E9: The Courage to Choose Your Path

Welcome to Day 9 of the Refine, Align, Lead – Elevate Your Leadership in 40 Days Challenge!

Leadership requires courage—not just in decision-making but in boldly choosing a path that aligns with your values and purpose. In this episode, we explore the transformative power of courage in leadership and how to embrace it to create impactful decisions for yourself and those you lead.

In this episode, we explore:

• What it means to have the courage to choose your path as a leader.
• The role of clarity and conviction in making bold decisions.
• How stepping into courageous leadership inspires others.

What is the “Refine, Align, Lead” Challenge?
This 40-day challenge is designed to refine your mindset, align with your authentic self, and elevate your leadership. These bonus episodes are currently free but may transition into a premium offering in the future.

Reflect:
What is one decision you’ve been avoiding? What would it take for you to step forward with courage?

Tune in to this episode and embrace the courage to choose your path as a leader.

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Host

Plamena Marinova

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Lead authentically,
Grow your business with purpose, and
Align your actions with your core values.

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Transcript
00:00:29
Welcome to refine align lead challenge. A 40-day journey into transformative growth and purposeful leadership. Each day we'll dive into meaningful teams and insights to help you align your inner self relationships and leadership with your trust potential. This is more than just listening.
00:00:49
It's about believing in yourself, embracing conventional growth, and leading your life with clarity and purpose. Take a deep breath, let go of distractions, and step into this moment. Let's begin today's journey together.
00:01:17
Welcome to day nine of the Refine, Align, Lead challenge. Today is all about deciding - a moment where you consciously step into your power and choose a new path. This isn't just about choosing between options.
00:01:32
It's about committing to a belief about yourself and the direction of your life. Decisions shape everything. They define your story. But here's the catch: not all decisions come from the right place. How often do we make choices based on guilt, fear, or what society expects of us?
00:01:54
Think about it.
00:01:56
Have you ever chosen something because it seemed 'responsible' or because it would make someone else happy? Have you ever stayed in a role or situation because it felt safer than confronting the unknown?
00:02:10
Today, we're letting go of those patterns. We're not deciding for guilt or fear or others. We're deciding for you - for what you truly believe and who you're ready to become.
00:02:25
Decisions can feel daunting, can't they?
00:02:28
The weight of it all. What if I choose wrong?
00:02:32
What if I regret it later?
00:02:35
It's enough to make anyone hesitate.
00:02:38
But here's the truth about fear. It's not your guide.
00:02:42
Fear is like an overly cautious friend who doesn't understand your potential. It only knows what you've experienced before, and it wants to keep you there. What would happen if you chose differently? If you decided not based on what you're afraid of, but based on what you believe is possible?
00:03:03
Let me ask you, are you choosing from fear or from belief? Are you deciding to stay small or to grow?
00:03:13
Let's talk about why this is so important. So much of what we believe about success, responsibility and leadership comes from societal paradigms.
00:03:25
Those invisible rules we all seem to follow. Things like: Success means sacrificing your happiness for stability.
00:03:35
Leadership is about putting everyone else first. Being responsible means staying in your lane and avoiding risks.
00:03:44
Now, these ideas aren't inherently wrong.
00:03:48
But they are not universal truths either.
00:03:50
They're just stories society has handed us.
00:03:54
And when we make decisions based on these paradigms, we often lose sight of what's true for us.
00:04:01
Here's the shift:
00:04:03
What if success means alignment, not exhaustion?
00:04:07
What if leadership means authenticity, not self-sacrifice? What if responsibility means honoring your truth while meeting your commitments? Today, take a moment to reflect: What societal beliefs have been guiding my decisions? Do they still align with who I am
00:04:27
And what I want? Let me share an example. Imagine you're running a business, and you've been saying yes to every opportunity that comes your way.
00:04:38
You think, This is what a good leader does. I keep the team busy, I build revenue, I keep things stable.
00:04:46
But deep down, you know some of these decisions don't align with your vision.
00:04:51
You're saying yes out of obligation, not belief.
00:04:55
And every time you do, you drift further from the business you actually want to build.
00:05:01
What if you decided differently? What if you trusted yourself to say no to what doesn't align and yes to what does?
00:05:10
This isn't just about business, though. It's about how we lead ourselves. Now, let's bring this into your personal life. Have you ever made a decision because it felt like the right thing to do, but deep down it didn't feel right for you?
00:05:29
Maybe it was staying in a job, a relationship, or even a mindset because it felt safer than confronting change. You told yourself, I'm doing this for them, because they need me. But was that the truth? Or was it guilt disguised as responsibility?
00:05:51
Here's the thing. Deciding for yourself isn't selfish. It's honest.
00:05:58
It's about saying, This is my path, and I trust myself to walk it. Ask yourself,
00:06:06
Am I making this choice to keep others comfortable, or because it aligns with my truth?
00:06:12
Am I hiding behind responsibility, or am I stepping into my potential? Let's shift now to the stories we carry because they play a huge role in how we decide. What's the story that's been holding you back? Maybe it's: I'm not good enough to lead.
00:06:30
Or If I take this risk, I'll fail and disappoint everyone.
00:06:36
Or.
00:06:38
I have to stay in this situation because it's the responsible thing to do.
00:06:43
Here's what I want you to know: those stories aren't facts.
00:06:48
They're just beliefs you've carried, often to protect yourself.
00:06:53
Maybe they kept you safe once, but today they're holding you back. Let's release them. Write them down if you need to. Look at them and say: I see you. I understand why you're here. But I don't need you anymore. Today, I choose a new story.
00:07:12
For example, replace I'm not capable with I have the capacity to learn, grow, and lead. Replace Success means struggle with Success means alignment and purpose. When you release the old story, you make space for a new belief - one that feels true to the person you're becoming.
00:07:34
And this is where the magic happens. Deciding what you believe about yourself.
00:07:39
This belief might feel fragile, like a newborn. It needs nurturing.
00:07:45
But this is your moment to declare it. Ask yourself: What belief about myself am I ready to commit to? What old story am I ready to let go of? It might be: I trust myself to make decisions that align with my purpose.
00:08:03
Or I am capable of leading authentically and confidently.
00:08:08
Or I am worthy of creating the life and business I envision.
00:08:13
When fear arises, and it will,
00:08:17
pause and ask: Am I deciding in favor of my fear, or my belief in what's possible? Then say to fear: I see you. Thank you for trying to protect me. But today, I choose differently. I decide in favor of myself, for myself.
00:08:37
As we close today, I want you to reflect on this: every decision you make is a turning point.
00:08:44
Today, you have the opportunity to turn toward your truth, your growth, and your belief in what's possible. So, what will you decide? Will you choose fear, or will you choose belief? Will you commit to your truth and let go of what's no longer serving you? Tomorrow,
00:09:04
We'll take this a step further and explore how to reinforce today's decision with purposeful action.
00:09:11
But for now, trust yourself, commit to your new belief and take this first step forward.
00:09:19
Let's refine, align, and lead together.
00:09:38
Thank you for joining me on today's episode of the Refine, Align, Lead series. Every insight, every moment of reflection, brings you closer to the life and leadership you desire. Transformation takes courage and by showing up today, you've already taken a meaningful step forward. I'd love to hear how this episode resonated with you. Share your reflections or join the conversation using #refinealignlead or #PlamCore to connect with others on this journey.
00:10:13
If you're finding value in these episodes, be sure to follow PlamCore for more inspiration, updates, and resources to support your growth. Let's continue this journey together. I'll see you tomorrow as we explore the next part of this transformation. Until then, trust yourself, believe in your growth. and lead with purpose.
00:11:49
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