Growth Mindset Psychology: The Science of Self-Improvement From Escaping the Holocaust to Building a Billion Dollar Empire - The Life and Mindsets of Dame Stephanie Shirley
Oct 3, 2025
Dame Stephanie Shirley, a pioneer in tech and philanthropy, shares her incredible journey from a Holocaust survivor to building a billion-dollar software empire. She discusses how trauma can serve as motivation and reframes survivor guilt into a force for good. Stephanie reveals how remote work started in the 1960s and the importance of diversity in driving innovation. Her insights on philanthropy and shifting perspectives on autism demonstrate her commitment to making the world a fairer place. A true testament to resilience and creativity!
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Kindertransport Shaped Her Resilience
- Stephanie Shirley was sent from Nazi Europe to England on the Kindertransport at age five and slept on corrugated cardboard with a thousand children.
- That early forced separation and upheaval shaped her confidence to cope with change for life.
Trauma Can Lower Fear Of Future Change
- Surviving extreme trauma gave Stephanie confidence that nothing later could be as bad, which increased her willingness to embrace change.
- She learned to enjoy making new things happen because change no longer frightened her.
Get Compassionate Therapeutic Support
- Seek compassionate help for survivor guilt and trauma rather than trying to endure alone.
- Stephanie credits six years at the Tavistock Clinic and a listening analyst with helping her recover and move forward.
