Margie’s Insights & Interviews
Welcome to Margie’s blog where she shares personal stories, interviews, tools and more for living bravely.
Look For The Good
In my twenties, two things happened in close succession that brought me to my knees. First, I was held up at gunpoint in an armed robbery. I was 19 weeks pregnant at the time with my first child. Then, ten short days later, I was told my baby had died. I reeled. I...
Depth Over Speed: Making Space For Wisdom.
One of the most special parts of my trip to Egypt was cruising down the Nile, watching life unfold on its banks the way it has for thousands of years. I couldn’t help but think of how differently most of us live. The relentless pace. One more email or “to-do” that...
The Illusion of Permanence
Thirty years ago, I backpacked around Egypt and the Middle East—armed with a few traveler's checks and wide open to whatever the future might hold. Two weeks ago, I returned with my husband and two of our children, now the same age I was then. As I rode a cantankerous...
From bunk bed to private jet: A lesson on ego taming and claiming your truest source of freedom and power.
Some days are surreal, glamorous, and ironic. Last Friday was one of them. WEDNESDAY: A booking glitch landed me in the smallest hotel room in New York... in a bunk bed! My ego protested. The wiser part of me saw the humor. Particularly when I had to prop my laptop up...
What dad taught me about true wealth – what we appreciate, appreciates.
While I didn't grow up with the Thanksgiving holiday in Australia, I've come to treasure this American tradition dedicated to practicing gratitude in a world that constantly pulls our attention toward what's missing. Whenever I think about what gratitude truly means,...
Don’t betray your future self. Bet on them.
Ever sold yourself short? If you can think back to a moment you wished you’d backed yourself more—taken that chance, made the ask, leapt—you’re not alone. The truth is, most of us regret the risks we didn’t take far more than the ones we did. By a long shot. That...
Brave the Awkward: Forging Real Connection In A Digital World
I almost sent a text I would have regretted. Someone had misinterpreted something I’d said, and I wanted to fix it — without making things worse. So I started composing a carefully worded message before I caught myself. Instead of hiding behind my iPhone screen, I...
The 100th Monkey Effect: What Ripple Will You Spread?
For over 30 years, scientists had been observing Japanese monkeys (Macaca fuscata) in the wild. In 1952, they began an experiment—dropping sweet potatoes in the sand for the monkeys to find. The monkeys loved the taste but hated the gritty sand that clung to them.Then...
As the world speeds up, walk at the pace of wisdom, not urgency
My Uber to Union Station in Washington DC this morning took twice as long as it often does, the traffic heavy as everyone returns from summer breaks. Crawling across the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, bumper to bumper with hundreds of other commuters, I couldn't help but...
What’s your ‘helicopter moment’? Why courage compounds.
A few weeks ago, I found myself buckled into a helicopter seat, headset on, lifting off above the ancient sandstone cliffs and winding waters of Katherine Gorge in Australia’s Northern Territory. Beside me sat my 90-year-old dad. “Dad, want to take a chopper ride over...
Rewrite the Story Fear Wrote Long Ago
I was nine the day my dad sold his entire herd of dairy cows.A long and devastating drought had forced his hand. As the cattle truck rumbled down the laneway, I looked up at him and asked: “How will we get money now, Dad?” “I don’t know, Margie,” he said, before...
When “It’s Fine” Isn’t Fine at All
Note: This is clearly not my normal type of column. But on this occasion, I want to share a personal experience that, while involving nudity, holds some powerful lessons that I hope will be helpful for you in some small way. I’m really disappointed in myself. I did...
The Power of Your Presence in a Noisy, Fast World
Saluti da Firenze! I’m in Italy this week to attend and speak at the Monash University Global Leaders Summit—my alma mater. The title of my session: Leading in a World Demanding Change. As distinguished alumni gathered from across the globe (we Aussies are known for...
When Fear Becomes Fatal
In 1995, a team of five Navy SEALs embarked on a high-risk mission in Venezuela to test a relatively unproven capability at the time—navigating extreme rapids in inflatable boats. The theory was that rivers could serve as highways through rugged jungle terrain...
Now The Real Curriculum Begins: A Guide For New Grads
Just last week, my youngest son Matt graduated from Baylor University. As he walked that stage—broad smile, degree in hand, future wide open—I felt incredibly proud and a little relieved. After all, this was the same kid who once told his first-grade teacher he'd...
When Humility Becomes Your Hiding Place
"I never want to be one of those egomaniacs jostling for position," said Sandra, her brow furrowing. "It's just not my style." "But how will the new CEO know what you want if you don't tell him?" I asked, leaning forward. "He knows about my work. My track record...
Hope is a risk that must be run.
Today is Good Friday, a sacred day in the Christian calendar and one that holds special significance for me and my family. It was on Good Friday 17 years ago that my older brother Frank was injured in a motorbike accident that left him with paraplegia, unable to ever...
Dear Fellow Women, You don’t need to prove your worth – just own it.
Women in leadership have always faced a higher bar. Yet amid the pushback on DEI, pressuring women to validate their worth - again - they need to boldly own it, not prove it. “I feel like I have to prove myself all over again.” That’s what a senior female executive...
My Lesson from the Trapeze: Courage is a Decision, not a Feeling.
Have you ever found yourself standing at the edge of something you knew you needed to do—knowing you needed to step up or speak up or lean in and 'take the leap', yet hesitating and holding back? I’ve been there. Not just in life, but quite literally, on a trapeze...
Five Years On from Fire: Finding Courage When Fear Looms Large
Back in Australia for Christmas, I’m reminded of a moment five years ago, in early 2020, that feels both distant and vividly present. Charred leaves drifted down from an apocalyptic sky as I hurriedly helped my parents pack up their most precious belongings before...
