From Fear to Greatness with Izabela Lundberg

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“For me, there was no option of ‘Can I? Should I?’ I just did it.” – Izabela Lundberg

I sat down with Izabela Lundberg, host of the Legacy Leaders Show, a top-rated global business and entrepreneurship podcast offering real and raw business, sport, and life lessons with practical advice for current and upcoming leaders.

Izabela's superpower is working with leaders and organizations ready to disrupt the status quo, take risks, and lead like a champion while solving, transforming, and accelerating the expansion and growth of their teams and organizations.

We discuss:

  • The power of following your instincts
  • Embracing change
  • Examining your fear

The power of following your instincts

The power of following your instincts

Imagine being trapped in a war-torn aftermath, questioning what will happen next, every day bringing new fears and uncertainties—the burden of inaction creeping up on you, a growing sense of restlessness.

For Izabela, that was reality; until she found her focal point, the anchor that would send her into action and equip her with the ability to rise from fear to greatness.

“My only chance to survive is by being extremely resourceful and doing everything imaginable [to succeed],” Izabela says, recalling her mindset at that time.

That persistence and drive to overcome circumstances were linked to her sister. With her sister's life on the line due to unmet medical needs for diabetes, Izabela took action as she never had before.

“That was an anchor on all levels; failure was not even an option. I wasn't thinking about ‘what if there was no option,' I was thinking crystal clear, 100% being present, focused, ‘what can I do in every moment to maximize the opportunity of our survival?’” Izabela explains.

Embracing change

Embracing change

With all the variables that come with a warzone and subsequent migration, Izabela learned what it means to adapt and roll with change, to not only accept change but to embrace it.

“The best way to overcome any challenges, and specific fears, is to get in that action mode.” Izabela points out, “I also learned how to transform personally on so many levels, from different countries and languages to different expectations and different ways of living.” she continues, “I was able to see the same coin, but just two different sides of it at any given time.”

This aspect of her character translates directly to how she approaches helping businesses and organizations thrive. Through her vast experience with cultures and other ways of living, she offers a fresh perspective on diversity, common pain points, and facets of the corporate world.

Examining your fear

Examining your fear

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we reached a threshold of emotional capacity, and many people struggled immensely with the fear and uncertainty that came with that reality.

“Facing fears head on, meaning whatever comes up emotionally to give us that horrible anxiety and stress, or paralyzing fear and helplessness, we have to have a propensity to think ‘what is this?’ And depict it, ‘am I worried about losing a house or job or security, safety? How founded is that?’” Izabela explains, “It's like having a conversation with a loved one, specifically a partner or family member we can have an honest conversation with.”

Labeling our fears and anxieties is a critical step to beating them, especially in times of uncertainty. Which ones are valid? Which ones are unfounded or dramatized?

“Fears will come and go, sometimes they will reappear when we least expect it, when we're triggered.” Izabel shares, “We don't have to experience life-threatening situations like I did [to be triggered]. Everybody has something that they're dealing with.”

It can be tempting to deny our triggers and push forward, but that approach leads to an accumulation of pain and unresolved hurts.

“We're super intuitive, super smart. And we know what holds us back. We know what we need to do. Acknowledging, assessing, acting upon, and then really seeing what's working, and doubling and quadrupling on that.” Izabela continues. “When I saw that certain things were working out or getting me further, that's exactly what I kept doing more and more to get where I needed to go.”

By facing and examining fears, we can transition from afraid to empowered—from fear to greatness.

What is holding you back from greatness right now? What is one fear you could examine to rise from tribulation?

Remember to catch Izabela’s full episode to hear more of her incredible story, and check out the Legacy Leaders Show!