Lifestyle Entrepreneur Sue Parker

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.

Sue shares a personal experience of a canceled podcast interview and how she turned it into a positive learning opportunity. Despite facing obstacles and feeling out of control, Sue discusses the importance of asking three key questions: what good can come of this, how can I turn this around, and what next? By reflecting on these questions, Sue emphasises the power of taking control and moving forward, even in challenging situations. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS


The importance of not giving up when faced with setbacks, such as a canceled interview or low turnout for a webinar, is highlighted through examples like Joe Wicks continuing his boot camps despite no attendees for weeks.
Encouragement to reflect on experiences and ask what can be learned from them, such as realising when a commitment may not align with your goals or target audience.
Instead of viewing obstacles as signs to quit, the focus is on using them as opportunities for growth and improvement, such as refining skills, practicing, or reevaluating strategies.
Sue advocates for continuous self-improvement and proactive steps to enhance skills, refine strategies, and maintain a positive mindset in the face of adversity.

BEST MOMENTS

"If we took every single one of these obstacles as a reason to quit, then nobody would ever do anything." 

"Joe Wicks ran boot camps. He would hand out flyers at the station. Nobody showed up. Nobody showed up for weeks and he still showed up." 

"What good can I make of this? And how can I turn this around?" 

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 delves into the topic of releasing stress, anger, and frustration through primal therapy techniques. 

Drawing from personal experiences with her children and a recent stressful morning, Sue discusses the potential benefits and drawbacks of releasing emotions through techniques like screaming into a pillow. She highlights the importance of understanding one's emotional intelligence and reactions to avoid escalating negative emotions. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Stress, anger, and frustration can be overwhelming emotions, but it's essential to acknowledge and address them in a healthy way.

Primal therapy, such as screaming into a pillow, may provide temporary relief by releasing endorphins, but it may not be effective for deep emotional issues.

Engaging in rage or venting sessions can trigger the sympathetic nervous system, leading to fight or flight responses and potentially escalating negative emotions.

It's crucial to assess how venting anger impacts your emotional state; prolonged venting can exacerbate feelings of anger and frustration.

Seeking support from a trained therapist is recommended for addressing underlying anger issues and developing effective coping strategies for achieving calm.

BEST MOMENTS

"You see when you scream and express anger and frustration and start punching and lashing out you're triggering your sympathetic nervous system." 

"They found in their studies that some people actually became more aggressive by using rage rooms." 

"You've got to speak to a therapist for those sorts of things and maybe you need to deal with some bigger anger issues." 

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.