Laura Gassner Otting 
Thank God for evolution. I mean, seriously—without it, we’d still be licking light sockets and chasing saber-toothed tigers off cliffs. Jump off that bridge? Nope, instincts say hell no.Stick your head in a lion’s mouth? Probably not ideal.Eat day-old gas station sushi? Well, I *was* pretty hungry… Our instincts are built to keep us safe. … Read more
It’s Day One of my doctoral program. YEAR NINETEEN, if we’re counting. (Of course we’re counting. Also, you know I took a First Day of School photo like a damn proud kindergartener.) But, between us, even now, with a couple of bestselling books, a thriving speaking career, and a few decades of professional experience under my belt, I still … Read more
Me: “Hey, August, love you. Glad you are always a slow month.”August: “Hahahahahahaha.” August was anything but slow.So, I am taking time to smell the flowers. Last week alone? Ten days straight on the road. San Antonio. LA. NYC. Keynotes, media hits, and yes—shout-out to the unsung heroes of every damn event: the A/V guys. I … Read more
I don’t know about you, but my social media feed right now is filled with two things — Taylor Swift’s new album tease, and those perfect first day of school photos. It’s honestly hard to know which of the two is more manufactured. I’ll leave Taylor alone. I’m a Swiftie. I’m cool with that sort … Read more
A couple of weeks ago, I read an article that got under my skin. (Strap in, friends. Peeved LGO incoming.) Nina Ajemian wrote a solid piece in the new MPW Daily about female founders heading back to school after their exits. It’s thoughtful. It’s well-researched. And still—it misses the mark. Because it frames these women like they’re … Read more
What if the real reason you feel stuck isn’t because you’re lazy or ungrateful or broken—but because you don’t feel in control? Control isn’t about being the boss. It’s about having agency. About owning your choices, your work, your results. About knowing that the way you spend your time is actually adding up to the … Read more
Ambition has gotten a bad rap of late. And, because of that, you’ve lost some of your power. You see, somewhere along the lines, I’m guessing that a person in power persuaded you to allow your ambition to be subsumed into something that is more socially acceptable: faux humility. They convinced you that you shouldn’t … Read more
What if you didn’t show up to work tomorrow? Would anyone notice? Would it matter? Brutal question, I know. But if your answer is a hesitant shrug, let me tell you: that’s not just burnout. That’s disconnection. You see, it’s not that your work doesn’t matter. It’s that you can’t see how it matters. The sightlines are fuzzy, and in … Read more
Army Captain Joshua Mantz was dead, shot and killed by a sniper bullet in Baghdad. Until he wasn’t. He flatlined for fifteen full minutes, while medics pounded on his chest, shocked his heart, pumped him full of do-or-die drugs. And then—somehow—he came back. Alive. Alert. Brain intact. But with a burning question that wouldn’t let … Read more
You know how January 1 hits and we’re all buzzing with big, brave energy? New year, new you. Vision boards. Resolutions. #ThisIsMyYear vibes. I pick a word of the year to guide me. This year? Adventure. But let’s be honest: Adventure doesn’t just show up. It shows up because we show up. So… have you been … Read more