From Fear to Fulfillment: Unlocking Your Ikigai and Creating a Life You Love

Mary Olson-Menzel is a nationally recognized expert in career and workplace success with over 30 years of leadership experience across media, tech, healthcare, and even the NFL. As the founder and CEO of MVP Executive Development, she's coached everyone from Fortune 500 leaders to parents reentering the workforce—helping them find purpose, confidence, and a plan to do what truly lights them up.

In this inspiring episode, we unpack the mindset and tools to thrive through massive change, find your "reason for being," and design work—and a life—that truly lights you up.

🔑 3 Main Takeaways

1. Change Isn't the Enemy—It's the Invitation. Embrace a growth mindset and see disruption as a chance to expand your potential, not fear it.

2. Find Your Ikigai—Your Reason for Being. Align what you love, what you're great at, what the world needs, and what you can get paid for.

3. Dream Beyond 10% and Plan the Leap. Most people only imagine small tweaks to their lives; true fulfillment comes from daring to design something radically different—with patience and a plan.

🕰️ Episode Breakdown & Key Insights [00:07:55] Growth Mindset Over Fixed Fear

"Change is happening. What does this mean and how can I grow from it?" Embracing change through curiosity transforms fear into momentum. Each disruption—AI, layoffs, or shifting industries—becomes a training ground for reinvention instead of resistance.

[00:10:54] Discovering Your Ikigai: The Sweet Spot of Purpose

"It's what you love, what you're good at, what the world needs, and what you can get paid for." True fulfillment lies in the overlap of passion and practicality. When you design your life around this alignment, you no longer chase success—you embody it.

[00:15:26] The 10% Trap and the Power of Big Dreams

"If you're limiting yourself to that 10%, you're doing yourself a disservice. There's so much more out there for you." Most people imagine only small variations on their current lives. Breakthroughs come when you remove your blinders, trust your gifts, and build the courage to act on what excites you.

💬 Notable Quotes

• "You owe it to the world to love what you do because when you're doing meaningful work, that creates a ripple effect."

• "Your light is your superpower, but your network is the superhighway that gets you where you want to go."

"Don't conform. Be you. Own your greatness with quiet confidence."