The Endurance Mindset with Laura Leeb-Reynolds

In this episode, hosts Jay Duffy and Morgan Watson welcome Laura Reynolds, the founder and CEO of Executive Endurance Coaching. As a competitive ultrarunner and triathlete, Laura unpacks the true definition of an "endurance mindset" and explains how the mental grit required to survive a grueling multi-mile race directly applies to the challenges of corporate leadership and sustainable business growth.The Reality of Executive Endurance: Laura debunks the misconception that she is an athletic coach; rather, she helps leaders navigate the psychological hurdles of business ownership. She explains that endurance isn't about exclusive high performance, but about the willingness to enter a hard situation and intentionally pace yourself to stay in the race longer than the competition.  The Danger of Coming Out Too Hot: Pulling from both sports and start-up culture, Laura discusses why so many young entrepreneurs burn out early. In a race or a business, trying to execute everything perfectly on day one leads to exhaustion. Her primary advice to business leaders is to accept a level of vulnerability: "Do it messy," but don't stop moving.  The Illusion of Control & Setting Boundaries: High-level leaders are often praised for working around the clock, but Laura details how over-indexing on availability signals a deep-seated fear of letting go. She helps stuck executives regain clarity by addressing their relationship with control, teaching them that true leadership requires establishing strict boundaries and delegating to people smarter than themselves.  Recognizing When You Are "Stuck": The episode dives into the structural symptoms of burnout, defining what it means when an executive has hit their limit. Laura reflects on her own transition away from a lucrative but unfulfilling corporate global director role, emphasizing that climbing the corporate ladder often leaves high achievers feeling completely empty if it was driven by external expectations rather than personal alignment.