Live Brave with Dr Margie Warrell
by Dr Margie Warrell
In today's fearful world, living bravely has become indispensable for living well. Join best-selling author Margie Warrell as she shares practical wisdom and empowering conversations with world-renowned thought leaders such as Marianne Williamson, Steve Forbes, Sri Sri Ravi Shanker and Tal Ben-Shahar that get to the heart of what holds us back.
Episodes
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147. In a Chaotic World, the Deep Inner Work Has Never Been More Urgent with Amy Elizabeth Fox
For a long time, leadership was measured by how well we could perform under pressure, stay composed, and keep pushing through. But in a world that feels more chaotic, divided, and emotionally depleted than ever, I believe that model is breaking down. In this episode, I sit down with Amy Elizabeth...
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146. 5 Liberating Truths to Make Peace With Your Path and Purpose
Do you ever feel like you're off track, falling behind, or failing at this wild mystery tour we call life? The difficulties. The detours. The closed doors. The doubts and dreams that didn't survive contact with reality. The idealized "got it all together" version of yourself you thought you'd be…
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145. Verbal Sunshine: Encouragement as a Superpower for Leadership and Life
"I feel too encouraged," — said no one. Ever. Yet countless people are burdened with self-doubt. Which is why a few well-timed words of encouragement can make a profound difference. Encouragement isn't soft. It's a superpower - and research backs it up. In this episode, I explore why…
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144. Beyond the Degree: Higher Education Must Disrupt or Decline — with Sharon Pickering, Vice-Chancellor of Monash University
We are not living through a period of change in higher education. We are living through a change of era — and while educational leaders see it coming, centuries of tradition run deep, anchoring them in place at the very moment bold action has never mattered more. As generative AI rewrites the…
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143. Compare and Despair: How to Run Your Own Best Race
We live in a world that constantly invites comparison. Every time we pick up our devices, our newsfeeds flood us with curated images, updates, and highlights from everyone else’s lives. It’s designed to capture our attention—but all too often, it leaves us feeling “less than,” stoking insecurity...
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142. Your Wounds Are Not Your Fault, But Your Healing Is Your Responsibility with Raj Sisodia
What kind of world would we be living in if those in power weren’t leading from unhealed wounds? Raj Sisodia, co-author of Healing Leaders Now, joins me on the Live Brave Podcast to explore the profound connection between personal healing and leadership impact. Whether we realize it or not, what…
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141 - Feeling Disappointed? Finding the Gift When People Let You Down and Plans Fall Apart
Disappointment hurts. It arrives when what we hoped for collides with what actually happened—when people fall short, plans unravel, or a future we were counting on quietly disappears. And yet, disappointment isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s evidence of care. In this episode, I explore the anatomy…
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140 - The Courage You Practice Shapes the Leader You Become with JoAnne Bass
Our identity - as people and leaders - isn’t forged in one defining moment. It’s built over time, through small choices that test our values long before the stakes feel high. In this conversation with JoAnne S. Bass, the first Asian American and first female to serve as Chief Master Sergeant of…
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139 - Navigating Change: Why Losing What Defines You Opens What Expands You
Like it or not, change is coming. The question is: will you participate in it consciously, or spend your energy resisting what's already in motion? Whether change arrives as a disruption you didn't choose or as a quiet whisper you can't ignore, both ask the same thing of you—let go of what's...
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138 - Disillusioned About Your Purpose? Richard Leider on How It Cracks Open, Not Apart
"There's a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in." A line from Leonard Cohen's 1992 song Anthem that feels especially true when purpose starts to feel unclear. So many people hit a point where the clarity they once had around their purpose begins to crack. What felt certain starts to...
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137- When Trust Collapses: Lessons in Courage and Self-Trust from Venezuela | Mariana Atencio
What happens when trust in leaders and institutions breaks down? In this episode, I'm joined by journalist and speaker Mariana Atencio, who grew up in Venezuela and witnessed firsthand what happens when trust slowly erodes across government, media, and social systems. That lived experience…
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136- Business Has Become the Super Bowl and Most Leaders Aren't Ready with Alan Guarino
Leadership today is more complex, faster-paced, and more uncertain than ever before, and I see how that's leaving many capable leaders stuck between playing to win and playing not to lose. In this episode of the Live Brave Podcast, I'm joined by Alan Guarino, who I worked alongside for many…
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135 - Growth Begins the Moment You Say Yes with Lisa Nichols
So often we tell ourselves that growth will come once we feel more confident, more prepared, or more certain. But what I've learned, through my own life and through conversations like this one, is that growth usually begins much earlier than that. I sit down with Lisa Nichols to explore what...
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134 - How Your Personal Brand Changes When You Stop Hiding Your Story with Goldie Chan
Your personal brand is shaped by the stories you tell and the truths you hide. And when those stories come from fear, self-protection, or old narratives, they quietly limit your confidence, visibility, and leadership presence. In this conversation with personal branding expert Goldie Chan, I...
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133 - This Is What Happens When You Stop Holding Yourself Back in 2026
How often do you put off the very thing you most need to do because it will feel awkward? You hold back from asking, saying, or doing what matters, not because it's wrong, but because it feels uncomfortable. In this episode, I explore why awkwardness is not a sign you're failing. It is often...
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132 - A Toolkit for Courage: How to Break Fear's Grip and Build Real Confidence with Mick Hunt
Fear shapes our lives in ways we often don't recognize. It colors our decisions, narrows our vision, and quietly convinces us to play smaller than we're meant to. Yet fear can also become the catalyst that strengthens our character and deepens our courage — if we're willing to meet it with…
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131 - The Small Daily Actions That Change Your Llfe
Small daily actions shape our lives far more than big resolutions. Every courageous change I've ever made began with one simple choice — a choice to show up a little braver than I felt like being at the moment. In a world that constantly pushes us to "Go Big," I've learned that our greatest…
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130 - New Courage Works Series: The Real Reason Fear Holds You Back (And How to Break Free)
Fear often shapes our choices long before we notice it, nudging us toward safety instead of growth. In this new Courage Works series on the Live Brave Podcast, I unpack how hidden threat biases and self-protective scripts quietly limit our confidence, decision-making, and potential. I explore how...
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129 - Your Brain Is Ghosting Your Future Self — And It's Costing You
What if the real cost of playing it safe isn't what you miss today—it's who you never become tomorrow? Your brain treats your future self like a stranger—and that's why you keep choosing comfort over courage. In this episode, I explore the neuroscience behind this disconnect and why it leads us…
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128 - Brave the Awkward: Why Awkward isn't the problem, it's your pathway
We've all had those moments of hesitation—"Do I speak up or stay quiet? Do I make the change or stick with the familiar?" Too often, fear of feeling awkward, exposed, or foolish keeps us playing it safe. Yet the awkward moments we try hardest to avoid aren't obstacles—they're the very gateways to...
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127 - Finding the treasure when you fail, fall short or wimp out
Warning: This episode may not be your cup of tea if you'd rather not hear about nudity (or Oprah… or Jill Biden). Why? Because it starts with a wild and wacky story ripped straight from my morning. It might make you laugh, raise your eyebrows, and—hopefully—not judge me too harshly for failing to...
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126 - The True Measure of Courage with Former Navy SEAL Alex Pease
In this episode, I sit down with Alex Pease, a former Navy SEAL whose extraordinary story—both heart-wrenching and deeply inspiring —threads through The Courage Gap. Alex's journey reveals the truest measure of courage: the willingness to embrace vulnerability and give ourselves grace. We dive…
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125 - Step Into Discomfort: Why Risking More Awkward Moments Will Change Your Life
In this episode, I unpack a key principle from The Courage Gap—one I learned early in life: "Growth and comfort can't ride the same horse." Because while staying in our comfort zones might feel safe, over time, it can slowly cause us to shrink on the vine of our own lives. I share a few personal...
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124 - Courage & Character: A Conversation with General Stanley McChrystal
In this episode, I speak to General Stanley McChrystal to explore the intersection of courage and character—two mutually reinforcing virtues being put to the test in today's world. Building on his powerful Foreword for The Courage Gap and themes from his upcoming book On Character, we discuss how...
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123 - Breathe in Courage: Transform the psychology of fear into the physiology of courage
Sweaty hands. Butterflies in the belly. A total sense of paralysis. Let's face it—fear is deeply physical. In this episode, I explore another key concept from The Courage Gap: how to reset your fear at the physiological level. Fear isn't just in your mind—it embeds in your body. Understanding…
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122 - Rescript what keeps you stuck, stressed, or living TOO safe!
All behavior is belief-driven. Finding the courage to take actions that would strengthen our relationships and improve our future requires examining the narrative we're living in—including the stories we tell ourselves. These stories can fuel doubt, shrink confidence, and keep us stuck in place....
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121 - Focus on what you want not what you fear. Pursue the uncomfortable good!
Ever found yourself going down a rabbit hole of 'What ifs?' What if I mess this up? What if it all goes to hell in a handbasket? What if I just don't have what it takes? What if ….? You're not alone. Your brain isn't wired to focus on the positives. It's wired to focus on the negatives - on what...
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120 - Make 2025 your year for living bravely!
As we step into a new year, many set resolutions — but let's face it, the vast majority will fall by the wayside before February. This episode kicks off the new year with a new series to celebrate my new book The Courage Gap! Tune in as I guide you to set a bold vision for your year ahead and...
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119 - My brother Frank: Be the captain of your life, not captive of your circumstance
This episode was recorded during my brother Frank's visit—a journey of over 10,000 miles from Australia. What makes this journey truly remarkable is that Frank, living with paraplegia, approaches travel with a 'can do' mindset that sets him apart. In a world often focused on limitations, Frank's...
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118 - Amy Edmondson: Are you risking enough intelligent failure? Decoding failure to progress faster
Not only does nobody enjoy failure, but we also often fail to learn from it, resulting in failing twice! Building on my previous podcast episode with Amy Edmondson (Episode 116), Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at the Harvard Business School, we dive into her latest book, Right…
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117 - Kirstin Ferguson: Leadership is a series of moments requiring both head and heart
Leadership isn't about position or title. It's about the decision we make, moment by moment, to show up… with head and heart and be a force for good in the lives of others. In my conversation with Kirstin, we discuss her new book Head & Heart and how you can be the leader the world needs you to…
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116 - Amy Edmondson: Psychological safety de-risks candor and fuels courage.
"Unsafe cultures endanger everyone," says Amy Edmondson, Novartis Professor at Harvard Business School. Amy and I unpack why courage and psychological safety are two sides of the same coin, and why fostering psychologically safe workplaces requires people to trust that the pay off for courage is...
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115 - The Integrity Deficit: Do what's right and clean up your slip-ups
You like to think of yourself as a person with integrity, right? Yet, doing what's right is easier said than done. In a world where examples of poor character are easy to find, it's easy to rationalize cutting corners or telling "little white lies". However, we often underestimate the cost of...
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114 - General Stanley McChrystal: What we get wrong about risk that makes us more vulnerable
Stanley McChrystal spent his military career navigating the real and deadly risks of combat, finishing a four-star General in Afghanistan overseeing 147,000 soldiers. He has walked the path of courage in ways most of us never will, concluding that the greatest source of risk lays in us - in how…
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113 - We are all response-able! Reclaim the power you give to your circumstances, blame and excuses
This episode is inspired by chapter one from my book Find Your Courage: The Courage To Take Responsibility The quality of your life directly correlates to your willingness to own your experience of life and resist the temptation to blame others or pity yourself. We live in a culture that…
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112 - It's time to Take Courage! New series introduction
Let's face it, if it were easy to be brave with our lives - to lean into our fears, choose 'courage over comfort' and lay our pride, ego and vulnerability on the line, more of us would. Truth is, our deep seated fears often keep us from taking the very actions that would help us create more...
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111 - The Courage Deficit: The hidden tax we pay when we let our deepest fears eclipse our highest values
It's easy to criticize those in leadership roles for their lack of courage. Yet before we can change the world around us, we must first look at the world within us and reclaim the power we so often give to our fears. So as we close out one year and look toward the next, I invite you to think…
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110 - Act as the person you aspire to become
Every trait you admire in others also resides in you. Yet, it's easy to tell ourselves the lie that we have to first have more resources outside of us before we can become the person we'd most like to be. Not true. Deciding how you will show up for life right now is the most powerful way to…
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109 - Make decisions fueled by courage, not fear
Decisions, decisions, decisions. Every day you make hundreds of decisions. Some large, many small. Yet too often fear – conscious and unconscious – keeps us from making the decisions that would serve us most – in our careers, relationships and lives. Left unchecked, fear of what might go wrong…
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108 - Shedding Shame: Step out from the dark shadow of shame and reclaim your worth
In this podcast, I dive into the dark shadows in which we carry shame that disconnects us from others and keeps us from living our best and bravest lives. As I share one of my most significant experiences with shame, I explain how 'shame stories' are not the truth, yet they warp our perception…
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107 - Are you learning what life is teaching you? How to grow into the person you were born to become
If your life was a Grand Masterclass, what lesson would it be teaching you? In this comeback podcast, I extend three invitations to transform what tests you the most into your most profound opportunities to learn and grow into the person your life is calling you to be. Beware – your fear and…
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106 - Rory Vaden: Multiply your time to magnify your influence
Time is a finite resource so learning how to multiply your time is a game-changer. In my conversation with Rory Vaden, New York Times bestselling author of Take the Stairs and Procrastinate on Purpose, we unpack how you can allocate your hours in the day in ways that create more time for what you...
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Chapter 8: Back Yourself - Don't wait to feel brave … take the leap!
You are what you repeatedly do. And what you repeatedly do profoundly shapes the environment you create around you. So if you want to live a bigger, braver and more meaningful life you have to be really intentional. This starts with clearing out the 'stuff' that keeps you thinking small and...
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104 - Victoria Labalme: Dare to 'risk forward'. What you want most is riding on it.
Victoria Labalme draws on over 20 years in the performing arts to help awaken the inner genius that lives in all of us. In our conversation, she shares insights from her best-selling book Risk Forward to help you embrace not knowing and take the very risks you need to move forward to creating a...
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103 - David Marquet: Leading by intention can take you from 'worst to first'
When a lifelong student of leadership, Captain David Marquet, took over the helm of the USS Sante Fe Nuclear Submarine, it was the worst-performing sub in the fleet. His decision to give intent versus give orders 'turned the ship around' taking it from worst to first and achieving the highest...
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Chapter 7: Lead Bravely - Cultivate a culture that fuels courage, not fear
Research has found that the biggest predictor of high-performing teams is psychological safety; that is how safe people feel to speak up, share mistakes or ask for help. Yet creating a 'culture of courage' is not just relevant to organizations, it's relevant to each and every one of us in every...
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101 - Veronica Tsepkala: A life in exile & standing up for principle, in Belarus & everywhere
Belarusian Veronica Tsapkala embodies the courage required to lead change in the most challenging of circumstances. Fearing political persecution in Belarus after her husband Valery Tsepkalo was denied registration in the 2020 Belarus Presidential election by President Lukashenko, Veronica was...
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100th episode! It's always a good time to be braver with your life
In this 100th episode of the Live Brave Podcast, I share 5 ways you can be braver in your life, starting with focusing on the bravest vision for your future. Of course, setting a bold goal doesn't mean you'll land on your feet every time, but as I share in this episode, it's not what you…
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099 - Robert Glazer: Learn how to fail well and stop believing everything you tell yourself
How often do you risk failure? Chances are it's not near as often as would be serving you. As I discussed with entrepreneur Robert Glazer, the difference between winners and losers lies in how they win and how they lose. Our tendency to over-personalize failure keeps us from taking the very…
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098 - AJ Vaden: Find your 'super power' and use it to serve (and solve problems!)
My conversation with AJ Vaden, co-founder of the Brand Builders Group, explores how each of us can share our unique gifts and express our one-of-a-kind brand of brilliance most powerfully in the world. In sharing her own journey of discovering her unique 'super power' AJ has learned how each of…
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About this show
In today's fearful world, living bravely has become indispensable for living well. Join best-selling author Margie Warrell as she shares practical wisdom and empowering conversations with world-renowned thought leaders such as Marianne Williamson, Steve Forbes, Sri Sri Ravi Shanker and Tal Ben-Shahar that get to the heart of what holds us back.
Hosted by
Dr Margie Warrell
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