We talk about success as if it’s a destination. Cross the line, check the box, move on. But real progress doesn’t happen at the finish line — it happens in the adjustments we make along the way. This piece reframes success as an ongoing practice, not a final achievement, and explores what changes when we pay attention to the work instead of the win.

Success often feels like a race—who crossed the finish line first, whose name is top-billed, who logged the most engagement. We’re taught to measure ourselves by comparison. But what if success isn’t a universal standard? What if it’s personal, evolving, and sometimes means hitching your wagon to someone else’s momentum? Success isn’t “up” or final—it’s a path, and it’s richer when shared.

Sometimes, the most powerful stories are the ones we never hear—hidden beneath daily noise or buried under layers of hesitation. When we slow down, listen deeply, and sit with discomfort, we uncover the lessons that shape empathy, presence, and connection. The quiet moments often hold the stories that change how we see the world—and ourselves.

Leaders are often told to “be strong” and “stay neutral,” even as they’re asked to make decisions that quietly ache against their own values. Moral injury happens in that gap—between what feels right and what leadership demands—and silence doesn’t protect anyone from its impact.

Time isn’t a healer or a thief on its own. It can blur memory, distort distance, and lull us into waiting. What matters is how we use our moments—choosing presence, action, and meaning instead of assuming time will do the work for us.

Standing for something in a polarized world is messy, especially for neurodivergent adults who feel every misstep and misunderstanding in their bones. This post explores the tension between being liked vs. respected, disliked vs. feared, and how rejection and justice sensitivity complicate leadership, career choices, and public stances—ultimately defining the kind of work, company, and community you’re willing to build.

On Thursday night I attended the 10-year anniversary celebration for an organization in Pittsburgh called Steel Smiling. It reminded me why we should never lose sight of those we impact, those we serve, and those who feel every ripple of every step we take. Change takes courage, but it is necessary and can be as simple as the first stone in the pond that creates a ripple. A quote that inspired the founder of Steel Smiling put it best: “If you always do what you’ve always don

Remember when I wrote about the impact the book "Good Morning, Monster" had on me? I couldn't stop thinking about it and on that long drive from Pittsburgh to Nashville, I decided I was going to email Dr. Gildiner, take a long shot and ask if she'd join the Motivation N'at podcast. Three weeks later I was shocked to see a response in my inbox. I knew the odds were slim that it would be a resounding yes, after all, Motivation N'at is still a baby, just 20ish episodes in, about

We bought our current house a little over a year ago. I was working full time for the federal government and still completely remote but traveling a ton, so one of our first priorities was to set up my home office. I don't know about you, but I'm a little particular with my arrangements, ironic for someone also known to reorganize her rooms every 4-5 months because they just "feel off". We shuffled things in, my giant standing desk, a cabinet, a book shelf and my dad's old a