BCG BrightHouse

BrightHouse Luminary

Crowley Group

Global Director

National Geographic

Anthropologist, Filmmaker, TED Speaker

TED Conferences

Global Speaker. Keynote Addresses include Oxford University, the American Museum of Natural History, the Smithsonian Institute, and Harvard University.

TED Speaker

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

After decades of bridging the world's most remote regions and Fortune 500 boardrooms, 
I've discovered this:

Your internal compass is more accurate than any external map.

As a National Geographic Explorer, 
I've studied navigators who masterfully find their way without GPS, 
maps, or permission. They navigate by trust. By instinct. By knowing.

I empower leaders to do the same.

My Work: 

National Geographic Explorer • Documented navigation mastery across 50+ cultures • UN Visionary Award Recipient • TED Speaker • BCG BrightHouse Luminary advising organizations, including Google through transformation • Author (forthcoming)

Problem: 

Most leaders navigate by committee, consensus, and comparison. 
It creates confusion and uncertainty.

Solution:

Your internal compass leads to clarity and conviction.

Methodology:

1. Navigational Intelligence
Strengthen your internal guidance system 

2. Transition Mastery
Move through change with precision, not panic.

3. Leadership Clarity
Lead by conviction, not consensus 

4. Decision Confidence
Trust your judgment when it matters most

Conclusion:

- Your first instinct holds the answer. 
It's pattern recognition and accumulated experiential knowledge. 

- Consensus dilutes clarity. 
The clearest path comes from internal alignment. 

- Navigation is a skill. 
It can be developed, strengthened, and trusted.

The same principles that guide navigators across 
vast and turbulent seas apply to your strategic decisions, 
career transitions, and leadership challenges.

The most expensive mistake leaders make is following someone else's map.
Your compass works. The question is whether you'll trust it.

🧭 Follow for daily insights on navigating with clarity and conviction.

WORK WITH ME

Keynotes | Executive Advisory | Organizational Transformation
For inquiries, please send me a direct message.

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

No matter how successful you are, 
treat people badly and it means nothing.

Five minutes taught me what decades of success couldn't.

Early in my career, I wore my best homemade dress, took the hour-and-a-half bus ride to Honolulu, and waited outside a hotel executive's office.

When he finally saw me, he barely looked up.

"You're not a good investment."

Eyes on his papers. Not on me.

Years later, we met again. This time, he looked me in the eye.

"After watching your career soar, I've always regretted not being the one who helped you at the beginning."

Here's what I've learned since then:

Your expertise means nothing if you can't see the human in front of you.

I've watched brilliant executives lose entire teams because they treated people like furniture. Staff quit en masse because no one felt seen.

That hotel executive had 30 years of experience. I had none.

But I had something he didn't: the memory of being invisible.

So I learned to see everyone. The assistant ignored in meetings. The maintenance person others walk past. The intern everyone dismisses.

Not out of kindness. Out of knowing better.

People remember how you made them feel long after they forget what you said.

You can have every degree, every certification, every year of experience. But if you look through people instead of at them, you're already failing.

His five minutes of dismissal cost him a lifetime of connection.

My bus ride in that homemade dress taught me more than any boardroom: people know when you see them, and they know when you don't.

Who needs to know they matter to you today?

If you found this helpful, share it with those who understand that humanity beats expertise.

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

Dr. Elizabeth Lindsey 

National Geographic Explorer | Helping leaders to gain clarity in uncertainty | United Nations Visionary Award | TED Speaker

When the path is unclear,
make yourself the mission.

Last year, I said 'yes' to almost everything.

Speaking engagements that didn't fit my message. 
Partnerships that didn't feel exactly right. 
Projects that left me depleted.

I was chasing what I thought success should look like 
instead of asking what actually mattered to me.

By December, I was exhausted. 
It wasn't the kind of exhaustion a weekend could fix. 
It was the kind you know when something's broken.

So I stopped. 

For six months, I didn't pursue any new opportunities. 
I just focused on getting myself right.

Made exercise non-negotiable. 
Slept 8 hours instead of surviving on 5. 
Faced disappointments I'd been ignoring.

Nothing dramatic happened at first. 
But slowly, things shifted.

The work that felt forced before started feeling natural. 
Invitations came that aligned with what I cared about. 

Collaborations emerged with people 
who energized rather than drained me.

Here's what changed:

When you don't know what path to take, 
the answer isn't out there. 

It's in becoming the version of yourself 
who can see clearly.

Every wrong turn I took came from a depleted, 
unclear version of me. 

Every exhausting pursuit was about proving 
something instead of building something meaningful.

When you get yourself right first, everything changes. 
Your energy shifts. What you attract gets better. 

The path becomes visible 
because you're ready to see it.

Most leaders I know spend huge amounts 
on strategy. But they're strategizing 
from burnout. Deciding from confusion.

Here's what actually works: 

Pick one thing your body's been asking for 
and do it for 30 days. 

Not meditation if you hate sitting still. 
Not 5am workouts 
if you're not a morning person. 

Stop fixing your calendar before your sleep. 
Stop optimizing your content before 
you process what's actually bothering you. 

Stop planning your next move 
when you can barely think straight.

The version of you that's rested and clear 
already knows where to go. 
You just can't hear it yet.

But you will.

What's one thing you've been ignoring?

Share this with those who are exhausted 
from chasing the wrong things.

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

Visual Credit: Enlighten Thoughts

The loudest voice in the room is rarely the wisest one.

I learned this watching my father in meetings. While everyone else debated and talked over each other, he'd sit quietly. Then he'd speak once, and the room would shift. Problem solved.

Years later, after studying leaders across different companies and cultures, I kept seeing the same pattern.

The people who talk the most are usually the most nervous. They rush to fill silence because it makes them uncomfortable.

The confident ones listen first. They gather information before they speak.

There's a difference between being quiet and being passive. The leaders I've watched aren't sitting back because they have nothing to say. They're observing. They're connecting ideas others miss. And when they do speak, it actually moves things forward.

Here's what I've noticed about people who think 
deeply:

They'll interrupt themselves mid-sentence if they realize they're wrong. Most people double down. Deep thinkers course-correct in real time.

They reference something you said three conversations ago. They're not just hearing you. They're building a mental map of how you think.

They get quiet when everyone else gets loud. Not because they're intimidated. Because they're watching the room dynamics play out before deciding where to add weight.

Instead of trying to time your responses, try this.

When someone finishes talking, let your first instinct pass. That's usually your ego or anxiety talking. Wait for the second thought. That's where your actual thinking lives.

If you catch yourself preparing your answer while someone's still speaking, stop. You're not listening. You're performing.

And if the silence gets uncomfortable, let it. The best conversations I've had started after someone got brave enough to sit in the quiet.

If you found this helpful, share it with those learning to lead differently.

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

Minutes are pieces of a life.
Look who's handing you theirs.

This Thanksgiving, I am thinking about gratitude
 in a different way.

"Appreciate those who give you their time.
 It is not just time.
 It is a piece of their life."

Not the meetings.
Not the quick calls.
The real moments.

To my mentor, who pushed me to write a keynote
I did not believe I had it in me.
Then spent hours revising it
until it became more than either of us imagined.

To the coach who taught me martial arts at dawn,
sending 6 am messages,
 walking me through each step
 like it was the middle of the day.

To the friend who stayed close after surgery,
 awake through hard nights,
 steady through painful setbacks.

When someone gives you their time,
they choose you over every other 
demand on their attention.

They give you a piece of life
they'll never see again.

They weren't just giving hours.
They were giving their heartbeats 
they'll never get back.

We thank people for gifts.
For opportunities.
For kindness.

But do we really see
the magnitude of their time?

In a world chasing "more,"
one truth is unchanging:

Time is the only currency
that doesn't return.

You can make more money.
Find new chances.
Meet new people.

But those long afternoons
someone spent teaching you.

Those early mornings
they chose you over rest,
are pieces of a finite life.

They decided you were worth it.

So this Thanksgiving, my gratitude is simple.

Not just for what people gave me,
but for who they chose to be
in my presence.

For the parts of their journey
they allowed me to witness.

For the moments they could have been
anywhere else, with anyone else,
and still chose here.

Your presence is your rarest gift.
Where you place it matters.
Who receives it matters even more.

Look around your table this week,
virtual or physical.

These are not only people sharing a meal.
They're sharing their existence.

That's not just time.
It's love.

Who deserves your gratitude?

Share this with someone
whose time changed your life.

If you found this valuable,
join me, Dr. Elizabeth Lindsey, for more.

Visual Credit: diary2feel

The right people don’t try to rebuild you.
They remind you you were never broken.

It took me decades to understand this.

I used to think relationships required work.
Constant effort. Endless compromise.
Walking on eggshells.

Then I met people who felt like oxygen.

No performance required.
No masks needed.
Just me, fully seen.

Here's how you recognize them:

• They celebrate your wins.
With genuine joy.
Your success is their happiness.

• They remember small things.
The book you mentioned.
Details that say: I see you.

• They respect your boundaries.
Your "no" is enough.
Your limits are sacred.

• You feel energized after seeing them.
Not exhausted. Not depleted.
You leave fuller than you arrived.

• They listen without defending.
They hear your hurt
without making it about them.

• They allow you to be fully yourself.
Your joys. Your sorrows.
All of you belongs.

• They make you feel safe.
Not just physically.
Emotionally. Spiritually.

• You don't have to edit yourself.
No watching what you say.
No calculating responses.

• They support your goals.
Even when it means less of them.
Your dreams matter.

I spent years accepting less.
Calling it normal.

It's not.

The right people feel like home.
The one you deserved.

They don't complete you.
They witness you completing yourself.

They don't fix you.
They create space for you to heal.

They don't need you small.
They celebrate you expanding.

Here's what changed everything:

1. I stopped explaining myself
to people committed to debating.

2. I stopped shrinking
for people who needed me small.

3. I stopped apologizing
for taking up space.

Now I protect my energy
like the precious resource it is.

The people who belong stayed.
The ones who didn't were lessons.

You deserve people who:

- Match your energy
- Honor your journey  
- Celebrate your becoming

Life's too short
for relationships that require
you to be less than you are.

The right people will find you.
But first, you must know your worth.

Who feels like oxygen for you?

If you found this valuable,
share with those who deserve more.

For more insights on navigating 
with clarity, join me, Dr. Elizabeth Lindsey.

Visual Credit: HerPsychology

The calmest person in a crisis 
sees options others miss. 
Clarity is a quiet superpower. 

My mentor was missing for 26 days.
His village mourned. 
His family assumed he was gone.

Then he returned.

A storm had hit hard while he was at sea. 

No instruments. 
No rescue coming. 
Just open ocean.

He didn't panic. 
He found his center. 
He navigated home.

That's what made him a master. 
Not the calm voyages. 
The storms.

Fair weather will never make you a master.

He taught me something I carry into my work. 
Into every high stakes decision. 
Into moments when pressure mounts.

Chaos creates chaos. 
Calm creates clarity.

When conditions get rough, most people grip tighter. 

React faster. 
Force decisions.

That's when they lose their bearings.

The skill isn't speed. 
It's stillness.

Navigators learn to access a still point. 

Where the mind's logic meets the heart's knowing. 

From there, you see what reaction hides.

I've watched leaders destroy years of work. 
In ten reactive minutes.

Angry emails sent instantly. 
Bridges burned in frustration.

I've watched others hold steady under fire. 
Find paths no one else could see.

The difference was never intelligence. 
It was internal weather.

Your mind is like water. 

Stirred, you see nothing. 
Still, you see everything.

Pressure makes you reactive. 
Peace makes you responsive.

The pause that feels slow in the moment. 
Often saves months of correction.

You don't have to respond immediately. 
You have to respond clearly.

Those are rarely the same thing.

What decision needs your calm today?

If you found this helpful, share it with those 
who are facing a difficult decision.

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

Image Credit: Mike Leber
Please give him a follow.

Someone you know is fighting an invisible war.
Choose to lift them today.

I worked with an executive
at Google some years back.

Brilliant guy. His team loved him.
Strong leader in every way.

But something was wrong.

His energy would tank around 3 pm.
He'd lose focus during big decisions.
By evening calls, his patience was gone.

Not because of the work.
But because of what he was doing
when no one was watching.

He finally told me what his calendar
couldn't show:

4 hours of sleep most nights.
No workouts because meetings
always ran over.

Living on coffee and whatever
was in the conference room.

Eating dinner at his desk at 10 pm.
Telling his family "next
quarter will be better."

His neglected health became a problem.

We didn't touch his leadership approach.
We changed the invisible stuff:

-Saying 'no' faster to misaligned people.
-Protecting his sleep as a vital asset.
-Scheduling non-negotiable thinking time.

Three months in, the change was real.

His afternoon energy matched his mornings.
Decisions came faster and clearer.
His presence felt different, steadier, more grounded.

But here's what stayed with me most:

From the outside, this guy looked fine.
Successful. Respected. In control.

But inside he was drowning.

No one knew because he never showed it.
Because leaders aren't supposed to struggle.
Because admitting you're barely keeping it together
feels like failure.

That's when I realized something:

Everyone around us is carrying something we can't see.

The colleague who snapped in the meeting.
The friend who's been distant lately.
The person who seems fine but isn't.

We're all fighting invisible battles.

And sometimes, one kind word is the difference
between someone breaking 
and someone breaking through.

I started noticing it more after working with him.

- How a simple "you good?" can open a real conversation.
- How checking in without agenda can 
change someone's week.
- How being present for 5 minutes can mean more than 
talking for an hour.

We spend so much time managing perception.
Trying to look like we have it together.
Forgetting that everyone else is doing the same thing.

What if we stopped pretending?

What if we asked the real questions?
What if we shared the real struggles?
What if we lifted each other up instead of comparing?

You don't need a title to do this.
You don't need permission to care.

Just pay attention.
Just reach out.
Just be real.

Who can you check in on today?

If you found this helpful, share it with 
someone who may need this message.

For more on leadership mastery, 
join me, Dr. Elizabeth Lindsey.

Visual Credit: @entrepreneurshipfacts

Walk like you just got good news.
Talk like the world is listening.

Energy is magnetic.
Your confidence will bend reality.

I learned this the hard way.

Years ago, my film premiered
with the Honolulu Symphony.
It received praise. And criticism.

Public. Painful. Unrelenting.

I had two choices:
1. To shrink from the noise.
2. Or stand in my truth.

So I made a quiet decision.
I would walk into every room
like my work mattered.

Like the praise was louder than the pain.
Like I belonged there.

Shoulders back.
Eyes clear.
Energy steady.

Then something shifted.

New invitations arrived.
Better projects found me.
Stronger allies appeared.

Here’s what I saw:

Confidence is not a costume.
It’s a way of moving.

It doesn’t wait for proof.
It becomes the proof.

When you move differently,
life responds differently.

Walk like you're headed
somewhere important.
People will be attracted to you.

Speak like your words matter.
People will lean in to listen.

Act like life is working with you.
You'll start to notice that it is.

I've tested this around the world.
In boardrooms. On stages.
Through criticism. Through triumph.

The pattern is clear.
People who expect good things
see what others miss.

They reach for chances others leave.
They build momentum others never start.

Not because they’re lucky.
But because they’re ready.

Critics will always exist.
But they'll only win
if you back down.

Walk like you've already won.
Talk like you matter.
Move like good news is on its way.

What’s one change you can make?

Repost for those who are ready to shift.

If you found this valuable, join me,
Dr. Elizabeth Lindsey for more insights.

I sent a letter to someone completely out of my league.

A powerful LA producer scouting Hawaii for a major network series.

Me? I was barely scraping by as an independent documentary producer.

No savings. No connections. No business writing.

I wrote anyway.

I couldn't stand watching from the sidelines, doing nothing, while an opportunity was coming to town.

The producer responded. Asked to meet. We talked about island life, my family, growing up here. Nothing about his show. I figured I'd wasted his time.

Three months later, my phone rang.

He'd written our conversation into his script. Created a character based on me. In the process, I auditioned and was eventually cast as the female lead the series.

That letter I almost talked myself out of sending became the turning point.

Recently, I've thought about that moment a lot. What made the difference wasn't talent or timing or luck.

It was just trying when it felt "too big" a dream.

Most people stop right before something shifts. I've done it myself. You get tired of rejection. Tired of hoping. Tired of feeling foolish.

But one day, after many failed attempts, something works differently. You're not desperate anymore.

You've learned what doesn't work. You try softer, smarter, with less attachment to the outcome.

Failure isn't wasted effort. It's data.

The rejection taught me something important. Closed doors showed me which ones to stop knocking on. Every "no" refined what I'd try next.

The producer told me later why he responded to my letter: "Most people sent resumes. You sent a story. Most people listed qualifications. You shared perspective."

I wasn't being strategic. I was just being myself because I had nothing left to lose.

When you try one more time, you're different than you were before. The heartache changed you. The frustration taught you. The failure gave you information other people don't have.

Use it.

I watch brilliant people quit right before their breakthrough. They've tried everything, they say. But they've tried everything once. They haven't tried everything with what they know now.

Your next attempt won't look like your last one. Growth, not desperation.

Zero attempts guarantee zero results. One more attempt might change everything.

Who's your version of that producer? The person you think is out of your league but you're going to reach out to anyway?

If you found this helpful, share it with those who need permission to try again.

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

I wasn’t ready. I did it anyway. 
That’s when everything changed.

Years ago, I accepted a job
I wasn't qualified for.
On paper, at least.

Others had better credentials.
More experience.
Stronger resumes.

During the interview, they asked:
"Why should we choose you?"

I told the truth:

"I don't know everything.
But I'll outwork everyone.
I’ll find what others miss."

They took the chance.
I took the leap.

Those first months were brutal.
Everyone else seemed to know more.
They moved faster. Spoke louder.

I wanted to quit daily.
Instead, I studied nightly.

These lessons saved me:

LESSON 1: 
Your difference is your advantage.

Stop trying to be a better version of them.
Be the only version of you.

Action: 
List 3 things you bring that others don't.
Focus there. Obsessively.

LESSON 2: 
Make your weakness your teacher

Every gap showed me where to grow.
Every struggle taught me resilience.
Every mistake became wisdom.

Action: 
Pick your biggest weakness.
Study it for 15 minutes daily.
In 90 days, it won't be a weakness.

LESSON 3: 
Build bridges, not walls.

I couldn't win by competing.
I won by connecting.
By making everyone better.

Action: 
Help one person daily.
No agenda. No expectation.

LESSON 4: 
Document everything

I kept notes on every lesson.
My struggles became my roadmap.

Action: 
End each day with this question:
"What did today teach me?" 

That role I wasn't ready for
launched my career.

Not because I was qualified.
But because I was willing.

Every expert was once unqualified.
Every master was once a disaster.
Every leader was once terrified.

The difference is
they started anyway.

Your inexperience isn't a liability.
It's your superpower.

If there’s a job you're not ready for,
take it.

If there’s an opportunity that scares you,
grab it.

If there’s a dream that feels too big,
embrace it.

You don’t need to be ready.
You need to be willing.

Ready is a luxury.
Brave is a choice.

Choose brave.
The universe is waiting.

What will you say yes to?

Repost for someone willing to say “yes.”
Love, Dr. Elizabeth Lindsey 💕

Critics reveal more about themselves than you.
You’ll never be judged by someone doing more.

It's often the people going nowhere
who have something to say.

I’ve noticed this pattern everywhere.

When I launched my first expedition, 
explorers cleared the path. 
Doubters waited for me to fail.

When I started speaking publicly, 
speakers cheered me. 
Critics judged me.

When I started writing, 
authors opened doors. 
Skeptics dismissed my voice.

Builders encourage building.
They know how hard the first brick is.

Climbers encourage climbing.
They remember the bottom.

Creators encourage creating.
They understand the blank page.

The critics will list every reason you'll fail.

Not because they're wiser.
But because your courage 
mirrors their fear.

Your action exposes their excuses.
Your progress threatens their comfort.

Here's what I've learned:

Criticism from the sidelines
is just noise from the stands.

The players are too busy playing
to tear down your game.

People doing the work
want you to succeed.

They've felt the fear you're facing.
They've fought the doubts you're fighting.
They've walked the path you're starting.

They'll share the shortcuts.
Open the doors.
Light the way.

Choose whose voices matter.

Listen to those who've been there.
Learn from those still going.
Ignore those who never started.

Your dreams don't need everyone's approval.
Just courage and a first step.

Who's cheering you on?

Repost for those taking their first step.

If you found this valuable, join me,
Dr. Elizabeth Lindsey, for me mindset insights.

Surround yourself with people
who have bigger goals than you.

Ambition is contagious.

I learned this later in life.
Luckily it wasn’t too late.

Growing up, my sister and I
were the dreamers in our family.

The ones talking about possibilities
while others talked about problems.

The ones seeing further
while others saw barriers.

Then we changed rooms.

I moved to California where people 
were building empires
while I was building projects.

People thinking globally
while I was thinking locally.

People planing decades ahead
while I was planning quarters.

At first, I felt small.
Then I felt something shift.

Their normal became my new baseline.
Their minimum became my starting point.
Their casual wins became my next goals.

Here's what happens when you're
the smallest dreamer in the room:

Your impossible becomes inevitable.
What seemed unreachable last year
becomes this year's checklist.

Your excuses evaporate.
Hard to claim it can't be done
when someone next to you did it twice.

Your timeline accelerates.
Their urgency becomes your urgency.
Their pace becomes your pace.

Your standards elevate.
Good enough stops being enough.
Excellence becomes the expectation.

Your vision expands.
You stop thinking in limits.
You start thinking in multiples.

I used to worry about being the least 
accomplished person at the table.

Now I seek those tables out.

The people you spend time with
determine the thoughts you think.

Small goals are just as contagious
as big ones.

Comfort is just as contagious
as courage.

Choose your exposure wisely.

Find the people who make
your biggest dreams
look like starting points.

The ones whose failures teach more 
than others' successes.

Not to feel inferior.
But to feel inspired.

Not to shrink.
But to stretch.

Your potential isn't fixed.
It's influenced.

By every conversation.
Every room you enter.

If everyone around you
is comfortable where they are,
you will be too.

If everyone around you
is reaching for more,
you will too.

This isn't about comparison.
It's about the environment.

You don't need permission.
You need examples of what's possible.

Protect your ambition
by choosing your circle carefully.

Five years from now,
you'll be the average
of the dreams you're exposed to today.

Not because you're not enough.
Because you're capable of more.

Who's raising your ceiling?

If you found this valuable, 
share it with those who dare to dream.

For more insights on mindset,
join me, Dr. Elizabeth Lindsey.

Perspective is your hidden power.
99% of people never use it.

During the hardest year of my life, 
I thought everything was falling apart.

Years later, I realized
everything was falling into place.
I just couldn't see it yet.

Perspective isn't about being positive.
It's about being precise.

Watch what happens when you shift your lens:

1. Obstacles become opportunities
Every closed door teaches you
to build your own.

2. Struggles become strength
The weight that nearly breaks you
builds muscles you didn't know you had.

3. Setbacks become stepping stones
Each failure shows you 
what doesn't work.

4. Rejection becomes resilience
Every "no" redirects you.
It’s protection in disguise.

5. Shadows reveal hidden truth
Your shadows hold your compass.
Pay attention.

6. Mistakes become masterclasses
Your biggest errors become
your greatest teachings.

7. Fears become fuel for courage
What scares you most
shows you where to grow.

8. Pain becomes purpose
Your deepest wounds can be
the most valuable gifts.

After decades of working
with leaders around the world,
I've learned:

The hardest season prepares you
for your highest calling.

This isn't wishful thinking.
It’s strategic thinking.

Nothing is happening to you.
Everything is happening for you.

You just need the right lens.

Your current struggle
isn’t your story's end.
It's your story's turning point.

Choose your lens wisely.
Your future depends on it.

Share this with someone who needs it.

If you found this valuable, join me, 
Dr. Elizabeth Lindsey, for more insights.

I lost my husband to cancer when I was 50.
Lost our company at 51.

Grief and financial uncertainty arrived together, 
uninvited and overwhelming.

I had two choices: 

Let the losses define the rest of my life, 
or choose to see a future of possibility.

That season taught me something 
I now see everywhere in my work: 

The difference between a heavy heart 
and a peaceful one isn't circumstance. 
It's perspective.

And perspective is always a choice.

Problems hide possibilities.

When funding fell through for one of my projects, 
I saw a closed door. 

Then I chose to see an invitation to innovate. 
That "problem" led to my most meaningful work.

Now when something goes wrong, 
I write down the problem. 

Next to it, I write: 

"This is teaching me..." 
It's a small shift that changes everything.

Gratitude is a practice, not a feeling.

Fear and faith require equal energy.

I've stood before audiences of thousands. 
The fear never fully disappears. 

But worrying takes the same effort as preparing. 
One paralyzes. One empowers.

When fear rises, I ask: 
"What can I actually control here?" 
Then I focus only on that.

Your morning mind shapes your entire day.
Before dawn presentations or difficult conversations, 

I protect my first thoughts. No emails. No news. 
Just intention about who I choose to be.

Those five minutes determine the next twelve hours.
You can't control what happens. 
But you absolutely control how you see it.

And how you see it changes everything that follows.

Share this to inspire those at a crossroads.

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

Visual Credit: @acalltoleap

Transformation isn't complicated.

Waiting for it is.

Most people think change happens in one big moment.

The decision. The commitment. The declaration.

But that's not how it works.

Real transformation starts small.

It begins with a thought that won't leave you alone. 
Something you keep thinking about at 2am 
or during your commute.

Then one day, you act on it.

Not perfectly. Not dramatically. Just once.

You make a choice that feels different 
from your usual pattern.

Maybe you wake up at 6am 
instead of hitting snooze three times.

Or you send that cold email 
you've been putting off for weeks.

Or you skip the group lunch 
and spend 30 minutes writing instead.

Then you do it again. And again.

At first, it takes effort. You have to remind yourself.
You have to push through resistance.

The first month of writing my doctoral dissertation
was messy and overwhelming.

Half the time I stared at a blank screen.
The other half I deleted everything.

But slowly, it got easier.

What once required willpower became routine.
What felt unnatural started to feel normal.

By week three, I woke up before my alarm.
By month two, my fingers moved across
the keyboard without thinking.

Eventually, I started trusting the process.

I became who I envisioned myself to be.
A Doctor of Philosophy, an anthropologist
specializing in ethno-navigation.

The gap between who you are
and who you want to be isn't crossed in one leap.

It's crossed in small steps,
repeated until they become part of you.

What's one small step you can take?

If you found this valuable, share it with 
those daring to take the next step.

For more insights on leadership mindset,
join me, Dr. Elizabeth Lindsey.

Silence hits differently at 2 a.m. 
2025 proved it. 
Grief confirmed it.

This year I lost family members. 
Two dear friends who felt like family. 
The world feels heavier than I remember.

I used to think mindset was something you worked on 
when life was stable. When you had time. 
When things were calm.

I was wrong.

You become unstoppable when you work on things 
people can't take away from you. 

Your mindset. Character. Personality.

These aren't luxuries. 

When I was younger, I took my inner strength 
for granted. Thought it would always be there. 
Like breathing.

Now I know better.

1. My days include meditation and prayer. 
Not for enlightenment. But for steadiness. 
I pray like I’m building a foundation, because I am.

2. What became clear in the darkness
is that we can't control how long we're here. 
We can only be present for whatever time we're given.

3. More than ever I listen deeply. Really listen. 
Not waiting for my turn to speak.
Just present to what someone is saying.

4. Work used to be a priority. 
Productivity. Accomplishment. 
Staying on top of things.

Now, work serves life. 
Not the other way around.

5. Every moment feels more precious 
because I finally understand. They are.

Your character isn't built in the good times. 
It's forged when things fall apart 
and you choose who to become.

Your personality isn't decoration. 
It's how you show up when 
showing up feels impossible.

Your mindset isn't positive thinking. 
It's the quiet decision to keep going 
when stopping would be easier.

Build these while you can. 
Strengthen them before you need them.

Because one night, alone with your grief, 
you'll realize: These are the things
that can't be taken. They're the things that last.

What are you strengthening that no one can take?

Repost for those navigating their own storms.

Follow me, Dr. Elizabeth Lindsey, 
for daily insights on Mindset and Mastery.

The loudest opinions often come 
from those who never dared.

Everyone has a point of view
about your journey.
Few have actually taken it.

I learned this the hard way.

When I started exploring,
everyone had advice.

"Too dangerous."
"Not practical."
"What about security?"

These warnings came from people
who never left their comfort zone.

Never took a risk.
Never followed their calling.

The loudest critics often have
the least experience.

They'll tell you exactly why
your dream won't work.

Based on fears, not facts.
Based on their limits, not yours.

Who NOT to listen to:

- People who never tried.
They're protecting their own choices,
not protecting you.

- People who quit early.
They need you to fail
to justify their surrender.

- People who play small.
They can't imagine big
because they never dared.

Who TO listen to:

- People who've walked your path.
They know the actual terrain,
not the imagined dangers.

- People still climbing.
They remember the struggle
and share real wisdom.

- People who celebrate courage.
They understand the cost
of an un-lived life.

I spent years asking permission
from people who couldn't grant it.

Seeking approval
from those who never approved
of their own dreams.

Now I know:

Your gut knows more
than their fear.

Your instinct sees further
than their caution.

Your vision matters more
than their comfort.

The first 90 days of anything new:

Trust yourself completely.
Learn from those ahead.
Ignore the noise behind.

That's it.
That's the formula.

Most warnings you'll receive
aren't about your journey.

They're about the journey
others were too scared to take.

They're projecting their limits
onto your potential.

Don't let them.

The path forward requires
selective listening.

Choose your advisors
by their scars,
not their theories.

By their attempts,
not their opinions.

By their courage,
not their caution.

Your dream threatens
those who abandoned theirs.

Build anyway.

Who are you listening to?

If you found this valuable, 
join me for more, Dr. Elizabeth Lindsey 💕

You can’t silence people. 
You can silence their access.

Last month a collaboration landed in my inbox. 
Interesting work. Good people. I wanted it.

But I'd just gotten results from my doctor. Elevated 
cortisol. A sign I was running on fumes. My body
was asking me to stop. Thankfully, I listened.

I said 'no.'

I turned off cable news the same week. 
The constant political coverage was draining me.
Stillness was more important than staying informed.

For years I put work ahead of my family. 
I said 'yes' to projects that cost me time at home. 
I thought that was dedication. It was depletion.

If we don't protect our health first, 
we can't show up for anyone else. 

This is what I've learned to do...

1. Say 'no' and mean it.

That collaboration looked perfect on paper, but my 
body knew more than the 'over-achiever' in me. 

I turned it down without explaining. 
Some doors need to stay closed.

2. Control what's being consumed.

Cable news was making me anxious, 
so I stopped watching. Not disconnected. 
Just selective. Your inputs shape your energy.

3. Set boundaries before burning out.

Boundaries teach people how to reach you. 
The ones who care will follow them. 
The ones who don't were never for you.

4. Stop fighting every battle.

Not every argument needs your voice. 
Not every crisis needs your attention. 
Protect your reserves for what matters most.

5. Guard the mind.

I used to let everything in. 
Now I ask: does this serve me? 
Most of it doesn't.

You can't outsource this work. 
Peace is grows through small,
consistent choices even when it's hard.

Repost for those who want 
to protect their peace.

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

I lost someone last week who taught me to read stars.

He was a navigator in Hawaii. One of the greats.

I was planning to call him after Thanksgiving. Tell him I'd be home in January and we'd catch up properly. I wanted to thank him for everything he taught me.

Thanksgiving morning, I found out he died the night before.

All those things I wanted to say will never be said to him. That gratitude I was saving for the right moment never got expressed.

Milton "Shorty" Bertelmann taught me to read more than just stars. He taught me to read myself. To navigate my fears. Find my own courage.

I never told him that part. I was saving it for later.

And now I'm thinking about all the other "laters" I keep creating.

That morning conversation you keep putting off eventually becomes an empty chair at the table.

You really do lose interest in things. The book you're excited about writing today feels less urgent in six months. The project that lights you up right now? It fades.

Your energy at 8am isn't the same as your energy at 8pm. The clarity you have right now gets muddy by evening.

Kids grow up fast. Parents get older while you're making plans to visit "next month." Friends drift away when you keep saying "let's catch up when things quiet down."

Life doesn't end dramatically. It just goes by quietly, one postponed moment at a time.

Just like navigation, life requires reading the signs in front of you and acting on them. Not waiting for perfect conditions. Not saving gratitude for later.

That conversation I was planning for January is now something I'll regret.

So I'm making that call I've been putting off. Thanking people today instead of next week. Having the hard conversation now instead of waiting for the perfect time.

Not because I'm being dramatic about mortality. Just because "later" keeps not showing up the way I think it will.

If you found this helpful, share it with those who need the reminder to act now.

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

I used to overthink everything.
Presence made me unshakeable.

It's your most underrated power.

When critics attacked my film work publicly, I chose silence. Not because I had no response, but because I'd finally learned that composure is far more effective.

Through decades of navigating uncertainty, I've discovered what actually creates real, lasting confidence.

Look people in the eyes. No matter who they are.

During an important meeting with television producer Steven Bochco and his team, I could feel the skepticism in the room. Instead of looking past the group, I connected with each person. Eye contact isn't confrontation. It's confirmation that you belong there.

Never answer immediately.

Early in my career, I rushed every response, desperate to prove I knew enough. Now I pause. Breathe. Consider. Those three seconds of silence carry more weight than rushed words ever could.

Keep your struggles private. Not secret, just private.

When I lost my husband and our company, I shared with those who mattered. Not for sympathy, but for support. Your struggles aren't social currency.

Stay calm when others can't.

During meetings at the United Nations, one committee member challenged me continually. Every question designed to destabilize. I responded with steadiness, to dismissal with data. Composure isn't weakness.

Dress with intention.

Your appearance is your first statement. Make it consciously. Clean, considered, comfortable. When you respect your presentation, others respond accordingly.

Speak slowly.

I learned this giving keynotes: speakers who rush lose the room. Those who pace their words own it. When you speak slowly, people lean in.

Stop caring what they think.

I spent years editing myself for imaginary critics. The truth is most people are consumed with their own concerns to judge yours.

Accept without reacting.

Research funding that disappeared. Partnerships that dissolved. Opportunities that vanished.

I learned to acknowledge without attachment, accept without anger, move forward without resentment.

Create your vision. Follow it.

At 43, I was a student again, starting my doctorate when everyone said it was too late.

At 50, I rebuilt everything when it would've been easier to retire. Your vision doesn't need validation.

These aren't techniques for impression. They're foundations for peace.

The film critics who attacked my work taught me my greatest lesson: when you know who you are, what others think becomes irrelevant. When you trust your vision, their doubts can't derail it.

Master these principles not to impress anyone, but to become immovable.

If you found this helpful, share it with those ready to build real, lasting confidence.

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

Visla Credit: Mindsets

Children's Museum of Manhattan

Responsible for the day-to-day operations of Building Facilities, Custodial, Human Resources, Security, Technology, and the Visitor Experience. 

Founded in 1973 as a neighborhood organization, CMOM has grown over the years into a beloved destination and resource for children, families, and educators from across the five boroughs and from around the world. 

The museum welcomes nearly 250,000 visitors each year to its Upper West Side location and engages hundreds of thousands more through its outreach programs in partnership with schools, libraries, shelters, and Head Start centers throughout New York City; its touring exhibitions; and its online tools and curricula.

Through our programs on-site, online, and around the five boroughs, CMOM nurtures the next generation of creative global citizens as they learn through exploration and play. CMOM encourages empathy across difference by elevating and providing insight into diverse perspectives and inviting visitors of all backgrounds to join our intentionally welcoming community and create and learn alongside each other. 

The museum’s program reflects the rich cultural diversity, energy, and resilience of New York City itself and has a special focus on ensuring that its program is available to those families who might not otherwise have access.

The position reports to the Chief Operating Officer/Chief Financial Officer

Director of Operations

In this role at the Children's Museum of Manhattan, I focused on enhancing guest experiences while navigating operational changes. I assessed existing practices to identify immediate improvements and collaborated closely with the COO/CFO to implement strategic solutions. My efforts contributed to a more efficient front of house operation, improved staff morale, and iincreased visitor satisfaction.

Guest Experience Advisor

aspiring better human™️

With a passion for transforming workplace culture, I founded aspiring better human™️ to empower leaders and teams. My extensive experience in the arts & culture realm has equipped me to foster environments where employees feel valued and supported, ultimately enhancing customer satisfaction and team performance.

Today I only work with individuals and organization who truly embrace and understand a people-first culture

Founder

Podcast Host and Producer

The Frick Collection

My role was to advise the organization on all visitor experience logistics for the reopening on April 17, 2025

Visitor Experience Consultant

community of SEVEN

Founding Core Member
community of SEVEN Core is an invite-only membership for leaders looking to change the world. community of SEVEN is an exclusive, invite-only membership for purpose-driven leaders. Our members are leaders in their industry, activists looking to change the world, founders, in the C-suite, or rapidly approaching it. Their decision to align purpose and growth will shape the future of their organizations, their industries, and society. Through the community of SEVEN program, members thrive as individuals and grow as leaders.

Founding Core Member

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Direct all aspects of the visitor experience which includes front of house logistics and hospitality as well as back of house operations for ticketing, audio guide rentals, customer service, onsite membership sales & service, information and wayfinding all in strategic partnership with Buildings, Design, Digital, Education, Exhibitions, Membership, Security, and the Volunteer organization. Back of house responsibilities include group bookings, advance ticket sales, and box office for Met Live Arts. Key member on the operations/revenue team. Position reports directly to the CEO. 

Responsible for all hiring, training, and staff development in order to build strong public facing teams.  

Highlights of major accomplishments:

- Change Agent - brought my years of front of house experience to help transform the area from transactional to service-minded
- Admissions Policy Changes - part of the original implementation team to charge fixed admission price in 2018 and continue to make systemic improvements to simplify the ticketing process  
- Great Hall Refresh - an initiative to streamline operations and returned most of the space back to the public
- Departmental Restructure - introduced role clarity by clearly defining areas of responsibility and added structure to support the team
- Team Building - reduced the turnover and steadied the department while improving hiring practices and providing training
- Converted many traditional part-time roles into full-time positions to retain talent and paid for this by managing costs
- In partnership with IT, upgraded systems and implemented paperless ticketing
- Member of the NYC Museums Reopening Task Force as well as an internal group to help re-open NYC cultural institutions after COVID-19 shutdown.

Head of Visitor Experience

Led the team responsible for the front of house experience across all three Met locations welcoming over 7 million visitors each year. This includes Admissions, Audio Guides, Groups, Information, Membership, and Reception with a team of over 500 people; 150 staff members and 400 volunteers. In 2018 we revised our Admissions Policy and was part of the bridge implementation team prior to officially joining the department. Position reported to Head of Visitor Experience.

General Manager of Visitor Experience

Directed the Customer Experience, Inventory & Logistics, and staffing for all stores. Managed six direct reports who ultimately managed 250 people - both Museum staff and contractual. Partnered daily with all frontline departments on the overall visitor experience for the 7 million visitors annually to the Museum. Position reported to Vice President of Merchandising and Retail.

General Manager, Retail Operations

Appointed to fully manage all domestic retail stores in addition to the Main Building shops. Directed  all bottomline results, sales planning and analysis, recruiting, hiring and developing of staff as well as expense management for Main Building, Rockefeller Center, Cloisters, Macy’s, JFK Airport, LGA Airport, and Newark Airport. Directly managed 10 direct reports with a total of 250 staff members.

General Manager, Stores (Domestic)

Promoted to manage the entire sales team of over 150 staff members; both operations and sales. Product lines includes Books, Jewelry, Textiles, Accessories, Gifts, and Children's. Accountable for the full running of the museum shops including budgeting, hiring, recruiting, training, and bottom line P&L results.

Senior Manager, Museum Shops

Recognized for streamlining systems behind the scenes and developing a large receiving department team then promoted to manage overall store operations throughout the museum. Managed over 100 staff members responsible for replenishing over 10,000 SKUs.

Operations Manager, Museum Shops

Hired to review and update policies and procedures of the replenishment model and to directly manage staff of 30 stock associates responsible for receiving merchandise into the building to support multiple sales locations within the museum.

Manager, Stock Services (Logistics)

Lord & Taylor

Worked in Merchandise Information Organization and oversaw automated Quick Replenishment for Men's Shoes leased department as well as Cosmetics for over 40 stores.

Replenishment Manager

Charles Jourdan

Recruited to lead the team opening leased shoe department at Henri Bendel at a time when they were expanding and opening stores in malls across the USA. Eventually moved into central office where key responsibilities were budgeting and planning sales and stock for both Charles Jourdan stores and Henri Bendel leased departments.

Manager, Retail Operations

Macy's

Hired as Assistant Buyer in Moderate Women's Shoes and assisted with planning, buying, analyzing, and distributing shoes across the Northeast region. Traveled to tri-state stores regularly to ensure shop standards.

Assistant Buyer, Women’s Shoes

B Altman & Co.

Started in Retail Training Program as an Assistant Buyer and eventually promoted to Women's Shoes Floor Manager at flagship Fifth Avenue store and accountable for sales and service; managed 20 commission sales professionals.

Manager, Women's Shoes

NYC’s Arts & Culture Guest Experience Advisor • Top LinkedIn Voice • Leadership Coach • Host of Aspiring Better Human🎙️Podcast • Kindness Advocate

With more than 30 years in the arts and culture world, I’m deeply committed to creating environments where people come first, operations run smoothly, and visitors leave inspired. As Director of Operations at the Children’s Museum of Manhattan, I have the privilege of overseeing Human Resources, Visitor Experience, Technology, and Facilities — making sure every team is empowered to deliver results that truly align with our mission. Every year, our work touches nearly 250,000 visitors, and I take pride in fostering collaboration and efficiency behind the scenes so those experiences are seamless and memorable.

Through aspiring better human™️, the initiative I founded, I work closely with leaders and organizations to cultivate workplace cultures rooted in empathy, trust, and empowerment. I also consult on visitor experience strategies and team-building programs, helping organizations bring people-centered approaches to life. Passionate about connecting with both audiences and teams, I strive to create meaningful experiences that put humans at the heart of every interaction — in museums, nonprofits, and beyond.


Will Sullivan

There is an indescribable thing that happens when you show up as the real you. Try it sometime.

Helping Museums Build Thriving Teams & Unforgettable Visitor Experiences | People-First Operations & Culture Builder

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