What Got You Here, Won't Get You There
Description
🎙️ 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
✨ Episode Summary (from me, Nola):
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?
💡 What I Talk About in This Episode:
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The theory of “What Got You Here Won’t Get You There” and why it matters
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How leadership changes the skill sets that matter
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Why parenting is a powerful metaphor for management
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What Liam Payne’s career taught me about reinvention
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The evolution of hybrid/remote work and how mandates affect trust
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Why I’m reconsidering my focus — and what I might do next
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The impact of AI, demographic shifts, and generational change on work
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Why clarity often comes after you take the next step
🗣️ A Few Things I Said That Might Stick With You:
“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.”
💬 Let’s Keep the Conversation Going
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.
🙏 Thanks for Listening
If this episode spoke to you, please consider sharing it with someone else who’s in a season of change.
And if you’re enjoying the podcast, I’d love it if you’d follow, rate, or leave a review — it helps more than you know.
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