In Confidence with Lisa Sun: A Gravitas Podcast

Your Career Isn't Stuck. You're Just Using the Wrong Framework | Ginny Clarke

Feeling stuck in your career and don't know how to get unstuck? CEO & founder, former Google executive recruiter and author, Ginny Clarke spent decades sitting on the other side of the table and she says most people are approaching career change completely wrong.
 
In this episode of In Confidence, Ginny shares the Career Mapping Framework that's helped thousands navigate career transitions, from identifying when you've truly outgrown a role to landing in a completely new industry with confidence. You’ll also learn:
What to do when you know you are ready to change but have no idea what you want to do instead
How to break into a completely new industry when your experience does not seem to match
What to do if you are nearing the end of your career and want to finish strong and confident
 
00:00 Intro
02:33 Meet Ginny Clarke
07:20 "I've outgrown my career… now what?"
11:01 Why "I'm open to anything" is killing your job search
15:30 The networking strategy that built Ginny’s entire career
22:47 The biggest mindset shift: stop apologizing for what you don't have
26:45 How to handle rejection (it's a signal, not a verdict)
29:19 Do this today if you’re ready for a new career path
31:35 Nearing retirement and anxious? This is for you
37:05 Lisa’s Power Move and Shoutout
 
Learn more from Ginny Clarke
 
Dive deeper into Ginny’s work with her Personal Brand Power Pack (use code INCONFIDENCE for 15% off)
 
Purchase her book, Career Mapping
 
Download her free Career Mapping Guide
 
Download our free episode PDF
 
Connect With Us So You Never Miss a Moment of Inspiration:   
 
Visit Our Website   
 
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You Are More Than How You Make Money | Harvard's Christina Wallace on the Portfolio Life

Your job title answers "What do you do?" But who are you beyond how you make money?
 
Christina Wallace, Harvard Business School lecturer, serial entrepreneur, and author of The Portfolio Life, says ambitious people are the most at risk of shrinking their identity down to a business card. She's built her career at the intersection of business, technology, and the arts, calling herself a "human Venn diagram."
 
In this episode, she teaches you how to build your own Portfolio Life. You'll also learn:
 
• Why ambitious people are most at risk of shrinking their identity down to a business card and what to do about it
• The "human Venn diagram" framework for excavating who you are beyond your career
• The 100 wishes exercise that reveals what you actually want (and why wish #62 changes everything)
• Why "work-life balance" puts your job and your life in opposition and what to aim for instead
 
0:00 Intro
02:34 Meet Christina Wallace
06:13 Why ambitious people are most at risk
14:02 Who are you beyond your job?
21:17 Why pouring yourself into one job is riskier than diversifying
29:40 Ambition isn't just for your career
32:21 The 100 wishes exercise (and why wish #62 changes you)
39:03 Lisa's Power Move and Shoutout
 
About Christina Wallace: Christina Wallace is a Senior Lecturer of Entrepreneurial Management at Harvard Business School, a serial entrepreneur, a four-time Tony Award-nominated Broadway co-producer, and the author of The Portfolio Life: How to Future Proof Your Career, Avoid Burnout, and Build a Life Bigger Than Your Business Card.
 
Learn more from Christina Wallace
 
Get her book, The Portfolio Life 
 
Download Our Free PDF to build your own Portfolio Life
 
Connect With Us So You Never Miss a Moment of Inspiration:   
 
Visit Our Website   
 
Get Our Best-Selling Book in Paperback   
 
Follow Gravitas on Instagram   
 
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Connect with Lisa on LinkedIn   
 
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Suggestions or Questions? Email Us. 

Why High Achievers Burn Out First (According to a Neuroscientist) | Dr. Helena Boschi

Have you ever felt completely exhausted but couldn't explain why? Like you've been busy all day but somehow got nothing done? Or found yourself forgetting things, snapping at people, dreading Sunday nights? Your brain isn't broken. It's burning out.
 
In this episode of In Confidence, Lisa sits down with neuroscientist, keynote speaker, and author Dr. Helena Boschi to solve one of the most common problems facing high achievers today: burnout and hustle culture. Dr. Boschi breaks down exactly what's happening inside your brain when you run on empty, and what you can actually do about it. In this episode you will learn:
What burnout really is and the four warning signs most people miss until it's too late
Simple, science-backed tools to reset your brain throughout the day, including one you can do in under 60 seconds
Why hustle culture erodes the very systems you rely on, including attention, creativity, and decision-making
The neuroscience behind the Sunday Scaries and why even people who love their jobs experience them
Protect yourself from burnout before it's too late.
 
Download our free PDF for help on recovering from burnout and hustle culture
 
Work with Dr. Helena Boschi
 
Follow her on LinkedIn
 
 
00:00 Intro
02:26 Meet Dr. Helena Boschi
07:40 Neuroscience of Stress and Burnout
12:32 The 4 Warning Signs of Burnout
15:47 How to Start Recovering
23:30 What Sunday Scaries Actually Are
27:51 Hustle Culture and What It Does to Your Brain
30:50 Sharpen Your Axe
34:42 Lisa's Power Move and Shoutout
 
Connect With Us So You Never Miss a Moment of Inspiration:   
 
Visit Our Website   
 
Get Our Best-Selling Book in Paperback   
 
Follow Gravitas on Instagram   
 
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Connect with Lisa on LinkedIn   
 
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Suggestions or Questions? Email Us. 

Will AI Take Your Job? Here Is What the Research Actually Says

If you have ever quietly wondered whether your skills still matter in the age of AI, whether your job is safe, or whether you are already falling behind, you are not alone. The fear is real. But the research tells a very different story than the headlines.
 
In this episode of In Confidence, Lisa sits down with future of work researcher, TEDx speaker, and Harvard Business Review contributor Dr. Kelly Monahan to answer the question everyone is asking but nobody is answering honestly: will AI replace me? In this episode you will learn:
What the research actually says about AI and job displacement right now
Who is really driving the fear around AI and why
The one thing that will make you irreplaceable no matter what AI does next
How to stop waiting for AI to disrupt you and start redesigning your career now
 
The future belongs to the curious. And the curious cannot be replaced.
 
Download our free PDF to reset how you think about AI and what it means for your job.
 
Learn More from Dr. Kelly Monahan
 
Pre-order her new book
 
00:00 Intro
03:09 Meet Dr. Kelly Monahan
04:11 Understanding the Fear of Job Displacement
07:38 If You're Scared of AI, Do This!
09:42 The Importance of Human Skills
15:14 How AI is Hurting and Helping Our Work
18:55 The Gender Difference in the World of AI
21:28 Reset Your Mindset When it Comes to AI
24:28 Make Yourself Irreplaceable By Doing This ONE Thing
25:58 Lisa's Power Move and Shoutout
 
Connect With Us So You Never Miss a Moment of Inspiration:   
 
Visit Our Website   
 
Get Our Best-Selling Book in Paperback   
 
Follow Gravitas on Instagram   
 
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Suggestions or Questions? Email Us. 

PhD Researcher Reveals What AI Can Do For Your Career (And How to Start Today)

Everyone is talking about AI, but most of the conversation is about what it might take away. What nobody is talking about enough is what AI can actually give you: time back in your day, clarity on decisions that used to take hours, and the kind of leverage that used to require an entire team.
 
In this episode of In Confidence, Lisa sits down with future of work researcher, TEDx speaker, and founder of Beyond the Desk, Dr. Kelly Monahan, to cut through the noise and get practical about how AI can benefit your career and your life right now. In this episode you will learn:
 
Why AI is the biggest career advantage available to you right now and how to claim it
The exact prompts Kelly uses to get high quality output from AI every single time
Why spending 15 minutes a day learning AI will change your career trajectory
The one mindset shift that turns AI from something scary into something that works for you
 
The people who figure this out first will be miles ahead. Start today.
 
Download our free guide on how to start using AI
 
Learn More from Dr. Kelly Monahan
 
Pre-Order Kelly's New Book
 
00:00 Intro
02:31 Meet Dr. Kelly Monahan
07:10 Why AI Matters (Even If You Haven't Started Yet)
09:28 Where to Begin: Your First Steps With AI
11:49 How AI Is Changing the Way We Write and Create
15:52 Are You Using AI Wrong?
21:04 The AI Superpower Most People Are Missing
24:33 Prompts That Actually Work
26:44 Start Your AI Journey Today With These 2 Tips
28:50 Lisa's Power Move and Shoutout
 
Connect With Us So You Never Miss a Moment of Inspiration:   
 
Visit Our Website   
 
Get Our Best-Selling Book in Paperback   
 
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Suggestions or Questions? Email Us. 

What It Actually Takes to Make It to the C-Suite

You are ambitious, you are hungry, and you know you are capable of more. So what is actually standing between you and the C-suite?
 
In this episode of In Confidence, Lisa sits down with Harvard Business School executive fellow, bestselling author, and former Deloitte partner Deepa Purushothaman to break down what actually separates great managers from senior executives and what you need to start doing differently right now. In this episode you will learn:
The biggest difference between being a great manager and being a senior executive
Why your work is not as visible as you think and how to change that
How sponsorship at the senior level is different from mentorship and why it matters more
Why so many senior women exit right before the C-suite and what to do about it
The three things you can start doing right now to position yourself for that next level
 
The path is clearer than you think. Now go take it.
 
Learn from Deepa
 
Buy Deepa's Book: The First, The Few, The Only
 
Download our guide for help with your promotion
00:00 Intro
01:49 Meet Deepa Purushothaman
05:15 The Difference Between a Manager and an Executive
07:29 How Executives Make Decisions Differently
11:39 The Relationships That Will Make or Break Your Promotion
12:24 Why Being Good at Your Job Isn't Enough
14:16 What to Have Ready Before You Go for the Role
18:21 How to Change a Reputation That's Holding You Back
23:36 3 Things That Make You Undeniable to Decision Makers
25:49 The Biggest Myth About Making It to the C-Suite
29:29 Navigating the Climb When the System Wasn't Built for You
32:42 Do This Before Your Next Review
36:00 Lisa's Power Move and Shoutout
 
Connect With Us So You Never Miss a Moment of Inspiration:   
 
Visit Our Website   
 
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Suggestions or Questions? Email Us. 

5 Shifts to Get Promoted From Entry Level to Management

You are working hard, hitting your deadlines, and doing everything right. So why does the promotion keep not happening? The truth is promotions are not about recognition. They are about readiness and business fit. And most people are never taught the difference.
 
In this episode of In Confidence, Lisa breaks down the five shifts that take you from entry level to management, drawn from 25 years in business and a decade of helping people break through to their first leadership role.
 
In this episode you will learn:
Why working hard is not enough and what actually gets you promoted
How to move from executing tasks to taking ownership like a manager
The exact script to ask your boss what it will take to get to the next level
How to make yourself mentorable so the right people invest in your growth
Where else in your life you can practice leadership skills risk free
 
Stop waiting to be noticed. Start showing up at the next level now.
 
⁠Download our free PDF⁠ and get Lisa's 5 shifts to get promoted.
 
00:00 Intro
01:33 How to Get Promoted form Entry Level to Management
03:25 Shift #1 - Stop Guessing, Start Asking
05:16 Shift #2 - Execution to Ownership
07:23 Shift #3 - Make Your Manager's Job Easier
08:33 Shift #4 - Be Mentorable
10:12 Shift #5 - Practice Leadership Elsewhere
12:02 Lisa's Power Move and Shoutout
 
Connect With Us So You Never Miss a Moment of Inspiration:   
 
Visit Our Website   
 
Get Our Best-Selling Book in Paperback   
 
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Suggestions or Questions? Email Us. 

Episode 67: How to Handle Criticism Like a Leader with Michelle Li

Have you ever received a piece of criticism that hit you harder than you expected? Maybe it came from a boss, a stranger, or someone whose opinion you cared about more than you wanted to admit. The way you respond to that moment can define your confidence, your career, and how far you go.
 
In this episode of In Confidence, Lisa sits down with Emmy Award winning journalist, news anchor, and founder of The Very Asian Foundation, Michelle Li, to unpack one of the most universal experiences we all face: how to handle criticism without letting it derail you. In this episode you will learn:
 
Why criticism hits so hard and why that is completely normal
How to tell the difference between criticism worth keeping and criticism worth leaving behind
Why being honest about your feelings is the first step to moving through it
How to use criticism as fuel to prove people wrong and push yourself forward
The one question to ask yourself the next time criticism lands hard
 
Don't let criticism define you. Let's turn it into fuel.
 
⁠Download our free PDF⁠ to stop letting criticism break you
 
⁠Follow Michelle Li⁠
 
⁠Support The Very Asian Foundation⁠
 
00:00 Intro 
02:02 Meet Michelle Li
09:51 How to Handle Criticism
10:51 The Voicemail That Went Viral
17:21 From Moment to Movement
22:47 When to Use Criticism and When to Let It Go
29:22 The Michelle Formula for Dealing with Criticism
34:14 Lisa's Power Move and Shoutout
 
Connect With Us So You Never Miss a Moment of Inspiration:   
 
Visit Our Website   
 
Get Our Best-Selling Book in Paperback   
 
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Episode 66: How to Stop Avoiding Conflict and Start Having Tough Conversations

You tell yourself it is not worth it. You let it go. But then you replay the conversation in your head for days. That is not peace. That is avoidance. And avoidance has a cost.
 
In this episode of In Confidence, Lisa shares practical steps to stop avoiding conflict and start having the conversations that will actually move your relationships, your life and your career forward.
 
In this episode you will learn:
Why your brain is wired to avoid conflict and why it is not your fault
How to reframe conflict as clarity instead of confrontation
The micro conflict practice that rewires your brain to stop seeing conflict as danger
How to separate discomfort from danger so you can finally speak up
 
What would change if you finally had the conversation you have been avoiding?
 
⁠Download the free PDF guide⁠ to stop avoiding conflict
 
00:00 Intro
03:09 Why We Avoid Conflict
07:24 Reframing Conflict as Opportunity
10:36 4 Steps to Stop Avoiding Conflict
20:16 Lisa's Power Move and Shoutout
 
Connect With Us So You Never Miss a Moment of Inspiration:   
 
Visit Our Website   
 
Get Our Best-Selling Book in Paperback   
 
Follow Gravitas on Instagram   
 
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Suggestions or Questions? Email Us. 

Episode 65: 3 Steps to Stop Letting External Validation Control Your Life

The praise, the promotion, the applause. External validation feels good and that is completely human. But when your worth depends on whether your boss approves, your post gets likes, or the award comes through, you are chasing a goalpost that never stops moving.
 
In this episode of In Confidence, Lisa breaks down why so many of us are dependent on external validation, where it comes from, and the three steps to build an internal scorecard that puts the power back in your hands. In this episode you will learn:
The three components of external validation that are keeping you stuck
The difference between healthy ambition and emotional attachment to outcomes
Why your gravitational pull to results is making you miss your actual life
How to replace your inner critic with something more powerful
A three-part rewiring practice to start building an internal scorecard instead of chasing applause
Put down the measuring stick and let's build a scorecard on your own terms.
 
Download our PDF to stop living for other people's approval
 
00:00 Intro 
01:15 The Deal with External Validation 
04:47 Put Down the Measuring Stick 
06:24 Ambition vs. Attachment 
11:07 The Gravitational Pull to Results 
18:07 How to Break the Cycle 
18:47 Step 1 - The High Performance Reframe 
22:01 Step 2 - Deploy Your Superpowers 
25:03 Step 3 - Build Your Internal Scorecard 
27:57 Lisa's Power Move and Shoutout 
 
Connect With Us So You Never Miss a Moment of Inspiration:   
 
Visit Our Website   
 
Get Our Best-Selling Book in Paperback   
 
Follow Gravitas on Instagram   
 
Follow Lisa on Instagram   
 
Connect with Lisa on LinkedIn   
 
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Suggestions or Questions? Email Us.