Leadership advisor and author Greg Morley joins me to unpack what it actually takes to rebound from setbacks—and why resilience isn’t an individual trait as much as a relational one.

Most conversations about adversity focus on grit, mindset, or personal toughness. This episode doesn’t. Greg and I explore what happens after layoffs, career pivots, health crises, and identity shifts—and why the people who rally fastest are rarely the ones who go it alone.

Drawing from over 30 years in global HR leadership, and from interviews conducted for his upcoming book Rally, Greg shares lessons from individuals who endured job loss, serious illness, organizational upheaval, and even genocide. The common thread isn’t bravado. It’s perspective, learning velocity, and community depth.

We discuss why layoffs feel existential, how high burn rates trap professionals in fragile career paths, and why optionality comes from lowering fixed costs—both financial and psychological. We also examine the hidden tension between success and validation, and why redefining what “winning” means is often the first step toward rebuilding.

This isn’t a conversation about avoiding setbacks. It’s about designing a life resilient enough to absorb them.

The lesson isn’t endurance for its own sake.It’s adaptability, self-reflection, and tending the relationships that hold when titles fall away.

TL;DR

* Resilience is less about toughness and more about future orientation

* Recovery speed determines long-term trajectory

* Community acts as long-term insurance against career shocks

* High fixed costs limit professional flexibility

* Continuous learning expands rebound opportunities

* Validation through status or possessions creates fragile identity

* Simplicity increases adaptability

* Listening across differences builds durable relationships

Memorable Lines

* “Rally isn’t about pretending nothing happened—it’s about moving forward with what you learned.”

* “Your network is a long-term investment, not a short-term transaction.”

* “Lower the bar you have to step over, and the world opens up.”

* “You can’t control the shock—but you can control the response.”

* “Resilience lives in community, not isolation.”

Guest

Greg Morley — Leadership advisor, former global HR executive, and author

Author of Bond: Belonging and the Keys to Inclusion and Connection and the forthcoming Rally, focused on resilience, recovery, and leadership through adversity.

🔗 https://www.gregmorley.com🔗 LinkedIn: Greg Morley

Why This Matters

Modern careers don’t unfold in straight lines. They fracture.

Layoffs happen. Industries shift. Identity gets tied too tightly to role and income. What determines who recovers isn’t optimism—it’s preparation. Financial flexibility. Learning agility. Community strength.

For founders, operators, and executives navigating volatility, this episode reframes adversity as an inevitable chapter—not a verdict.

The real edge isn’t avoiding the fall.It’s building the relationships, habits, and perspective that let you rise again with clarity.

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