relationships and work. These patterns often stem from past trauma or difficult family dynamics we don’t fully recognise. Left unaddressed, they can lead to harmful behaviours, strained relationships, and limitations on our personal and professional growth. Christina Kisley understands deeply how our past affects...

Fear can take over our emotions, cloud our judgment, and leave us feeling powerless. It’s easy to feel trapped when we’re unsure how to move forwards. John Peters dealt with extraordinary fear during his captivity. But he focused on controlling his mind and his responses, even when everything else was beyond his control. He refused to let fear define him and made a promise to himself that he would...

Emma Draper faced a huge challenge when her life suddenly changed. Her marriage ended, she became a single parent to three boys, and her business was struggling. On top of that, the pressures of keeping her home and supporting her family felt overwhelming. She also battled long Covid, which left her physically drained for years. Emma found a way forward by taking control of her situation. She refu...

It's all to easy to get caught up in work, achievement, or the daily grind. If we’re not careful, we can lose sight of ourselves and the love we have to give and receive. The way forward is to focus on kindness. This means being kind to others and, just as importantly, to ourselves. Matt Dean’s experience – his continuing battle with cancer, his brush with death, and his moment of spiritual awaken...

Responsibility can be hard to let go of when we’re used to being the one everyone relies on. This burden often leaves no room for joy, creativity, or the things that truly fulfil us. We get stuck in patterns of doing what we think we should do, rather than what we deeply want to do. The way forward is to create space for ourselves. This means stepping back from some of the things that weigh us dow...

Sometimes as leaders we face situations that feel overwhelming, whether it’s uncertainty, financial struggles, or the fear of letting others down. These challenges can take a toll on our mental and physical health, and even our confidence in moving forward. But we can overcome these tough moments by staying focused, being resourceful, and never giving up. In this episode, Caffe Nero founder Pablo...

When Osian was born after only 23 weeks, he had to fight through countless medical complications. For his mother, Georgina, it was an exhausting time filled with uncertainty, pushing her to her limits as a parent and caregiver. Despite this, Georgina focused on creating a life filled with love, joy, and connection for Osian. She embraced her role with determination, learning complex medical care a...

Failing to prepare and adapt can lead to dangerous situations, like getting lost in treacherous conditions. These outcomes can be life-threatening and make it difficult for us to reach safety. Arno de Jong faced that when taking his friend on a winter hike in the Alps. They encountered more snow than Arno had expected, which posed a risk of avalanches and made navigation difficult. In his conversa...

 At some point in our lives, we all get scared.  Scared of making the wrong decision of not being a good parent or that everyone will figure out. We're just making it up as we go.  I'm Sally-Anne Airey and I've spent years helping leaders like you work through stress, fear, and uncertainty.  As the Navy's first serving mother and award-winning author, I'm now bringing my ideas on courageous, compa...