Founder Freedom

Sue explores procrastination and self-sabotage, sharing personal experiences and insights, and looking at the impact of self-criticism on self-esteem and how it can lead to procrastination.

Sue reflects on moments of self-doubt and the struggle to put oneself out there, highlighting the importance of overcoming negative self-talk. The episode also touches on the significance of building high self-esteem by acknowledging strengths and embracing flaws. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Procrastination may be a form of self-sabotage stemming from low self-esteem and self-criticism.
• Combat self-doubt by identifying and addressing negative thoughts that hinder progress.
• Mobilise yourself into action, even when you don't feel like it, to create the life you desire.
• Journal about your strengths, skills, and unique qualities to boost self-esteem and confidence.
• Treat yourself with the same kindness and encouragement you would offer to a loved one facing self-doubt.

BEST MOMENTS

• "There has been a lot of self-criticism and self-loathing going on in my head over the last probably two months now."

• "I've been procrastinating because I've taken a knock thinking I have no self-belief, I have no self-worth, you can't do this."

• "I had a really big, like high self-esteem day of, I can do hard things."

• "That person is not taking your dream away you're not going to self-sabotage anymore you are overcoming procrastination and you're showing up anyway."

VALUABLE RESOURCES

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the show, topics you’d like to discuss and guests you recommend.

DM / follow me:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sue-parker-msc/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamsueparker/

Website: https://sueparker.net

YOUR HOST

Sue Parker is a mum of 3, entrepreneur, podcaster and global speaker. As a former tech leader and equality & diversity champion, Sue went from burnout to breakthrough. Her journey of becoming an entrepreneur has seen her take the highs and lows life has to offer. From her unspoken post natal depression to opening the WIT global conference speaking to 100k women in 50 countries.

She’s hit imposter syndrome, limiting beliefs and had to unlearn and relearn to start creating a life with more financial freedom and aligned to her values. Still working on her mindset today and supporting other freedom seekers, including side hustlers, career women and business owners. Sue shares her personal challenges, the key lessons and wisdom we can all use to manifesting our life by design.

The 100th episode of the podcast celebrates a milestone with a compilation of the best moments from previous episodes. Sue reflects on the journey of personal growth and empowerment, and presents a personal highlight reel featuring discussions on manifesting dreams, overcoming imposter syndrome, building self-belief, and understanding the default mode network in the brain. Guests share insights on mindset, resilience, and the power of self-awareness. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The importance of manifesting what you want, self-belief, and taking motivated action are highlighted as key factors in creating the life you desire.

Expert advice on understanding and leveraging imposter syndrome to propel personal growth and success is shared, emphasising the importance of self-awareness and belief in oneself.

The significance of burning bridges, going all in, and believing in oneself as the key to living one's best life and achieving success is discussed.

Insights into the default mode network of the brain, its impact on mental health, and strategies to train it for positive outcomes are explored, offering tools for personal development and well-being.

BEST MOMENTS

"I'm not stuck, I learn. You learn how to drive, you learn how to walk, you learn how to do whatever it was in your job, in just the same way you can learn how to create your business."

"Anxiety in itself, which is part of the imposter syndrome side of things. This is why I love anxiety now. It wasn't the enemy, even though it didn't really finish me off."

"I'm designing my best life and my best self. Therefore, there is no need to create, oh, what if this doesn't happen? Because by design, I'm creating what I want for my life."

"So part of this, again, is coming to recognise that your brain does this. And for negativity, there's something very important to cultivate. It has a fancy term, it's called equanimity."

VALUABLE RESOURCES

GET Access to my personal Vault of resources: 

My Dream Life Visualisation Meditation 

My Goal Setting Workbook baked by Science

The Dream Life Planner 

https://sueparker.net/resources100

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the show, topics you’d like to discuss and guests you recommend.

DM / follow me:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sue-parker-msc/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamsueparker/

Website: https://sueparker.net

YOUR HOST

Sue Parker is a mum of 3, entrepreneur, podcaster and global speaker. As a former tech leader and equality & diversity champion, Sue went from burnout to breakthrough. Her journey of becoming an entrepreneur has seen her take the highs and lows life has to offer. From her unspoken post natal depression to opening the WIT global conference speaking to 100k women in 50 countries.

She’s hit imposter syndrome, limiting beliefs and had to unlearn and relearn to start creating a life with more financial freedom and aligned to her values. Still working on her mindset today and supporting other freedom seekers, including side hustlers, career women and business owners. Sue shares her personal challenges, the key lessons and wisdom we can all use to manifesting our life by design.

Sue explores the concept of hyperfocus and its importance in boosting productivity and achieving goals. She shares seven key steps to help listeners get into a hyperfocused state, emphasising the need for an optimal environment free of distractions, and discusses the significance of gathering all necessary tools, setting the mood, turning off distractions, deciding on a timeframe, setting alarms, taking breaks, and ensuring intentionality in the hyperfocused work. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Regardless of having ADHD or not, anyone can achieve a hyperfocus state with the right environment and mindset.
• Turn off all distractions such as phones, smartwatches, and desktop notifications to maintain focus on the task at hand.
• Gather all necessary tools and equipment beforehand to avoid interruptions and maintain focus during the activity.
• Decide on a specific timeframe for hyperfocus sessions and stick to it consistently to build a productive habit.
• After a hyperfocus session, take a break before repeating the process to maintain productivity and avoid burnout.

BEST MOMENTS

"Hyper-focus is where you are all consumed, mind, body, and soul in the activity that you're doing." 

"Anyone can get into a hyperfocus state on command, provided they have an optimal environment." 

"That is the end of your focus. That is the end of you focusing on one thing because you're just constantly interrupted by noise and people vying for your attention." 

"Hyper-focus is you producing something, you producing content, you producing something towards your goal, you working on whatever your program is." 

VALUABLE RESOURCES

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the show, topics you’d like to discuss and guests you recommend.

DM / follow me:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sue-parker-msc/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamsueparker/

Website: https://sueparker.net

YOUR HOST

Sue Parker is a mum of 3, entrepreneur, podcaster and global speaker. As a former tech leader and equality & diversity champion, Sue went from burnout to breakthrough. Her journey of becoming an entrepreneur has seen her take the highs and lows life has to offer. From her unspoken post natal depression to opening the WIT global conference speaking to 100k women in 50 countries.

She’s hit imposter syndrome, limiting beliefs and had to unlearn and relearn to start creating a life with more financial freedom and aligned to her values. Still working on her mindset today and supporting other freedom seekers, including side hustlers, career women and business owners. Sue shares her personal challenges, the key lessons and wisdom we can all use to manifesting our life by design.

Sue discusses the power of visualisation and how it can be used to manifest one's dream life. She covers the importance of getting clarity on what one truly desires in life, the science behind visualisation, and the surprising fact that humans cannot differentiate between reality and imagination.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Utilise the power of visualisation to manifest your dream life by getting clarity on what that dream life looks like.
• Start by deciding who you want to be, then take actions like that person, and eventually, you will have what you desire.
• The brain cannot differentiate between reality and imagination, allowing visualisation exercises to prime your brain to respond to stimuli in the real world.
• The reticular activating system filters and selects information, focusing on what is deemed important, similar to noticing more of a certain car after purchasing one.
• Engage all five senses in visualisation exercises to create a vivid image of your desired future, embodying the new you by first being, then doing the work, and finally having what you want.

BEST MOMENTS

"Most likely for you, tick boxes. The one that says, get this college qualification, get this job, get this car, get this house, check, check, check, check, check, check." 

"The results showed that whether it was imagined or perceived stimulation or actually real on the screen, they couldn't tell the difference." 

"The most significant piece of visualisation that you can do has got to be around you taking action." 

"So you can't skip straight to the visualisation that says, I have everything I want, but I didn't, I wasn't it, I wasn't being it, and I certainly wasn't doing any of the work." 

VALUABLE RESOURCES

Grab my very own secret weapon the Visualisation Meditation I use now daily for FREE to manifest your dream life: 

https://sueparker.net/manifestation-visualisation-meditation

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the show, topics you’d like to discuss and guests you recommend.

DM / follow me:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sue-parker-msc/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamsueparker/

Website: https://sueparker.net

YOUR HOST

Sue Parker is a mum of 3, entrepreneur, podcaster and global speaker. As a former tech leader and equality & diversity champion, Sue went from burnout to breakthrough. Her journey of becoming an entrepreneur has seen her take the highs and lows life has to offer. From her unspoken post natal depression to opening the WIT global conference speaking to 100k women in 50 countries.

She’s hit imposter syndrome, limiting beliefs and had to unlearn and relearn to start creating a life with more financial freedom and aligned to her values. Still working on her mindset today and supporting other freedom seekers, including side hustlers, career women and business owners. Sue shares her personal challenges, the key lessons and wisdom we can all use to manifesting our life by design.

Sue looks into the topic of self-esteem and confidence, exploring the concept of high self-esteem that is resilient and secure. Drawing from personal experiences and research in psychology, she discusses the importance of loving oneself, flaws and all, to achieve a bulletproof level of self-esteem. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Self-esteem is not just high or low; it exists on a scale, and it can be fragile even for those who consider themselves confident.
• Fragile high self-esteem can easily be shaken by criticism, judgment, or competition, leading to feelings of insecurity and low self-worth.
• To achieve secure high self-esteem, one must learn to love themselves, flaws and all, and practice self-compassion.
• Accepting and embracing both strengths and weaknesses is crucial for developing secure high self-esteem.
• Building resilience through self-love and self-compassion allows individuals to navigate criticism and challenges without compromising their self-worth.

BEST MOMENTS

"I consider myself to be pretty confident. I don't understand why when I went to this networking event, I felt really anxious about it and uncomfortable introducing myself."

"We've got to learn to love ourselves for who we are but also to learn to love ourselves and be compassionate towards the things that are not good about us."

"It's really helped me to think about my kids and how their self-esteem is developing and how I need to nurture them loving all parts of them even the bad parts."

"I hope that you're really thinking about your good parts and bad parts right now because there really are truly no bad parts."

VALUABLE RESOURCES

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the show, topics you’d like to discuss and guests you recommend.

DM / follow me:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sue-parker-msc/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamsueparker/

Website: https://sueparker.net

YOUR HOST

Sue Parker is a mum of 3, entrepreneur, podcaster and global speaker. As a former tech leader and equality & diversity champion, Sue went from burnout to breakthrough. Her journey of becoming an entrepreneur has seen her take the highs and lows life has to offer. From her unspoken post natal depression to opening the WIT global conference speaking to 100k women in 50 countries.

She’s hit imposter syndrome, limiting beliefs and had to unlearn and relearn to start creating a life with more financial freedom and aligned to her values. Still working on her mindset today and supporting other freedom seekers, including side hustlers, career women and business owners. Sue shares her personal challenges, the key lessons and wisdom we can all use to manifesting our life by design.

Sue discusses the concept of cultivating a high performance mindset to achieve success in various aspects of life, sharing her insights on the importance of mindset in achieving goals and living a fulfilling life.

Sue discusses five key areas that individuals can work on to develop a high performance mindset, including having a growth mindset, using the mind effectively, embracing failure and feedback, taking consistent action, and building resilience. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Having a growth mindset is essential for a high performance mindset. It involves believing in one's ability to learn and grow.
• High performers actively use their minds to control their thoughts and actions, rather than letting default modes dictate their behaviour.
• It's crucial to handle failure and feedback positively, learning from mistakes and not letting them break you.
• High performers take regular action, moving beyond just thinking about their goals and actually making progress towards them.
• Building resilience is key to maintaining a high performance mindset, as it allows individuals to bounce back from setbacks and challenges.

BEST MOMENTS

"I have just taken this completely to a new level of how do you master your brain, your body, your spirit?" 

"You've gotta make sure it's completely trained for what it is you're looking for and taking the necessary action." -

"High performance mindset accepts that failure is a given, that we have feedback and that we learn from the failure and feedback without putting our ego in the middle of it." 

"High performance mindset is something that is really gonna help us to achieve our solopreneur dreams, to building our lifestyle business that really allows you to get you motivated and fired up."

VALUABLE RESOURCES

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the show, topics you’d like to discuss and guests you recommend.

DM / follow me:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sue-parker-msc/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamsueparker/

Website: https://sueparker.net

YOUR HOST

Sue Parker is a mum of 3, entrepreneur, podcaster and global speaker. As a former tech leader and equality & diversity champion, Sue went from burnout to breakthrough. Her journey of becoming an entrepreneur has seen her take the highs and lows life has to offer. From her unspoken post natal depression to opening the WIT global conference speaking to 100k women in 50 countries.

She’s hit imposter syndrome, limiting beliefs and had to unlearn and relearn to start creating a life with more financial freedom and aligned to her values. Still working on her mindset today and supporting other freedom seekers, including side hustlers, career women and business owners. Sue shares her personal challenges, the key lessons and wisdom we can all use to manifesting our life by design.

For this Monday Mindset show, Sue delves into the topic of perfectionism and its impact on personal growth and achievement. Drawing from personal experiences and observations with her children, she discusses the detrimental effects of striving for perfection and the importance of embracing a growth mindset. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Struggling with perfectionism can hinder progress and prevent ideas from being brought to fruition.

• Perfectionism often stems from societal expectations and upbringing, particularly for women who are taught to be "good girls" and not make mistakes.

• Perfectionism is a zero-sum game, where individuals believe they must be either perfect or a failure, leading to self-criticism and comparison with others.

• Embracing a growth mindset involves recognising progress on a scale rather than viewing achievements as all or nothing.

• Celebrating small improvements and growth each day is essential in overcoming perfectionism and fostering a positive mindset.

BEST MOMENTS

"Perfectionism is one of the key things holding you back."

"That comparison game, is it ever serving you?"

"Your perfectionism is somewhere on that scale."

"It's an endless possibility of what you are capable of."

"When you show up and do something at a level two, and then the day after you show up and do something at level six, that's to be celebrated."

VALUABLE RESOURCES

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the show, topics you’d like to discuss and guests you recommend.

DM / follow me:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sue-parker-msc/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamsueparker/

Website: https://sueparker.net

YOUR HOST

Sue Parker is a mum of 3, entrepreneur, podcaster and global speaker. As a former tech leader and equality & diversity champion, Sue went from burnout to breakthrough. Her journey of becoming an entrepreneur has seen her take the highs and lows life has to offer. From her unspoken post natal depression to opening the WIT global conference speaking to 100k women in 50 countries.

She’s hit imposter syndrome, limiting beliefs and had to unlearn and relearn to start creating a life with more financial freedom and aligned to her values. Still working on her mindset today and supporting other freedom seekers, including side hustlers, career women and business owners. Sue shares her personal challenges, the key lessons and wisdom we can all use to manifesting our life by design.

Sue interviews Dr. Hosein Kouros-Mehr, a physician scientist and author of the book "Breakthrough: Master Your Default Mode and Thrive." Dr. Kouros-Mehr delves into the concept of the default mode network in the brain, explaining how it impacts mental health, productivity, and success.

He also discusses the importance of recognising and understanding the default mode network to heal and utilise it effectively, as well as managing stress, loneliness, compassion, and retraining the brain to shift from the default mode to the central executive network. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The default mode network is a key part of the brain that can contribute to anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues when overactive.

By cultivating the observing mind through practices like mindfulness, meditation, and journaling, individuals can retrain their brains to spend more time in the central executive network, leading to increased peace of mind and productivity.

Stress is a significant contributor to physical and mental health problems. By engaging in relaxation exercises that promote GABA production, individuals can counteract the effects of stress and prevent the stress response from occurring.

Loneliness, a common issue exacerbated by the default mode network, can be reversed by cultivating compassion, empathy, and gratitude. These practices can help individuals break down walls of separation and reduce feelings of loneliness.

Parenting can be a source of high expectations and self-criticism. By embracing compassion, surrendering to love, and being present, individuals can navigate the challenges of parenting with more peace and understanding.

BEST MOMENTS

"We all need a healthy DMN to get through our day to be successful. But for many of us, the default mode is on all the time, and it prevents us from being present and it can get in the way and really contribute to things like anxiety, depression, addiction, and a host of other mental health problems." 

"I feel like everything we learn about the evolution of our brains and how we work. I feel like everything tells me it worked in the past, but it doesn't work in modern life." 

"There are times where my default mode is on all the time." 

VALUABLE RESOURCES

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the show, topics you’d like to discuss and guests you recommend.

DM / follow me:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sue-parker-msc/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamsueparker/

Website: https://sueparker.net

YOUR HOST

Sue Parker is a mum of 3, entrepreneur, podcaster and global speaker. As a former tech leader and equality & diversity champion, Sue went from burnout to breakthrough. Her journey of becoming an entrepreneur has seen her take the highs and lows life has to offer. From her unspoken post natal depression to opening the WIT global conference speaking to 100k women in 50 countries.

She’s hit imposter syndrome, limiting beliefs and had to unlearn and relearn to start creating a life with more financial freedom and aligned to her values. Still working on her mindset today and supporting other freedom seekers, including side hustlers, career women and business owners. Sue shares her personal challenges, the key lessons and wisdom we can all use to manifesting our life by design.

This time, Sue focusses on the importance of making implicit expectations explicit in order to achieve success and fulfilment. Drawing from insights gained from leadership development coaches and the Tim Ferriss show, Sue emphasises the need for clear communication in all aspects of life, whether it be in business, relationships, or personal goals. By highlighting the pitfalls of assuming others can read our minds, Sue encourages you to take proactive steps in articulating your desires and intentions. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Focus on making the implicit explicit in communication to ensure clarity and understanding.
• Clearly communicate expectations with clients, team members, and others to avoid misunderstandings.
• Externalise messages through posts, emails, or reels to convey what you do and what you want.
• Take action to clarify roles, next steps, and goals to achieve desired outcomes.
• Making the implicit explicit can lead to business success, career advancement, and personal fulfillment.

BEST MOMENTS

"Their expectations are different, they don't get it. Because, wait for it... we need to make the implicit explicit." 

"You've got to get to know somebody really personally to know what their belief system is that's affecting their judgment on it." 

"If you need to send an email to somebody that clarifies step-by-step their role, then do it." 

VALUABLE RESOURCES

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the show, topics you’d like to discuss and guests you recommend.

DM / follow me:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sue-parker-msc/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamsueparker/

Website: https://sueparker.net

YOUR HOST

Sue Parker is a mum of 3, entrepreneur, podcaster and global speaker. As a former tech leader and equality & diversity champion, Sue went from burnout to breakthrough. Her journey of becoming an entrepreneur has seen her take the highs and lows life has to offer. From her unspoken post natal depression to opening the WIT global conference speaking to 100k women in 50 countries.

She’s hit imposter syndrome, limiting beliefs and had to unlearn and relearn to start creating a life with more financial freedom and aligned to her values. Still working on her mindset today and supporting other freedom seekers, including side hustlers, career women and business owners. Sue shares her personal challenges, the key lessons and wisdom we can all use to manifesting our life by design.

Sue is joined by Dr. Laura Sicola, a renowned coach and executive communications expert, who shares valuable insights on how to command the room, connect with an audience, and close deals effectively.

Dr. Sicola emphasises the importance of using tweetable and repeatable soundbites to make a lasting impact on listeners, and delves into vocal pitfalls to avoid, such as run-on sentences and up-speak, offering practical tips for improving communication skills. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Focus on owning your space, using proper framing on video, and upgrading your microphone for better authority and presence.
• Tailor your message to resonate with your audience by using relevant stories, examples, and soundbites that they can relate to.
• Approach each conversation with the goal of moving the needle forward, whether it's agreeing to the next step, referrals, testimonials, or signing up for programs.
• Shift the focus from traditional social media influence to creating impact by helping others see themselves as the hero in their success story.
• Avoid vocal pitfalls like run-on sentences, up-speak, and lack of vocal periods to sound more organised, intentional, and authoritative in your communication.

BEST MOMENTS

"The best way to make people think that you are smart is to make their concept that you're explaining so simple that it makes them feel smart."

"I'm smiling and nodding along thinking, I'm sure I've done all of those. I'm sure I do frequently."

"The hardest thing is that we often get stuck in the expert's curse... We can't talk over their heads with tons of jargon."

"You are not Luke Skywalker. You are Yoda, and your job is to guide Luke to destroy the Death Star."

VALUABLE RESOURCES

Dr Laura Sicola - https://laurasicola.com/

TED X Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02EJ1IdC6tE 

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the show, topics you’d like to discuss and guests you recommend.

DM / follow me:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sue-parker-msc/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamsueparker/

Website: https://sueparker.net

YOUR HOST

Sue Parker is a mum of 3, entrepreneur, podcaster and global speaker. As a former tech leader and equality & diversity champion, Sue went from burnout to breakthrough. Her journey of becoming an entrepreneur has seen her take the highs and lows life has to offer. From her unspoken post natal depression to opening the WIT global conference speaking to 100k women in 50 countries.

She’s hit imposter syndrome, limiting beliefs and had to unlearn and relearn to start creating a life with more financial freedom and aligned to her values. Still working on her mindset today and supporting other freedom seekers, including side hustlers, career women and business owners. Sue shares her personal challenges, the key lessons and wisdom we can all use to manifesting our life by design.