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

Humble is a human-first knowledge platform for founders and operators.

It gives you clear, practical answers to real business questions in seconds.
No AI-generated fluff. No gurus. No recycled advice.

You ask a question.
You get a direct answer, backed by receipts from vetted founders, operators, and experts.
You can see the source, go deeper if you want, or get access human behind the insight.

Humble is built for:
• Founders and builders in motion
• Small teams making real decisions
• Accelerators, funds, and communities that need trusted answers at scale

Human experience. AI speed.
Clarity when it actually matters.

—

Strategic Partner at Loud Solutions:

Loud embeds inside scaling companies to fix people ops before things go wrong.

I assess Teams of 20+, with rapid growth and big ambitions for their fit to Loud. For the best, I get them access to the rare knowledge that saves them from huge mistakes to unlock massive growth.

Not being able to manage growth at this stage can be fatal, and fixing it later is impossible.

Evolve. Now. 
You can’t afford to f*ck this up.

Charlie Lass

You hired adults.
Stop managing them like children.
Trust your Team!

Some leaders still think oversight creates better work.

It doesn’t.
It creates performance anxiety.

When people know they’re being watched, they don’t show you reality.
They show you what won’t get them in trouble.

- Progress reports get polished.
- Risks get softened.
- Bad news arrives late, if at all.

From the outside, it looks like control.
Inside the team, it feels like caution.

⚠️ And caution is expensive.

You don’t see what’s actually slowing things down.

You don’t hear where decisions are getting stuck.

You don’t learn which processes are quietly failing.

👉 Trust changes the behaviour completely.

When people feel trusted, they stop managing impressions, and they start managing outcomes.

It shows up like this:
1. They flag problems earlier.

2. They take responsibility instead of covering themselves.

3. They tell you the truth because they’re not bracing for impact.

This is why surveillance never shows you what’s working.
It only shows you what’s you want to see.

➕If you’re busy, this is worth sitting with.

More check-ins won’t buy you clarity.
Clear expectations and trust will.

- Set the direction.
- Define the bar.
- Then get out of the way long enough to see what’s real.

That’s not hands-off leadership.
That’s how you actually learn what’s going on.

-
♻️: Repost to remind.
➕: Follow Charlie Lass.

Founder @ Humble | Strategic Partner @ Loud | Follow for Self Improvement, Growth Strategy & Being A Better Human | Entrepreneurship Coach

No alternative text description for this image

If you can’t treat people well, experience means nothing. 
Probably less than nothing. 

Leadership isn’t what you know.
It’s how people feel after being around you.

I’ve watched CEOs with decades of “experience” do the basics badly:

- They speak down to someone because they’re stressed.
- They “joke” at someone’s expense in a meeting.
- They ignore a message for days, then demand urgency from everyone else.
- They only show warmth when they want something.

And then they wonder why people are quitting.

👉 Treating people well sounds soft.
- It’s not.
- It’s discipline.
- It’s restraint.
- It’s choosing respect when your ego wants control.

Here’s what it looks like when it’s real:

1. You’re consistent
Not lovely on Monday and lethal on Thursday.
People shouldn’t need to check your mood before they speak.

2. You’re clear, not cutting
Direct feedback.
No humiliation.
No sarcasm dressed up as “high standards”.

3. You give credit properly
You name the person.
You name the work.
You don’t hoard wins like they’re oxygen.

4. You don’t punish honesty
If someone raises a problem and you bite their head off,
you didn’t fix the issue.
You trained people to shut up.

5. You respect time
You show up.
You end on time.
You don’t make people wait because you think your calendar matters more.

6. You apologise fast
No speech.
No spin.
Just: “That was out of line. I’m sorry.”

7. You treat everyone like they matter
Not just the loud ones.
Not just the useful ones.
Not just the people who agree with you.

The reality is that:
- People will forgive mistakes.
They don’t forgive disrespect.

And the cost isn’t just feelings.

It’s performance.
It’s loyalty.
It’s reputation.
It’s the best people quietly deciding they’re done.

If you’re a CEO or an aspiring leader, what’s one bad behaviour you’ll drop this week? 

-
♻️: Repost to remind. 
➕: Follow Charlie Lass

The people who earn the most respect?
They’re terrifyingly good.
And somehow… still kind.

Not “nice” in a performative way.
Kind in a quiet, steady, adult way.

They don’t need to prove they’re the smartest person in the room.
Because everyone already knows.

👏 I’ve worked with founders like this.
Operators like this.
Speakers like this.

The ones who can see the problem in 30 seconds… and still take the time to bring the room with them.

- They ask questions before they give answers.
- They explain without making you feel stupid.
- They correct you without turning it into shame.

And they share credit like it costs them nothing.

That’s not softness. That’s control & talent. 

📌 Real skill doesn’t need an audience.
And real confidence doesn’t need a victim.

I spoke with a Founder yesterday about a CEO we both know. 
He said: 
"I would never work with that guy again. Ever."
"I don't care how successful he is. He's got the biggest ego in the world and makes people feel like sh1t."

Yikes.

👍 Here’s why humility works (in teams, in leadership, in life) and ego turns people off forever. 

When someone makes others feel small, the room gets quiet.
Contact shame. Fear. Anger.

- People stop offering ideas.
- They stop raising risks.
- They stop flagging the thing that will later become a disaster.

You still get “yes”.
You still get “all good”.
You still get progress updates.

But you lose the truth about what is actually going on. 

Humility keeps the truth flowing, and the truth is where the money is.

👉 The best leaders I’ve seen do a few simple things daily:

1. They treat questions like a gift
If someone asks, they don’t sigh. They don’t smirk. They answer.
A team that can ask “dumb questions” always moves faster than a team that’s scared.

2. They coach in private, praise in public
Public shame is lazy leadership.
If you want performance, protect dignity.

3. They make it good to disagree
Not by saying “prove me wrong” once in a meeting.
By not punishing people the first time they do.

4. They stay curious when they’re right
They don’t use being right as a weapon.
They use it as a starting point.

If you want to spot real professionalism, watch what someone does with their competence and how humble they are. 

Do they lift the room?
Or do they use the room to feel taller?

Which type are you surrounded by right now?

Whichever it is, stay humble.

-
🖼️: Deep Connection.
♻️: Repost to remind.
➕: Follow Charlie Lass.

When great talent walks away silently, 
that’s not about them.
It’s a BIG leadership problem.

Great people don’t quit loudly.

They don’t rage-post.
They don’t threaten.
They don’t make a scene.

They just… leave.

They know their worth and they move on. 👋

Most CEOs with 30+ people miss this.

By the time you notice a resignation, the decision was made months ago.
When meetings stopped feeling useful.
When feedback gets “noted” instead of acted on.
When the same issues came up again. 
And again.
And again.

⚠️ The scary bit?

Your best people don’t fight for attention.
They don’t campaign for promotions.
They don’t play politics to survive.

They assume you’ll see the work.
They assume you’ll notice the pattern.
They assume leadership is paying attention.

Until they realise it isn’t.

So they do the adult thing.
- They protect their headspace.
- They stop pushing uphill.
- They quietly make plans.

And from the outside, everything still looks fine.

Headcount steady.
Roadmap intact.
No drama.

🤦‍♂️ Right up until it isn’t.

This is why “people problems” are never sudden.
- They’re slow leaks.
- Ignored signals.
- Deferred conversations.

If you’re a CEO trying to keep people issues “off your plate,” here’s the uncomfortable truth:

📌 People don’t need more perks.
They need PROOF.

Proof that good judgment gets rewarded.
Proof that bad behaviour doesn’t get a pass.
Proof that you notice who’s carrying the weight.

Because when great talent walks away silently, that’s not a retention issue.

That’s a leadership signal. And a BAD one.

And it’s usually the last one you’ll get before it costs you far more than time.

You can’t afford to make these mistakes.

-
♻️: Repost to remind.
➕: Follow Charlie Lass.

Nothing will wear you down faster
than worrying about everything, 
all the time, as if it’s ALL yours to fix.

There is a LOT going on.
- Real issues.
- Real uncertainty.
- Things that matter, and deserve care.

Ignoring them isn’t strength.
Prioritizing isn't selfish.
And pretending they don’t affect you isn’t honesty.

👉 But neither is letting them consume every quiet moment because madness lies down that road. 

As someone who has been through a breakdown and burnout, I know that right now, so much is pulling at your attention.
- News cycles.
- Other people’s urgency.
- Worrying about the future.
- Problems arriving before they’re fully formed.

Your mind keeps trying to be helpful. It's designed to help keep you safe.
It scans for threats and looks for control where there isn’t much to be found.

That's OK> That’s not weakness.
That’s being human.

💤 Calm doesn’t come from shutting the world out completely.

It comes from choosing how close you let it in. Here's how to navigate when so much causes you stress and uncertainty:

1. You can care deeply
Without thinking about everything at once.

2. You can stay informed
Without being constantly inflamed.
There are things designed to make you angry.

3. You can acknowledge what’s hard
and still protect the part of you that needs steadiness.

4. Focus is an act of care.
- For your work.
- For the people who rely on you.
- For your own nervous system.

So when things feel stressful, return to what’s in front of you.
- The next conversation.
- The next decision.
- The next small action that actually helps.

📌 Stay calm where you can.
Stay focused on what matters to you.

That’s how you stay useful, present, and human.

-
♻️: Repost to inspire.
➕: Follow Charlie Lass.

Authenticity became rare.
That’s why it stands out.
Being yourself became rebellious.

⚠️ Most people are constantly performing.

But it exhausts those that aren’t because the real flex isn’t confidence.
It’s not a “personal brand”
It’s being calm when everyone else is cosplaying success.

Being yourself is inconvenient and doesn’t always fit in everywhere.

It doesn’t always get applause.
It doesn’t always scale fast.
And it definitely doesn’t win every room.

Which is why most people fake it.

👉 But take a moment and think about this:
Authenticity isn’t loud.
It’s consistent.

If you want to spot the difference between real people and polished noise, do this:

1.	Watch who changes depending on who’s in the room.
Same values, same tone, same standards? Or shape-shifting for approval?

2.	Notice who talks about outcomes vs image.
Real operators talk about the work.
Performers talk about how it looks.

3.	Pay attention to how people treat those with nothing to offer them.
Humility shows up when there’s no upside.

4.	Listen for borrowed language.
Buzzwords, recycled opinions, trendy outrage.
Original thinking sounds quieter. And simpler.

5.	Call the BS without becoming it.
You don’t need to expose people publicly.
Just don’t reward behaviour you wouldn’t respect in private.

📌 Being yourself isn’t about self-expression.
It’s about self-respect.

Humility isn’t thinking less of yourself.
It’s not needing to prove who you are.

The people worth trusting don’t need a highlight reel.
They show up the same on a good day and a bad one.

Be humble. That’s the flex.

-
♻️: Repost to inspire.
➕: Follow Charlie Lass

You’re never too important to be nice.
The second someone thinks they are,
It’s the beginning of the end.

I’ve worked with amazing founders, executives, operators, from all industries; People with REAL leverage.

Not LinkedIn leverage.
Actual leverage.

Huge budget. Massive hiring power. The ability to make or break someone’s year with a sentence.

What I’ve noticed isn’t subtle. It’s OBVIOUS, but so many think it doesn’t apply to them when it always, always does.

⚠️ The second they start believing their role matters more than the people around them, their results collapse.

You can spot the behaviour changes:
- They listen less.
- They interrupt more.
- They are always late. 
- They expect without explaining.

They’re assholes. 

Kindness disappears first.
Judgement second.
The Team third.

👉 Being kind doesn’t slow serious people down.
It keeps them sharp and the Team elite.

It allows you to see what’s actually happening, not just what fits your narrative.

It keeps feedback flowing instead of being filtered.

It makes people tell you the truth before it’s too late.

The best leaders I know aren’t KIND all the time.
- They’re direct.
- They’re demanding.
- They’re clear.

But they never confuse status with entitlement.

They understand something basic that a lot of ambitious people forget.

📌 You don’t lose authority by treating people well.
You lose it when people stop wanting to do their best around you.

Importance is fragile.
Respect is earned daily.

Kindness isn’t a personality trait.
It’s a leadership choice you make when no one’s forcing you to.

Especially then.

So which are you choosing today?

-
♻️: Repost to remind.
➕: Follow Charlie Lass.

People don’t burn out from work.
They burn out from feeling invisible.
And yes, that's a leadership problem.

We've all watched leaders throw perks at morale.
Free lunches. New tools. Big “culture” decks.

Meanwhile the best people quietly check out.
Sigh.

Because nobody seems to notice they’re carrying the place.

👉  Most leaders miss one big thing:
Appreciation is not “being nice”.
It’s a performance management system.

When people feel seen, they do three things automatically:
- They speak up sooner.
- They care about outcomes, not tasks.
- They stop looking for the exit.

That’s why the best teams move faster.

Not because they have more talent.
Because they have less emotional drag.

And the simplest way to build it is also the most ignored.

🙄 Make people feel appreciated.
Not in a generic “great job team” way but in a SPECIFIC, human way.

Try this for the next two weeks:

1. Name the impact, not the effort
“Staying late” is nothing.
“Because of you, that client stayed” lands.

2. Credit them in rooms they’re not in
That’s how trust spreads.
And politics dies.

3. Ask for their thinking before you need their help
People don’t want to be used.
They want to be valued.

4. Protect their time like it’s yours
Nothing says “I respect you” like removing noise.

5. Notice the quiet ones
The loud ones will remind you they exist.
The best ones often won’t.

📌 If you want better retention, better ideas, and fewer fires:

Stop managing tasks.
Start noticing humans.

Who on your team has been solid for months, and hasn’t been properly appreciated?

-
🖼️: Mike Leber
♻️: Repost to remind
➕: Follow Charlie Lass for more.

Real luxury isn’t money.
It’s peace.
And very few people have it.

Luxury is not the watch.
Not the car.
Not the “busy” calendar

👉 It’s having control of your day:

- Waking up without an alarm.

- Having control of your day.

- Moments of stillness and quiet.

I spent years collecting the wrong trophies.

- The title that impressed strangers.

- The stuff that looked like “I made it.”

- The schedule so full it proved I was “important.”

⚠️ Then burnout did what burnout always does.

It made the trade obvious. And payment was due.

Because the real luxuries in life are simple:

Time.
Health.
A quiet mind.
Slow mornings.
Rest without guilt.
A good night’s sleep.
Calm, “boring” days.
Meaningful conversations.
Home-cooked meals.
People you love.
People who love you back.

📌 The people I admire most aren’t the ones with the most expensive things.

- They’re the ones who can sit still.
- Say no without feeling guilty.
- Turn their phone off.
- Be fully present with someone they care about.

They own their attention.

And that, honestly, is the real flex.

If you’re building a life you don’t need to escape from, you’re already winning.

-
♻️: Repost to remind 
➕: Follow Charlie Lass

Founder @ Humble | Strategic Partner @ Loud | Follow for Self Improvement, Growth Strategy & Being A Better Human

Starting over isn’t starting from nothing.
It’s starting from experience.

“Starting over” gets framed as failure.
As regression.
As proof you messed it all up.

It isn’t.

It’s what happens when you finally stop lying to yourself.

I’ve started over more than once.
Different businesses.
Different countries.
Different roles.
Different versions of me.

Each time, it looked messy from the outside.
Each time, it felt messy on the inside.

But none of it was wasted.

Because today I know who I am. 

You don’t lose the judgement you earned.
You don’t lose the scars.
You don’t lose the pattern recognition that only comes from getting it wrong.

You lose the ego.
And honestly, that’s usually the problem.
(It’s why my company is called Humble!)

Starting over with experience means:
– You ask better questions
– You move slower at the right moments
– You spot bad deals, bad partners, bad ideas earlier
– You stop confusing momentum with progress

It’s quieter the second time.
More deliberate.
Less performative.

And yes, it can bruise your pride.

But pride is expensive.
Experience compounds.

If you’re standing at the edge of something ending, or something new beginning, here’s what actually helps:

1.	Write down what you now know that you didn’t last time, and what resources you have you didn’t before.
Be confident.

2.	Decide what you will no longer tolerate, even if it costs you speed

3.	Strip it back. Fewer goals. Fewer people. Fewer distractions. Set a timeframe. 
A few months maybe.

4.	Start small on purpose. Confidence comes from traction, not announcements

You’re not late.
You’re not broken.
You’re not “back at square one”.

You’re starting again with the cheat codes.

And that usually makes for a much better story.

How can I help you today? 

-
♻️: Repost to inspire someone.
👉: Follow Charlie Lass for more.

You can train almost anyone to do a job.
But you can’t train them to care.
They only care if it’s worth it.

And if no one on your team cares,
that’s not a “people problem”.

That’s you.

People don’t disengage because they’re lazy.
They disengage because the environment tells them
their effort doesn’t matter.

Bad leaders love the phrase
“they just don’t care enough”.

🙄 Yawn. Of course they don’t.

-You hired them in a rush.
-Onboarded them badly.
-Dropped them into chaos.
-Then hovered, corrected, second-guessed, or disappeared.

⁉️ Why would anyone care in that setup?

Care isn’t something you demand.
It’s something you earn.

Good hiring looks boring from the outside.
- It’s slow.
- It’s deliberate.
- It’s opinionated.

You’re not hiring robots.
You’re inviting someone into how you think.

And onboarding isn’t paperwork.
It’s the moment people decide whether this place is serious.

If you get those two things right, your job as a leader gets easier fast.

📌 Hire people you trust.
Be clear about what “good” looks like.
Give them context, not control.
Then get out of the way.

If you can’t hire well, and you can’t onboard properly,
you’re not “moving fast”.

You’re wasting their time.
And yours.

People care when:
• the standards are real
• the bar is clear
• decisions make sense
• effort isn’t punished

👉 That’s good culture.
Not slogans.
Not perks.
Not motivation talks.
Not free f**king pizza. 

If you want people to care,
build something worth caring about.

Everything else is noise.

-
♻️ : Repost to remind.
➕ : Follow Charlie Lass.

Founder @ Humble | Strategic Partner @ Loud | Follow for Self Improvement, Strategy & Being A Better Human

Is your network helping you grow?
Or keeping you from thinking bigger?
Over time it will define your success.

If you look at the people in your circle and don’t feel inspired, you don’t have a useful circle.

You have a cage.

And before anyone gets defensive, this isn’t about cutting people off or “outgrowing” friends like some hustle cliché.

It’s about noticing what gets normalised around you.

⚠️ The people you spend the most time with shape:
• what feels possible
• what feels risky
• what feels “too much”
• and what you quietly stop reaching for

If everyone around you is comfortable staying where they are, comfort becomes the ceiling.

I’ve seen this kill ambition faster than failure ever could. 

👉 Someone I used to know was incredibly smart, but incredibly comfortable. 
His career flatlined. 
He's frustrated and bitter.
His missed opportunities are blamed on others.

Here are a few signs your circle might be holding you back 👇

1️⃣ No one challenges your thinking
If every idea gets a nod and a “sounds good mate”, you’re not being supported. 
You’re being padded.

2️⃣ Conversations never go past the surface
If it’s always gossip, nostalgia, or complaining about the same stuff… there’s no forward motion there.

3️⃣ You don’t admire or aspire to how anyone lives
Not their work. Not their mindset. Not their courage. That matters more than people admit.

4️⃣ Your goals get laughed off or politely ignored
The right room makes big goals feel possible. 
The wrong one makes you shrink them mid-sentence.

5️⃣ Comfort is praised more than growth
“Why rock the boat?”
“Why stress yourself?”
That voice adds up over time.

6️⃣ No one opens doors or introduces ideas
Strong circles create momentum. 
Weak ones just consume time.

7️⃣ You’re always the one giving advice
If you’re never learning, you’re stagnating. Period.

8️⃣ You feel drained after spending time together
Energy is information. Pay attention to it.

This isn’t about having a bigger network.

It’s about having a braver one. 

One that challenges you.
One that makes you slightly uncomfortable.
One that expands what you think you’re capable of. 🚀

Your circle should make you grow.
Not keep you safe.

Which one of these hit a little too close to home?

-
♻️ Repost to remind.
➕ Follow Charlie Lass.

The happiest people I know work to live.
They don’t live to work.
And while it sounds simple…

It isn’t.
At all.

Most people aren’t lazy.
They’re tired.

Not because they don’t care about their work.
But because work became the point of absolutely everything.

Calendars filled first.
Life squeezed in around the meetings.
No control over their time.

📌 Being busy is not the same as being productive. 

What the happiest people actually do is different. It’s why I live the way I do.

Treat work as a tool, not an identity.
Useful. Important. Not sacred.

- Protect energy like adults.
- OWN your time.
- Know exhaustion isn’t a badge of honour, it’s a warning light.

Really happy people measure success in flexibility, not income.
Can I walk away at 3pm if it matters?
Can I be present when someone needs me?
Can I work where l want to?

They design their work around life.
Not the other way round.

This isn’t about doing less.
It’s about doing the right things, on purpose.

👉 Good work can be meaningful.
Ambition can be healthy.
But when work becomes the only place you feel valuable, everything else starts to erode quietly.

The goal isn’t to escape work.
It’s to stop sacrificing your life to it.

If you’re serious building a life you want, ask yourself this honestly:
Is your work supporting the life you want…
or slowly replacing it?

-
♻️: Repost to inspire.
➕: Follow Charlie Lass.

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