Description

Topics Covered

• Identity vs behavior: why you're not just your habits
• Survival brain vs leadership brain
• Rewiring your nervous system for resilience
• Training your brain with mental fitness
• Default Mode Network and leadership autopilot
• Self-awareness vs self-command
• The truth about overthinking, control, and hesitation
• What it actually takes to lead differently in 2026 and beyond

Timestamps

00:00 – Why you keep falling into the same patterns under pressure
01:48 – When the moment hits: “I’ve grown, but something hasn’t shifted”
03:00 – Your brain runs your identity, not your goals
04:00 – The Default Mode Network and how your brain pulls you back
04:45 – How your brain filters reality to protect identity
06:00 – The amygdala and why change feels like danger
07:28 – Why willpower fails under pressure
09:00 – Identity is a pattern, not who you are
10:00 – What mental fitness actually means for leaders
12:00 – A moment of truth: who do you become under pressure?
13:30 – The first step to rewiring your leadership
15:00 – Your nervous system is the real game-changer
17:00 – Final insight: who you're being changes everything

What You’ll Learn

• Why you default to old patterns under stress—even when you know better
• The neuroscience behind identity, autopilot, and your decision-making under pressure
• How the Default Mode Network, Reticular Activating System, and amygdala shape your leadership response
• Why willpower fails when it matters most (and what works instead)
• What mental fitness really looks like in high-stakes leadership
• How to shift from being reactive to becoming grounded and present when the stakes are high

Follow Claire on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/clairehayek/

🎓 Want to train your brain for resilience and high performance?

Join Claire’s free Mental Fitness Masterclass here:👉 ⁠https://go.clairehayek.com/mental-fitness-masterclass⁠

📩 For free resources, upcoming masterclasses, or to join our next live webinar—click here:👉 ⁠https://linktr.ee/clairehayek⁠

📢 Subscribe to The NeuroLeadership Edge Podcast for brain-based strategies to lead with clarity, courage, and impact.

The NeuroLeadership Edge Podcast is produced by Claire Hayek. All opinions are those of the host and guests. For more leadership resources, visit www.mspteambuilding.com.