🎙️ Hope and Possibilities with Nola Simon
🗓️ Episode Title: What Got You Here, Won't Get You There
🧭 Length: ~20 minutes
🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts
In this episode, I reflect on a concept that’s been showing up in a lot of places in my life and work lately:
“What got you here won’t get you there.”
It’s a phrase I learned from Marshall Goldsmith, and it’s one that keeps offering new layers of meaning the more I sit with it.
I talk about how this idea plays out in leadership — especially the shift from being an individual contributor to stepping into management or executive roles. I use parenting as a metaphor (because let’s be honest, parenting and leadership have a lot in common), and I even dive into a pop culture example that might surprise you: Liam Payne from One Direction — and how his career arc illustrates what happens when our playbook doesn’t evolve with us.
I also get personal about my own journey. I started my consulting business from a place of deep necessity — as a working mother trying to be more present for my daughters. But now that my girls are 18 and 20 and no longer at home, I’m finding myself in a new season. I’m reevaluating what work looks like for me now, and what I want to model going forward.
I invite you to reflect alongside me:
🌀 What’s no longer working for you?
🌀 What do you need to let go of — even if it brought you success in the past?
The theory of “What Got You Here Won’t Get You There” and why it matters
How leadership changes the skill sets that matter
Why parenting is a powerful metaphor for management
What Liam Payne’s career taught me about reinvention
The evolution of hybrid/remote work and how mandates affect trust
Why I’m reconsidering my focus — and what I might do next
The impact of AI, demographic shifts, and generational change on work
Why clarity often comes after you take the next step
“The goal of a parent is to raise adults. So if you've raised adults, you've achieved your goal.”
“You’re not in control — but you are responsible. That’s leadership. That’s parenting. That’s life.”
“Sometimes what made you successful also makes you stuck.”
“It’s not that your past success isn’t valuable — it’s just not enough to carry you forward.”
I’d love to hear your take.
🌿 What playbooks might be holding you back?
🌿 What do you think you’ll need to drop or rethink to grow into your next chapter?
Send me a message, tag me online, or email your thoughts.
Let's connect.
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