Susan Filan: Finding Joy and Peace in a High-Pressure Career

Dec 11, 2025

Susan Filan, a former prosecutor and MSNBC analyst turned transformational speaker, shares her inspiring journey of reinvention after a near-fatal accident. She discusses the fragility of life and how fear often hides our true desires. Susan emphasizes that fulfillment starts when we live authentically, rather than meeting external expectations. Her coaching focuses on asking the right questions to ignite dreams and promote inner peace. She reminds listeners that happiness cannot be outsourced and encourages living in alignment with what genuinely matters.

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INSIGHT

Life's Fragility Reframes Priorities

Near-death experiences reveal life is fragile and shift priorities toward meaning.
Susan Filan says that seeing beyond ego rewires how you value time and purpose.

ANECDOTE

Hit By A Car During A Crosswalk

Susan Filan recounts stepping into a crosswalk and being struck by a car she never saw.
She woke on the street thinking she was dead and later learned she bounced onto the hood and windshield.

INSIGHT

Gratitude After Trauma Changes Goals

Extreme injury forced Susan from terror to deep gratitude for simply being alive.
That gratitude reframed achievement as secondary to the gift of presence and purpose.

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In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Susan Filan discuss:

Reclaiming life before life demands it
Asking the questions that change everything
Stepping off the professional hamster wheel
Choosing authenticity over performance

Key Takeaways:

Near-death experiences show how fragile, temporary, and precious life truly is. Fulfillment starts when we stop postponing purpose and intentionally live each day in alignment with what truly matters most.
Fear often hides our deepest desires, but asking the right questions clearly reveals them. Imagining our future self at the end of life helps guide decisions toward what we genuinely want and value.
Overwork often masks misalignment with our own integrity, health, and needs. Sustainable progress begins by recognizing limits, slowing down, and making intentional changes that honor both well-being and meaningful work.
Long-term fulfillment cannot grow from roles we play to please others or meet external expectations. True joy and inner peace emerge when we live, work, and lead consistently in alignment with our authentic selves.

"I can't outsource my happiness. So if I'm not happy today with what I have, where I am... I'm not going to be happy then when I get it." — Susan Filan

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About Susan Filan: Susan is a former prosecutor and MSNBC Senior Legal Analyst turned transformational speaker and life strategist. With over 30 years in high-stakes arenas—from prosecuting cold-case murders to defending clients on death row and analyzing national cases on cable and network television—she has faced some of the toughest challenges imaginable. Her greatest trial, however, came in a near-fatal accident that became her ultimate wake-up call, inspiring her to help others transform crisis into clarity and purpose. Susan blends legal grit, neuroscience, and spiritual insight to guide high achievers in breaking free from limiting beliefs, reigniting their deepest dreams, and creating lives of joy, fulfillment, and impact. Known as The Wake-Up Call Speaker and The Architect of Reinvention, she delivers keynotes, private strategy sessions, immersive retreats, and media appearances designed to awaken potential, spark transformation, and help people reinvent their lives from the inside out.

Connect with Susan Filan:

Website: https://susanfilan.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanfilan/

Connect with Steve Fretzin:

LinkedIn: Steve Fretzin

Twitter: @stevefretzin

Instagram: @fretzinsteve

Facebook: Fretzin, Inc.

Website: Fretzin.com

Email: Steve@Fretzin.com

Book: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!

YouTube: Steve Fretzin

Call Steve directly at 847-602-6911

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