Global Innovator | Humanitarian | National Geographic Explorer | United Nations Visionary Award Recipient | TED Speaker

Aloha, I’m Dr. Elizabeth Lindsey

I help leaders make clearer decisions when conditions keep changing.

In the Pacific, navigators call this wayfinding:
staying oriented in motion, reading what’s real, 
trusting your inner compass, and course-correcting calmly.

Many leaders are carrying high-stakes pressure:

• uncertainty without clear answers
• burnout they don’t talk about
• markets shifting faster than strategy
• the sense that the old map no longer fits

My work helps you:

• see clearly (inside and out)
• reduce decision overload and choose the next right step
• course-correct with steadiness as conditions change
• return to True North: values, meaning, alignment

I’m a National Geographic Explorer and anthropologist (PhD in ethnonavigation). 
I translate timeless wayfinding wisdom into practical frameworks for modern life.

I’m currently building a digital wayfinding companion for decision mastery. 
Planned release: mid-April 2026.

From those who’ve experienced my work:

“Elizabeth's timeless insights provided critical unlocks to our team and will no doubt do the same for a broad audience.” 

Ashley Grice, CEO BCG BrightHouse

"Elizabeth is a spellbinding presenter who embodies an inimitable coherence as a daring explorer, visionary, and courageous advocate for cultures around the world."

Dr. Chellie Spiller, Leader-in-Residence, Oxford University

"Elizabeth has greatly honored her cultural heritage. She is superbly qualified for her global quest to find and protect the essence of at-risk cultures." 

Captain Don Walsh, National Geographic, Ocean Elder

Dr. Elizabeth Lindsey

The people you keep close 
shape the person you become.

Not through grand gestures.
Through quiet moments of belief 
when you doubt yourself.

It's been true for me.

Each time, the difference between 
staying stuck and moving forward 
came down to one thing:

The voices I let into my inner circle.

This is what I learned from those voices:

Some people light fires. 
Others tend them. 

The rarest ones sit with you in the dark 
until morning comes.

You need all three.

The colleague who sees 
your potential before you do.

The friend who stays steady 
when you're not.

The mentor who celebrates small wins 
like they're milestones.
Because they are.

At this stage of life, 
we're choosing people who energize us.

We're building connections 
that feel like true partnership.

We're keeping company 
with those who expand our vision.

Your circle should make you braver, 
not smaller.

It should remind you who you are 
when the world tries to tell you who you're not.

Surround yourself with people 
who reflect your strength back to you.

Not because they're perfect.
But because they're real.

Share with those who 
want to protect their peace.

For daily insights on intentional leadership, 
join me, Dr. Elizabeth Lindsey.

Dr. Elizabeth Lindsey 

Helping leaders navigate with greater clarity | National Geographic Explorer | United Nations Visionary Award Recipient | TED Speaker

Most people don't fail because they lack talent.

They fail because they stop believing.

You've started over before. 
Maybe more than once.

You may be standing at another edge, 
wondering if you still have what it takes.

If so, I understand what you're going through.

You may feel exhausted from holding it together.
Wonder why decisions don't feel as clear.
Worry this time might be different.

That doubt isn't weakness.

It's the cost of caring deeply 
about what comes next.

Belief isn't something you find. 
It's something you practice.

One small decision at a time.
One honest conversation.
One step when you're not sure.

A year from now, 
you won't remember the fear.

You'll remember the moment 
you chose to trust yourself anyway.

Not because it was easy.
Not because you had all the answers.

But because you decided your next chapter 
mattered more than your comfort.

Repost for those standing at their own edge.

For daily insights on intentional leadership,
join me, Dr. Elizabeth Lindsey.

I didn’t quit my career.
My life quit it for me.

I spent 15 years building a career.
Then life said: "start over."

Seven times.

Each time felt like failure. 
Like I'd missed some invisible rulebook 
everyone else had memorized.

After decades of reinvention, 
the chaos wasn't random.

Hard conversations I avoided 
taught me courage.

Projects that collapsed 
taught me resilience.

Moments I felt obsolete 
taught me adaptation.

Every time I felt a loss of identity,
I learned who I actually was.

The skills I needed for what came next 
were being forged in what felt 
like falling apart.

Your uncertainty right now isn't
evidence you're behind.

It's preparation.

- The pressure you feel leading through fog.

- The exhaustion from holding it together.

- The quiet fear that you've peaked.

These aren't signs you're failing. 
They're the exact conditions that build 
the steadiness you'll need for what's ahead.

What you're going through isn't punishment.

It's preparation for what you asked for, 
even if you didn't know you were asking.

The question isn't whether you 
can handle what's coming.

It's whether you'll trust that everything 
so far has been getting you ready.

Think of one moment in the past year 
that felt like a setback. Write down what 
strength it actually built in you. 

That's the pattern worth seeing.

For daily insights on Inner Leadership, 
join me, Dr. Elizabeth Lindsey.

Real luxury isn't what they're selling you.

It's waking up without an alarm.
Walking to your kitchen in silence.
Making tea while the world 
is still quiet.

I spent years collecting symbols 
that meant nothing.

The title that impressed strangers.
The watch that said I'd made it.
The calendar so full it proved
I was indispensable.

Then burnout taught me
what I'd been trading away:

• Saturday mornings with nowhere to be
• Conversations that go deeper than work
• Sleep that actually restores you
• The ability to say 'no' without justifying it

The people I admire most
don't own the most expensive things.

They own their attention.
Their energy.
Their peace of mind.

They've learned the difference between
being busy and being fulfilled.

True luxury is building a life
you don't need to escape from.

Everything else is just noise
we've been convinced to call success.

Repost for those redefining wealth.

For daily insights on intentional living,
join me, Dr. Elizabeth Lindsey.

One of the hardest things you'll do
is stop holding on so tight.

Most people I work with are exhausted not from 
doing too much, but from holding too hard.

Gripping the role that no longer fits.
Gripping the client who drains you.
Gripping the identity you've built.

Detachment isn't giving up. It's clearing space.

When you stop chasing what doesn't want you, 
you make room for what does.

When you stop begging for the seat at the table, 
you build your own table.

When you stop settling for misalignment, 
you finally hear your own compass.

This is the work of your next chapter:

• Let the wrong opportunities fall away
• Let go of relationships that cost more than they give
• Stop defending choices that no longer serve you
• Trust that what's meant for you won't require force

Detachment is the quiet strength that comes from 
knowing your worth doesn't need external validation.

Let go. Make space. Watch what arrives.

Share with those who are ready to start trusting.

For daily insights on intentional leadership,
join me, Dr. Elizabeth Lindsey.

Most leaders I know are exhausted.

Not tired. Exhausted.

They've built the career, 
earned the title, checked every box.

But somewhere along the way, 
they lost themselves.

After decades of starting over, 
I've learned:

The markers of real wealth 
aren't on your resume.

1. They're in your body:

• Can you sleep through the night?
• Do you have energy for what matters?
• Can you move without pain?

2. They're in your mind:

• Can you sit in silence without spiraling?
• Do you trust your own judgment?
• Can you let go of what you can't control?

3. They're in your circle:

• Do your people see the real you?
• Can you be honest without performing?
• Do they make you better or just busier?

The truth most won't say out loud...

You can have every external win 
and still feel hollow inside.

Because success without peace isn't wealth.
Achievement without health isn't winning.
Status without real connection is just noise.

The people who last 
don't optimize for more.

They protect what actually sustains them.

Repost for those interested in 
the markers of real wealth.

For daily insights on intentional leadership, 
join me, Dr. Elizabeth Lindsey.

Own who you are.
Then approval stops being currency.

I spent 20 years building 
a version of myself that 
looked good on paper.

The right credentials. 
The right titles.
The right answers.

But this is what what no one 
tells you about that version:

It requires constant maintenance.

Every decision becomes a vote.
Every choice needs validation.
Every move waits for approval.

The exhausting part is that you’re never 
quite sure if you're succeeding 
or just performing.

I see this pattern everywhere now.

Leaders who've built incredible careers 
suddenly second-guessing everything.

Professionals in transition asking everyone 
else what they should do next.

People who've earned their authority 
still seeking permission to use it.

The shift happens when you realize:

The approval you're chasing 
won't make you more certain.

It just makes you more dependent.

Owning who you are isn't about confidence.

It's about ending the negotiation.
It's deciding your experience counts.

Your instincts matter.
Your path is valid even when others 
don't understand it.

The people who move through transition with clarity
stopped asking if they're allowed to be who they are.
They just started being it.

Repost for those who are tired of 
seeking permission to trust themselves.

For daily Heart of Leadership insights, 
join me, Dr. Elizabeth Lindsey.

You're standing at a threshold 
you didn't plan for.

The path that carried you here just ended. 
The next one isn't visible yet.

Lessons I've learned in major transitions:

1. The discomfort isn't a warning sign.
It's the way through.

2. You don't need to see the full path 
to take the next step.

3. You need something else entirely: 
trust in your inner compass.

4. The stillpoint within you 
has always been there. Quiet and precise. 

Most people at this crossroads 
do one of two things:

They retreat to what feels safe.
Or they step into what's possible.

I've chosen the second path multiple times.

Each one of them felt like 
starting from scratch. 

Each time I was wrong about that.

You're not starting from zero 
when you rebuild in your second act.

Something changes when you're rebuilding 
instead of building fresh.

You stop navigating by external markers.
You start trusting internal guidance.

You learn to read the terrain, 
sense direction, 
and trust the next right step.

The metrics change completely.

You stop measuring:

• Whether you're keeping pace 
with people half your age

• If this matches your original plan

You start measuring:

• Whether this aligns 
with your inner compass

• If you're honoring 
what that stillpoint tells you

Your next chapter won't mirror your last one.

It's going to surprise you.

Not because you forced it into being.

But because you trusted the process 
when you couldn't see the full picture.

If you found this helpful, share it with those 
who are navigating a transition.

For more on Mastery and Mindset, 
join me, Dr. Elizabeth Lindsey.

If mental clarity is wealth, 
we’re in a recession.

Notifications pinging.
Multiple browser tabs demanding attention.
Podcasts, articles, updates.

All are competing for the same mental space.

We mistake consumption for productivity.

Your brain wasn't designed for this.

The executives I work with
often feel mentally exhausted.

Not because they lack focus.
But because they're trying to focus
on everything at once.

Your attention is finite.
Your mental bandwidth has limits.

The clearest leaders I know
protect their cognitive space
like their most valuable resource.

They turn off non-essential notifications.
They batch similar tasks together.

They create buffer zones
between intense work sessions.

They understand that saying ‘yes’
to every information stream
means saying ‘no’ to deep thinking.

Mental clarity isn't about
processing more information faster.

It's about choosing what deserves
your mental energy in the first place.

Your next breakthrough won't come
from consuming more content.

It will come from creating space
for your best ideas to surface.

Repost for those ready to protect
their mental well-being.

For daily insights on intentional leadership,
join me, Dr. Elizabeth Lindsey.

Change doesn’t wait for your approval. 
It waits for your trust.

Most people think transformation 
is about having a plan.

It's not.

It's about dissolving.

At 50, when my husband died, 
I found myself standing 
in the rubble of everything I knew.

Logic said stay.
Stay where the memories lived.
Stay where it felt safe.
Stay where it made sense.

But something deeper whispered: 

California.

I had no plan.
No job waiting.
No logical reason to go.

Just an inner knowing 
that wouldn't be silenced.

That whisper was my instincts 
guiding me through the darkness.

The truth about transformation 
is that it feels like dying 
before it feels like living.

The caterpillar doesn't just grow wings.

It dissolves.
Completely.
Into nothing recognizable.

No map through the dissolution.
No roadmap for the in-between.

Just trust in what wants to emerge.

Your deepest instincts are 
your compass when 
everything else fails.

They feel the pull 
before your mind understands.

They sense the opening 
before your eyes can see it.

They know the way forward
when logic offers only fear.

Transformation is:

1. Messy before it's beautiful.
2. Terrifying before it's liberating.
3. Confusing before it's sacred.

But your body knows the path
when your mind is lost.

The whisper that says "go."
The pull that says "now."  
The knowing that says "yes."

Instead of asking:
"What if I'm making a mistake?"

Ask:
"What if my instincts see 
what my mind cannot?"

I followed that whisper to California.

Not because it made sense.
Because it made me alive again.

In the space between 
who I was and who I was becoming,
instinct was my guide.

It led me home to myself.

What's calling you to trust more deeply?

Share with those navigating 
their own transformation.

For daily insights on intentional leadership,
join me, Dr. Elizabeth Lindsey.

Wayfinding for modern leaders | Decision clarity as conditions change | National Geographic Explorer | United Nations Visionary Award Recipient | TED Speaker

"May you never lose the drive 
to pursue the things you love 
no matter how hard it gets."

It's important to remember
you're not alone.

It gets hard for all of us.

At different points.
And in different ways.

The question isn't whether it will get hard.
It's whether you'll keep going anyway.

I've led expeditions far beyond my abilities. 
The difficulty wasn't the point. 
The pursuit was.

1. The drive doesn't disappear. 
It gets buried under doubt.

2. Hard doesn't mean impossible. 
It means you're stretching.

3. What you love 
will ask everything of you. 

4. You don't need certainty. 
You need commitment.

5. The exhaustion is real. 
So is your capacity.

6. Alignment matters 
more than ease.

7. Your compass still works, 
even when you can't see the path.

The things worth pursuing don't get easier.

You get stronger, clearer, steadier.

And that's how you keep the drive alive.

Not by avoiding the hard parts.
By remembering why you started.

I'd love to know what keeps you going 
when things get hard.

Share to remind others: 
that the pursuit is worth it.

For more on courage, alignment, 
and inner steadiness, join me, 
Dr. Elizabeth Lindsey.

Most redirections don't feel like upgrades.

They feel like failures.

Like proof you missed something.
Or, evidence you're falling behind.

When you stop measuring redirections against 
where you thought you'd be, and start measuring 
them against who you're becoming, 
everything changes.

1. The layoff that felt like rejection 
becomes the exit you needed.

2. The pivot that looked like retreat 
becomes the recalibration you avoided.

3. The change that seemed like loss 
becomes the clearing you required.

Not because you're putting a positive
spin on it.

But because you've built enough self-trust 
to know you don't need the old path 
to validate you.

A secret to happiness is to have 
so much love for yourself that any redirection 
in life feels like an upgrade.

That's not about affirmations.

It's about knowing your worth isn't tied to a title, 
a trajectory, or someone else's timeline.

When you trust yourself that deeply, 
redirections stop feeling like setbacks.

They start feeling like course corrections.

And that shift changes everything.

Repost this for those who 
are navigating a redirection.

For daily insights on intentional leadership, 
join me, Dr. Elizabeth Lindsey.

Starting over doesn't mean you're behind.
It means you're brave enough 
to begin again.

If you're standing at the edge of a major transition right 
now, you might be wondering if you have what it takes.

You do.

After rebuilding my life from scratch at 50, I learned 
something that completely shifted how I think about 
starting over:

I went from being a married executive and co-owner 
to a widow starting over when the company dissolved.

Everything I'd built with my husband was gone.
Yet, my past wasn't wasted. 

Every year I invested, every challenge I faced, 
every decision I made built something in me 
that can't be taken away.

Resilience. 
Fortitude. 

The ability to keep going 
when everything falls apart.

That's not gone. That's yours.

When you're rebuilding and everything feels 
uncertain, these steps helped me find solid ground:

• Stop measuring yourself against 
who you were 10 years ago. 

Your experience didn't disappear. 
It's the foundation you're building from now.

• Write down 3 hard things you've already 
survived. Not to dwell on them. 

To remember you're tougher than you think.

• Take 1 small action today that aligns with 
where you want to go. 

Not where you've been. Where you're headed.

• Trust that the skills you've built over decades 
don't expire. They adapt. 

You've done this before in different forms.

Transition at this stage of life looks different 
than most people think:

You're not starting from zero. 
You're starting from experience. 

Not too old to rebuild, but exactly 
the right age to do it with wisdom. 

And you're moving forward with 
more tools than you had at 30.

Every morning is a choice: 

Either believe the voice that says 
you're too old and you've wasted everything.

Or, remember that you've rebuilt yourself 
more times than you can count. 

You already know how to do hard things.

This is just the next one.

Repost for those facing their own transitions.

For daily insights on the Heart of Leadership 
join me, Dr. Elizabeth Lindsey.

Humanitarian | National Geographic Explorer | United Nations Visionary Award | TED Speaker

Most people in their 40s to 60s 
don't abandon their dreams.

Instead, they quietly negotiate them down.

A little less ambitious.
A little more "realistic."
A little safer.

I've done this.
For self-protection.
To avoid disappointment.

I’ve also watched brilliant leaders do the same:

• The executive who wanted to start something new 
but stayed for the pension.

• The founder who had a vision 
but settled for what seemed possible.

• The professional who knew their worth 
but accepted what was offered.

They didn't fail.

They just made their dreams smaller 
to fit the life they already had.

After starting over more times than I can count, 
I've noticed something:

Your reality will always try to shrink your dreams.

That's not wisdom. 
That's fear wearing a practical mask.

The real question isn't whether your dream fits 
your current reality.

It's whether you're committed enough 
to build a new one.

Because the ones who actually create what they want 
don't downgrade their vision.

They upgrade their belief in it.

They stop asking "Is this realistic?" 
and start asking "Am I all in?"

Your dream doesn't need to be smaller.

You need to believe in it more.

Repost those who are ready 
to stop negotiating with their potential.

For daily insights on Intentional Leadership, 
join me, Dr. Elizabeth Lindsey.

Real influence isn't about getting people to follow you.
It's about helping them get where they want to go.

When I am truly present for others,
they feel seen, heard, and cared for. 

An unspoken connection is born.

People who actually move things forward
aren't the ones talking about themselves.

They're the ones asking better questions:
"How can I help you?"
"Who should you be connected with?"
"What would success look like for you?"

The Law of Influence is simple:
Your influence grows when you place
others' interests first.

Not as a networking strategy.
Because it's how real relationships work.

Here's what that looks like:

• Share opportunities that don't benefit you
• Make introductions without expecting anything back
• Celebrate someone else's win publicly
• Ask how you can help before talking about what you need
• Remember what matters to them, not just what matters to you

The most influential people I know
built their reputation one conversation at a time.
One moment where they chose to serve
instead of self-promote.

Your influence isn't your title or your followers.
It's how many people are genuinely better off
because they crossed paths with you.

Start there.

Repost for those building influence
the right way.

For daily insights on the Heart of Leadership,
join me, Dr. Elizabeth Lindsey.

Reinvention begins the moment you decide.
You're no longer available for your old life.
That's when everything shifts.

At 50, newly widowed, I found a travel magazine.
Something stirred so deep I couldn't ignore it.

I was living too small.

I made a commitment to myself: I would travel.
I had no plan. No map. No idea where it would lead.

It led to National Geographic.
First Polynesian Explorer in their history.
And first female fellow. 

Someone once told me I'd never do great things.
That I should be grateful for the job I had.

People project their own fears.
Most often, their opinions are untrue.

You don't need permission to walk away 
from what no longer serves you.
You don't need to wait until it makes sense.

The dream comes before you're ready.
Before you have a plan.
Before you know the next step.

You've already started by considering it.

What version of yourself 
are you no longer available for?

Repost to remind others: 
reinvention starts with one decision.

Follow Dr. Elizabeth Lindsey for more on 
courage and finding your True North.

We're drowning in content.
And calling it strategy.

Every platform screams:
"Post more. Share more. Create more."

But I've watched people exhaust 
themselves feeding the machine.

I've been there myself.

Creating because we think we should.
Not because we have something worth saying.

But content without meaning is noise.
Meaning becomes increasingly valuable.

After years of watching what actually
cuts through the chaos, here's what separates
content that matters from content that disappears:

1. One focused message beats ten scattered ideas.
Stop trying to cover everything in one post.
Pick one insight. Make it crystal clear.

2. Write for the person lying awake at 2 AM.
The executive questioning their next move.
The leader feeling uncertain about their path.
Not for the algorithm that rewards frequency.

3. Share what you've lived, not what you've learned.
Your battle scars carry more weight
than all the books you've ever read.

4. Before you publish, ask: "Will this matter in a week?"
If the answer is no, save your audience's attention
for something that will.

The creators who actually influence
don't confuse volume with value.

You can post every day.
But only if each post earns
the attention it's asking for.

Something that makes you think.
Something that changes how you see things.

Meaning requires space to breathe.
Noise fills every available moment.

Your audience's attention is sacred.
Let's treat it that way.

Repost for those choosing
substance over frequency.

For daily insights on intentional leadership,
join me, Dr. Elizabeth Lindsey.

Status is rented. 
Character is earned

When you prioritize character,
success becomes inevitable.

Not because you're chasing it,
but because people want to 
work with those they trust.

I've watched this play out
across continents and cultures.

In Kenya, a Maasai elder with no formal education
taught me more about leadership in one afternoon
than four years of college.

His secret wasn't his knowledge.
It was how he listened.
How he made every person feel seen.

I saw this pattern play out around the world.

The fisherman who shared his catch
never went hungry.

The mother who adopted a stranger's sorrows
never lacked for family.

Choosing character over credentials
requires courage that some people lack.

You'll lose opportunities that compromise your values.
You'll speak truth when lies would profit you.
You'll invest in relationships 
that may never "pay off."

This is the cost that our achievement-obsessed world 
doesn't talk about.

The people who sustain success
ask different questions from the start:

Not "How can this help me?"
But "How can I help?"

Not "What will I gain?"
But "What value can I add?"

That shift in orientation
changes everything.

The difference between performative 
and authentic character is simple:

Performative character asks:
"What will make me look good?"

Authentic character asks:
"What's right?"

I've seen executives with impressive credentials
crash and burn over character flaws.

And watched people with modest backgrounds
build empires because they were trustworthy.

The CEO who still answers his own emails.
The billionaire who's lived in the same house for 30 years.
The leader who promotes the person who challenged them.

They understood something
our credential-focused world forgets:

Credentials depreciate.
Character compounds.

Your followers can disappear overnight.
Your degree may lose relevance.
Your title changes with your job.

But your reputation
follows you everywhere.

Here's how to spot authentic character:

1. Watch how a person treats people
who can't help them advance.

2. Listen to how they talk
about people who aren't present.

3. Notice if their private values
match their public persona.

This question is like my North Star:

"If I choose character over credentials,
how does this decision change?"

Suddenly, every choice becomes clearer.
Every relationship deeper.
Every opportunity more meaningful.

We carry two resumes through life:

One lists our achievements.
The other lists our character.

Only one opens doors
that actually matter.

The world will always reward credentials first.
Character takes longer to pay dividends.
But when it does,
the returns are exponential.

Is there a decision you'd make differently
if character was your only currency?

Share with those those building legacies 
and not just resumes.

For daily insights on intentional leadership,
join me, Dr. Elizabeth Lindsey. 

Credit: Business2Success

Career Strategist I Change advisor for Leaders | I help successful professionals build freedom, income & impact through portfolio careers | Speaker I Ex-Citi COO | Follow for modern leadership, career and change

Over the past 25 years, I have built a successful international banking career.
Most recently, I was the Regional COO for Citibank’s $2Bn business across 16 countries in Asia - leading large-scale transformations in digitisation and culture.

But in 2021, I walked away from my high-paying executive role.

Why?

Because I wanted more space.
More time with family.
More alignment between who I am and how I work.

But I didn’t want to start from scratch.
So I asked myself a question:
What if I could build a career around everything I already know - and love?

That’s how my portfolio career began.
And it changed everything.

Now, I help other professionals do the same.

What I’ve built since 2021:
→ A 6-figure portfolio business with 3 income streams
→ Founder of Change is Possible - a business community for professionals redesigning their next chapter
→ 100K+ LinkedIn followers (grew from 17K in under a year)
→ Coached 100+ professionals through successful career transitions
→ Host of a Top 20 global podcast on career change, Change is Possible
→ TEDx speaker, Forbes columnist, and Bloomberg TV guest

Want to build your own portfolio career?
🚀 THE PORTFOLIO CAREER ACCELERATOR (Launching January 2026) 
Apply here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1thkmph_EwRxLGfuL9muCsRir1uKDdF2nXYeI7X_1oSA/edit

This is an 8-week program designed to help you:
→ Turn your expertise into income
→ Build a personal brand that opens doors
→ Create your first income stream - even before you leave your job

Only 20 spots. 12 already claimed.

Other ways we can work together:
✔️ Join my business community — Change is Possible https://changeispossible.co.uk/ - doors open for new members on Sept.10, 2025
✔️ Book me to speak — I deliver keynotes on leadership, change, career reinvention, and the future of work - send a DM.
✔️ Hire me as an advisor — I support companies navigating complex transformation - send a DM to meet and explore.
✔️ Book 1:1 coaching — For senior execs ready to design their next chapter - send a DM.
✔️ Book my LinkedIn Growth Bundle — A 2-session intensive where I teach you the exact system I used to grow to 100K+ followers. Apply here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1bLp7wmK8xhIpfFu8beImvD5JZQHYsbraTBx5Orjx0zs/edit

P.S. Still wondering if change is really possible?
🎧 Tune in to my podcast Change is Possible — where 100+ professionals share how they redesigned their careers and lives. Watch here - https://www.youtube.com/@ChangeIsPossiblePodcast

Ani Filipova

Scrolling LinkedIn, you will think everyone is operating at 100% every day.

5 am routine ✅
10 client calls ✅
Launched 3 products ✅
Ran a marathon ✅

Meanwhile, I'm over here thinking:

• My video production is weeks behind
• I have zero content prepped for this week - I'm creating as I go
• That Substack I promised myself I'd launch in January is still in drafts
• My follow-up list has a follow-up list

And you know what?

My business is still growing.
My Portfolio Career Accelerator starts in 10 days - with brilliant people already inside.
My community is thriving.
My podcast just passed 30,000 subscribers.

Nobody posts the hard days.
But those are the days that matter the most.

They teach you:
• Perfect doesn't exist
• Decisions get made with incomplete information
• Momentum matters more than intensity

That's why I didn't build my Portfolio Accelerator as a blueprint for perfection.

I built it as a framework for sustainable progress.

Because the move from corporate to a portfolio career isn't about doing everything right.
It's about continuing when nothing feels right.

Sustainable success isn't showing up at your best.
It's showing up anyway.

Some days you are on fire.
Some days, you are just keeping the fire from going out.

Both count.
Both compound.

If you are ready to build a portfolio career that works with your real life - not some imaginary perfect version of it - applications for the Portfolio Career Accelerator close soon.

A few final spots remain. Apply here: https://lnkd.in/gpEqqqFs

We start in 10 days.

Build something that survives your ordinary days.

Follow me, https://lnkd.in/g6R7Yb8t, for daily doses of career, leadership and change truths

-----
Image credit: Jen Blandos

If you followed every piece of “good career advice” you were given, you would be less employable today - not more.

I was repeatedly warned that changing roles this often would destroy my career.

It turned out it didn’t.

They called it professional suicide.
Now I teach executives how to do it deliberately.

19 job changes.
5 countries.
25 years of “destroying my career.”

When I left my first job after 15 months, my mum was appalled.
Stability was everything to her generation.

Two years later, I left again.
Then again.

At Citi alone:
10 role changes.
5 countries.
21 years.

Every move came with the same warnings:

“You are ruining your CV.”
“No one will trust someone this unstable.”
“You’ll regret this later.”

And there were moments I wondered if they were right.

I watched peers climb neat ladders while my path looked… messy.
Hard to explain.
Easy to judge.

At 50, I walked away from a COO role and started again.
That’s when the concern turned into outrage.
People never understood the audacity to want something different.

Here’s the mental model most people miss:

• One skill = one solution
• Two skills = multiple options
• Ten skills = leverage from angles others can’t see

Experience doesn’t add up.
It multiplies.

Today’s market doesn’t reward narrow specialists who need the world to stay predictable.

It rewards people who can:
→ Connect dots across functions
→ Solve problems from multiple lenses
→ Rebuild themselves without panic

A “messy” career isn’t a liability anymore.
It’s optionality.

In a world that reinvents itself constantly,
your ability to change IS your stability.

That’s why I now help experienced professionals turn unconventional paths into:
income, 
impact, 
and freedom - without starting from scratch.

The Portfolio Career Accelerator starts January 26.

20 people.
8 weeks.
A clear system for turning what you already know into a career that compounds - a portfolio career!

10 places remain.
Apply here: https://lnkd.in/g8bpRmYN

Most people don’t need a new career.
They need a better way to frame - and monetise - the one they’ve already lived.

♻️ Repost this for someone still apologising for evolving.
→ Follow me, Ani Filipova, for daily career and change truths.

undefined undefined

No one can ruin your day.

Unless you let them.

Most people think their emotions are caused by other people or events.

“They made me angry.”
“That ruined my day.”
“I had no choice.”

But that’s not how it actually works.

Nobody makes you angry.
You choose anger as the response.

That choice happens fast, but it’s still a choice.
The most underrated skill in life and business?

⚠️ Emotional control.

Not suppressing emotions.
Not pretending you are calm.
But responding instead of reacting.

Here is a simple framework I use when I feel triggered:

1️⃣ Name the emotion
Say it out loud or in your head: "I'm feeling frustrated."
Naming the emotion reduces its intensity by up to 50%.
You can't control what you don't acknowledge.

2️⃣ Delay the response
Wait 90 seconds before responding. 
Emotions trigger a chemical reaction in your body for only 90 seconds.
Anything beyond that - it is you feeding the story!

3️⃣ Reframe the situation
“What response helps me win long-term?”

This approach applies everywhere:

Before replying to a passive-aggressive email
Before reacting in a meeting
Before saying something you’ll regret later

Calm people don’t have fewer problems.
They just solve them better.

Your reaction is your responsibility.
And emotional discipline compounds faster than motivation.

♻️ Repost this for someone who needs the reminder.
→ Follow me, Ani Filipova, for more on leadership, career, and change.

Image credit: A.G.E on Pinterest.

li_at

Reset Your Password | LinkedIn

JSESSIONID

Sales Navigator

Talks about #leadership, #careerpivot, #futureofwork, and #transformation

Skills don't predict performance. 

Character does.

I once hired the most qualified candidate on paper. 
Impressive CV. Perfect experience. 
They quit in 3 months.

The problem is that most interviews rely on rehearsed answers to predictable questions.

Here are 10 "non-predictable" questions that reveal who someone really is:

1. If money wasn't an issue, what would you choose to do for work?
→ Reveals intrinsic motivation vs. external rewards

2. When was the last time you felt proud at work—and why?
→ Shows what success truly means to them

3. What would you do if you knew you were going to miss a deadline?
→ Tests accountability and honesty under pressure

4. What do you think you owe an employer—and what do they owe you?
→ Exposes work ethic, expectations, and entitlement

5. What are your strongest strengths—and the weaknesses you're actively working on?
→ Reveals self-awareness and growth mindset

6. What's a belief you hold that most people disagree with?
→ Shows independent thinking and confidence in values

7. What do you do when you strongly disagree with your manager?
→ Reveals emotional intelligence and conflict maturity

8. If you could change one past decision, what would it be—and why?
→ Tests reflection, learning, and accountability

9. How do you handle working with someone you don't like?
→ Assesses professionalism when emotions are involved

10. Tell me about a decision you made that disappointed people.
→ Reveals leadership courage and ethical reasoning

Most bad hires don't fail because they lack skills.
They fail because their character was never tested.

📌 Save this for your next interview.
♻️ Repost this with someone building a team in 2026.
→ Follow me, Ani Filipova, for leadership, career and change insights.

Use these in your hiring process

I spent 20 years in banking, thinking I understood how the world worked.

Then I moved from Singapore to Hong Kong to become a COO, and as we began setting up our life again, I realised something uncomfortable:

I’d been living in a professional echo chamber.

My friends were bankers.
My network was bankers.
My entire view of “career” was shaped by one industry and one employer.

I didn’t even realise how limited my perspective was.

I was making decisions - about work and life -
based entirely on my own small bubble,
surrounded by people just like me.

And that’s when it hit me:

I was doing the exact same thing with my career.

I was looking at my future through a banking lens.
Surrounded by banking people.
Measuring success by banking standards.

I had no idea what else was out there.

Not because the opportunities didn’t exist.
But because I wasn’t in rooms where anyone talked about them.

The creator economy?
Never heard of it.

Portfolio careers?
Didn’t know that was a thing.

Multiple income streams?
Honestly, it sounded like a scam.

I genuinely believed my options were:
→ Stay in banking
→ Move to another bank
→ Or try consulting company

That was it.

The problem wasn’t fear.
It was visibility.

When everyone around you is on the same path..
That path feels like the only one.

So how do you break free?

1️⃣ Get outside your bubble 

Find one person doing work that fascinates you but seems "impossible." Talk to them. You'll be shocked how possible it actually is. 

2️⃣ Audit your inputs

Whom are you following? What are you reading? If it's all corporate content, you are trapped in an echo chamber. 

3️⃣ Take one small step into the unknown 

Attend an event outside your industry. Message someone in the creator economy. Learn about one business model you've never heard of.

The moment you step outside your professional bubble,
you realise the world is far bigger than what you’ve been shown.

That’s why I created the Portfolio Career Accelerator.

To show you the massive world of opportunities you can’t see yet,
and guide you if you decide to explore any of them.

We are starting Jan 26, 2026.
A few spots are still open. Apply here: https://lnkd.in/gpEqqqFs

or

👉 DM me and let's talk

In 8 days, we go live with The Portfolio Career Accelerator.

I’ve been planning this accelerator for the last 6 months - and it’s finally here.

Not as a course you “consume.”
But as a transition you actually make.

My goal is simple:

• Show corporate professionals the opportunities they are missing
• Build a bridge from corporate expertise to multiple income streams
• Be the translator people need - someone who speaks both corporate and creator

Because most professionals aren’t stuck. They are just operating inside a very small bubble and the accelerator will show them what is outside it.

This is an 8-week program, built around the 5 principles of a portfolio career, plus how to use AI to implement faster - not someday, but now.

Here’s how it breaks down:

Module 1: Build Your Brand & Audience
LinkedIn optimisation, content strategy, high-performing posts, lead magnets, newsletter creation

Module 2: Create Your Products
Turn expertise into courses, workshops, and programs. Pricing, sales process, launch strategy

Module 3: Become a Speaker
Craft keynotes, master delivery, build a speaker kit, and land paid gigs

Module 4: Advisor / Board Member / Fractional Exec
Shift from doer to advisor. Structure engagements. Find and land real opportunities

Module 5: Become an Investor
Investment fundamentals, portfolio building, diversification, and working with brokers

Module 6: Leverage AI
Prompt engineering, custom GPTs, AI agents

And you are not learning from me alone.

We’ve brought in incredible guest trainers - experts in their fields - speaking, investing, advisory, board and AI.

We start on January 26th.

And we already have amazing professionals signed up and ready to start. 

This cohort is capped at 20 people.
Why?

Because this isn’t passive learning.
It’s a transformation - with guidance, accountability, and a room full of people who get it.

If you are tired of living inside a professional bubble…

If you know there’s more available to you than one job title…

If you want someone who’s actually done this to show you how…

👉 Secure your spot here: https://lnkd.in/gpEqqqFs

8 days until we start building your portfolio career.

Let’s go.

♻️ Repost this to help another corporate professional see what’s possible
💾 Save this if portfolio careers are on your 2026 radar

taplio

The Battle

Dr. Elizabeth Lindsey

Ani Filipova

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreDr. Elizabeth Lindsey's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreAni Filipova's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Dr. Elizabeth Lindsey

Ani Filipova

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Dr. Elizabeth Lindsey's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreAni Filipova's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreDr. Elizabeth Lindsey's LinkedIn Performance