Forget the corporate ladder — winners take risks with Molly Graham | from TED Talks Daily
Summary
Molly Graham joins Elise Hu to discuss her new role hosting Work Life and her TED Talk on career risk-taking. They explore distinguishing between healthy and harmful fear, managing the emotional side of work, and identifying internal voices that drive decisions. Graham shares strategies for navigating midlife reinvention, embracing beginner status, and finding clarity through small, iterative steps in an uncertain job market.
Topics discussed
Introduction: Molly Graham joins Work Life
The career ladder vs. jumping off cliffs
Molly's story: Leaving HR for the unknown
Surviving the fall and the 'two-week' rule
Becoming a professional idiot and asking questions
Redefining success beyond the traditional ladder
Mentorship and the role of Work Life
The emotional reality of workplace change
Good fear vs. bad fear in risk-taking
The 'car' metaphor: Voices in your head
Questioning inherited scripts and programming
Regrets of the dying and career choices
Taking small risks in a precarious economy
Leaving jobs: Safety nets and rebound roles
Learning from mistakes and other people's stories
Midlife reinvention and finding the next step
Choosing your 'band' and how to spend your time
Normalizing the inner critic at work
Conclusion and credits
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