Welcome to Margie's Insights and Interviews

Apr 16, 2013
A Marathon Like No Other: The Ultimate Call To Courage
Two of my friends ran in this years Boston marathon. Only one got to finish. I can only imagine the myriad of emotions they and the thousands of other runners and spectators who were affected directly by the blasts must have felt Shock. Horror. Fear. Relief. Anger.
>> Read Now
Apr 11, 2013
Out of work? The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Job Seekers
A friend recently shared with me how her husband fell into yearlong depression after he was laid off from his finance job during the global economic meltdown in late 2008. He’d worked hard all his life, thrived on the pressures and challenges of his work,
>> Read Now
Apr 08, 2013
Margaret Thatcher - An icon of Courage
Today the world lost one of the most iconic, formidable and courageous leaders of the 20th Century. There are many things the world came to admire about Margaret Thatcher, the daughter of a shopkeeper whose sense of purpose to make a difference paved her
>> Read Now
Apr 03, 2013
"Courage is..."
I often get asked what I mean when I talk about courage. While I say that courage is action in the presence of fear and self doubt, I am also aware that it is far far more than that. Courage comes in many faces and
>> Read Now
Apr 02, 2013
Ten years. Four kids. Five homes. Seven lessons learned.
Ten years ago today my son Matthew arrived into the world. As I made the kids a special celebratory pancake breakfast this morning (complete with chocolate milkshakes and a special operatic rendition of Happy Birthday) it dawned on me that it’s also ten years today
>> Read Now
Mar 24, 2013
Know any "Emotional Vampires?" Surround yourself with energy givers, not takers
Over the last few weeks I've been incredibly touched by the support of many friends, family and colleagues who've been cheering me on as I've launched my new book Stop Playing Safe into the world. Launching a book is obviously exciting. But it's also scary.
>> Read Now
Mar 18, 2013
Do you have a Risk-Ready or Risk-Averse Mindset?
While writing Stop Playing Safe I interviewed numerous business leaders and entrepreneurs for their insights about why courage—action in the presence of fear, doubt, uncertainty and risk—is important to success. In the process, I heard many tales of boldness, failure, resilience, perseverance and success. One of
>> Read Now
Mar 06, 2013
My Message to Women on International Women's Day: Don't Wait For Courage!
Tomorrow morning I am speaking at an International Women's Day breakfast hosted by a leading Australian bank. As I start to prepare my notes I can't help but still feel dismayed at the state of play for women globally here in the 21st Century. Whatever
>> Read Now
Feb 24, 2013
Parmenides Fallacy: Are you downplaying the cost of inaction?
"There are risks and costs to a program of action. But they are far less than the long-range risks and costs of comfortable inaction." John F Kennedy While researching my new book, I came upon numerous fascinating studies by neuro-scientists about how our brains work
>> Read Now
Feb 19, 2013
Life outside my comfort zone. Often scary. Always rewarding.
A friend emailed me this morning. "You're so brave," she wrote. I thought about it for a minute before I replied, "No I'm not. I'm just trying to walk my talk - 'feeling half scared to death but saddling up anyway' as John Wayne once
>> Read Now
Feb 12, 2013
Seven Strategies for Highly Effective New Year’s Resolutions
(Reprinted from original CourageWorks column in Forbes Magazine) We've all been there: Brimming with resolve on December 31st as we boldly declare the goals and changes we plan to make in the year ahead, and by January 31st that resolve has evaporated into the crisp
>> Read Now
Jan 26, 2013
Ita Buttrose: Lessons on Courage from the Australian of the Year
While writing my new book Stop Playing Safe, I approached numerous people who have been really courageous throughout their career and working lives. In between my fair share of “Thank you, but no thank you” responses (which were wonderful opportunities for building resilience), I managed
>> Read Now
Jan 23, 2013
Lance Armstrong: A Human Lesson from a Fallen Hero
(Reprinted from my CourageWorks column in Forbes magazine) None of us are immune to the same temptations that Armstrong succumbed to. As self-serving, deceitful and cowardly as his behaviour has been, it’s also very human. The discovery of Lance Armstrong’s drug cheating last year was shocking for many
>> Read Now
Dec 18, 2012
Finding joy amidst sadness this festive season
The tragedy of so many innocent lives lost so brutally last Friday in Newtown Connecticut has dimmed the festive spirit for many people this week. Trying to comprehend the mind of someone who could commit such a barbaric act is impossible. Trying to imagine the
>> Read Now
Dec 14, 2012
"The right to bear arms." Yes, but at what cost?
As I write this now my heart goes out to the parents and families of those killed so mercilessly in Connecticut yesterday. Such a tragic and brutal waste of beautiful lives; such sorrow to consume so many hearts and homes this Christmas and for years
>> Read Now
Nov 27, 2012
Sometimes just 'showing up' is enough (particularly at 6am)
It's easy to find excuses not to put in effort and show up. But to create the rewarding life you want, you have to commit to showing up and pressing on, even when you don’t feel like it, even when it's cold outside, even when
>> Read Now