Impact with Ease

Is This As Good As It Gets?" Why Leaders Think Fulfillment Isn't Possible If you've ever caught yourself wondering why fulfillment doesn't feel possible at work, you're not alone. When success no longer brings the clarity, satisfaction, or peace they expected, many leaders quietly reach a point where they think, "Is this as good as it gets in my career?" Most leaders don't struggle because they haven't tried hard enough. They struggle because they've tried everything. Promotions, coaching, and therapy don't work long term because they address symptoms without resolving the deeper operating system driving stress, dissatisfaction, and over-effort. In this episode of Impact With Ease, Blake Schofield breaks down why so many traditional solutions fail to create lasting change and what actually makes it possible to have both. You'll hear how fulfillment becomes impossible when leadership and career decisions are built on outdated belief systems, nervous system patterns, and misalignment. You'll learn why willpower, mindset shifts, and surface-level tools can't override an internal system that was never designed for ease, clarity, or sustainable success. Can you have a fulfilling career and a life you love? Yes. And it starts with understanding what's really been holding you back. Episode Highlights Why "Doing Everything Right" Still Feels Wrong [01:15] - The quiet cycle leaders don't talk about [02:10] - Why good intentions don't create lasting change [03:20] - The boat with 20 holes: why temporary fixes fail Why Career Fixes Don't Work Long Term [04:35] - How siloed solutions keep you stuck [05:40] - The real reason your patterns keep repeating [07:15] - Why you can't outwork a misaligned operating system The Hidden Operating System Running Your Career [08:25] - How early beliefs shape your leadership today [09:30] - The survival strategies that stop serving you [10:45] - Why overachieving becomes your biggest obstacle What Actually Makes Fulfillment Possible [12:15] - Aligning with how you're naturally wired to thrive [13:40] - Your unique fingerprint for success [15:20] - Why understanding yourself creates career safety [17:10] - The power of rewiring limiting beliefs at the root Leading and Living Without the Tradeoff [19:15] - Showing up as your authentic self vs. using scripts [20:30] - Why vulnerability creates better leaders [21:45] - How alignment creates rapid transformation Powerful Quotes "You cannot outwork or outsmart an operating system that was never built for ease, flow, alignment, or sustainable success." -Blake Schofield "You are not broken and there isn't anything wrong with you. You have never been the problem. What you're experiencing are signs and symptoms of misalignment in your life." -Blake Schofield "People can tell when you're honest and vulnerable and you show up as your full self and people can tell when you are approaching things from a script or feeling like you have to show up in a certain way in order to be successful." -Blake Schofield Resources Mentioned Drained at the end of the day & want more presence in your life? In just 5 minutes, learn your unique burnout type™ & how to restore your energy, fulfillment & peace at www.impactwithease.com/burnout-type The Fastest Path to Clarity, Confidence & Your Next Level of Success: executive coaching for leaders navigating layered challenges. Whether you're burned out, standing at a crossroads, or simply know you're meant for more—you don't have to figure it out alone. Go to impactwithease.com/coaching to apply! Ready to Future-Proof Your Leadership? Let's explore what's possible for your team. Whether you're navigating rapid growth, culture change, or quiet disengagement…we can help with our high-touch, root-cause focused solutions that are designed to help grow resilient, aligned & empowered leaders who navigate uncertainty with confidence and create impact without burning out, go to https://impactwithease.com/corporate-training-consulting/

The Future of Leadership: How to Thrive in a Changing World with Steve Cadigan Do you feel like you're leading through more uncertainty than ever before? Wondering how to navigate AI disruption, team burnout, and constant transformation without completely losing yourself in the process? If you're a leader right now, you're facing something unprecedented. You're being asked to do more with less, lead through chaos you've never experienced, and somehow keep your team engaged—all while trying not to burn out yourself. And the truth is, most leaders haven't been given the tools or support they actually need for this moment. In this episode, you'll hear from one of the world's foremost experts on what it actually takes to lead well right now. Blake sits down with Steve Cadigan, LinkedIn's first Chief HR Officer who helped scale the company from 400 to 4,000 employees and shaped a culture so impactful it became a Stanford course. Named a top 100 global thought leader in people and talent since 2021, Steve brings over 30 years of leading through transformation across six different industries. Together, they explore why this moment—despite the chaos—is actually one of the greatest opportunities for leaders. You'll discover why hard work doesn't build careers, how to create stability when everything feels uncertain, and the human skills that will set you apart in the decade ahead. Today's conversation offers something leaders desperately need: hope, clarity, and a roadmap for what's possible when you lead differently. Episode Highlights Leading Through Uncertainty & the Future of Work [06:52] - The rise of workforce fluidity and what it signals [08:55] - Why moving companies accelerates career growth [10:32] - Three pathways to close the growing skill gap AI, Anxiety & Building Career Security [14:24] - Why universities and businesses must merge to solve skill gaps [17:48] - The disappearing function of leadership development [19:31] - Creating workplaces where people are passionate, not just present Human Skills That Will Define the Next Decade [27:12] - The power of saying "no" [29:54] - Understanding your unique pattern for creating success [33:12] - How to become a faster learner in a world of constant change Leading People (and Yourself) in a Changing World [40:50] - Why most people don't know how to interview [43:09] - Your boss shapes your culture more than any company values [45:22] - The art of "leading the leader" and managing up effectively [52:40] - The most critical skill for leaders today Powerful Quotes "Hard work doesn't build careers — trust does." – Steve Cadigan "We've optimized systems for decades, but we haven't optimized people." – Blake Schofield "If you're managing people today, you know they're not okay. And that's hard." —Steve Cadigan "In a world of chaos, the people who win are the ones who can simplify." —Blake Schofield Resources Mentioned Connect with Steve Cadigan: ● https://stevecadigan.com ● https://www.linkedin.com/in/cadigan ● Workquake book on Amazon ● Workquake Weekly podcast Drained at the end of the day & want more presence in your life? In just 5 minutes, learn your unique burnout type™ & how to restore your energy, fulfillment & peace at www.impactwithease.com/burnout-type The Fastest Path to Clarity, Confidence & Your Next Level of Success: executive coaching for leaders navigating layered challenges. Whether you're burned out, standing at a crossroads, or simply know you're meant for more—you don't have to figure it out alone. Go to impactwithease.com/coaching to apply! Ready to Future-Proof Your Leadership? Let's explore what's possible for your team. Whether you're navigating rapid growth, culture change, or quiet disengagement…we can help with our high-touch, root-cause focused solutions that are designed to help grow resilient, aligned & empowered leaders who navigate uncertainty with confidence and create impact without burning out, go to https://impactwithease.com/corporate-training-consulting/

The Silent Signs of Survival Mode: Why You're Drained Feeling exhausted, unfocused, or emotionally overwhelmed, even though you're still performing? You may be in survival mode at work without realizing it. That's where so many leaders are right now. On the outside, you're delivering. You're holding everything together. But inside? There's this quiet whisper: "I can't keep doing this." For so many high-achieving leaders, the challenge isn't a lack of capability. It's that your nervous system is stuck in protective mode. Constant change, uncertainty, restructures, and the weight of responsibility have all pushed your system into a place it was never designed to live. In this episode, Blake breaks down the signs you're stuck in survival mode. She explains why responsible leaders are most at risk and what it really takes to reclaim your clarity and energy. If you've ever wondered why rest doesn't fix the problem or why everything feels heavier than it should, this conversation is for you. Episode Highlights What Survival Mode Really Looks Like [01:45] - Why it doesn't look dramatic [02:20] - The functional version most leaders miss [02:50] - Signs you're stuck in survival mode Why Strong, Capable Leaders Get Trapped Here [05:45] - How strengths become coping strategies [06:15] - The nervous system's learned patterns [06:50] - The pressure-performance cycle that keeps you on edge The Deeper Root: Lifelong Patterns of Survival [07:30] - Early wiring and identity [08:10] - How your body keeps trying to protect you [08:45] - The real reason rest doesn't fix the problem The Hope: What's Possible When You Shift Out of Survival Mode [09:25] - More clarity, energy, and creativity [09:55] - Returning to presence and confidence [10:20] - Why transformation can be faster than you think Powerful Quotes "You're not broken, and nothing about you has ever been the problem." -Blake Schofield "Survival mode isn't dramatic. It looks functional—until you realize you don't feel like you anymore." -Blake Schofield "If you've been operating in some version of survival mode for most of your life, you have no idea how much more capability, clarity, energy, creativity, and confidence are actually available to you." -Blake Schofield Resources Mentioned Take the Burnout Type™ Quiz Discover your unique burnout pattern so you can finally solve the real issue. Go to www.impactwithease.com/burnout-type/ Work With Blake (1:1 Coaching) For leaders ready to regain clarity, energy, and sustainable success. Go to impactwithease.com/coaching to apply! Corporate Leadership Development Support your teams with practical, neuroscience-backed tools to reduce stress, navigate uncertainty and communicate effectively. go to https://impactwithease.com/corporate-training-consulting/

ALIGNMENT 101: Why Doing Everything 'Right' Still Leads to Burnout Why do so many driven, successful professionals burn out, even when they're doing everything "right"? In this episode of Impact With Ease, Blake reveals the hidden reason why high performers are silently struggling with exhaustion, overthinking, and loss of clarity. What's really happening is misalignment. You'll learn how misalignment quietly infiltrates your work, belief systems, and daily environment, and why working harder only makes things worse. Blake breaks down the brain science of burnout, explains why you can't override your natural wiring, and shares the critical first step to move from depletion to sustainable energy. If you're running on fumes or just know deep down there has to be a better way, this conversation will shift your entire perspective. Episode Highlights Clarity Through Alignment, Not Just Process [01:19] - What alignment really is and why it's not a fluffy concept [02:28] - What alignment feels like in daily life [03:18] - Why leaders miss the signs of misalignment [04:32] - Understanding functional survival mode The Neuroscience of Alignment [05:32] - How your brain operates when aligned vs. misaligned [06:13] - Why your wiring will always win The 3 Core Forms of Misalignment [07:03] - Doing work that fights your natural wiring [09:44] - Misaligned beliefs and conditioning: the invisible patterns we form [11:42] - How to shift beliefs without years of therapy [12:28] - Why leaving isn't always the answer [14:06] - How stressed leaders unintentionally create negative cultures What Alignment Looks Like in Action [15:13] - Client story: Evan's transformation from burnout to reclaiming 20 hours per week [16:23] - The one simple shift to get more in alignment Powerful Quotes "You burn out because you've been trying to succeed while working against the very way you are naturally wired to thrive." —Blake Schofield "Alignment is where your peace, purpose, and progress finally meet. It's the shift from just living to fully being alive." —Blake Schofield "Your wiring will always win. You can push against it for a season or even years...but in the end, your wiring will always win." —Blake Schofield "Every single moment of friction, stress, or anxiety is data and a lesson to be learned." —Blake Schofield Resources Mentioned Drained at the end of the day & want more presence in your life? In just 5 minutes, learn your unique burnout type™ & how to restore your energy, fulfillment & peace at www.impactwithease.com/burnout-type The Fastest Path to Clarity, Confidence & Your Next Level of Success: executive coaching for leaders navigating layered challenges. Whether you're burned out, standing at a crossroads, or simply know you're meant for more—you don't have to figure it out alone. Go to impactwithease.com/coaching to apply! Ready to Future-Proof Your Leadership? Let's explore what's possible for your team. Whether you're navigating rapid growth, culture change, or quiet disengagement…we can help with our high-touch, root-cause focused solutions that are designed to help grow resilient, aligned & empowered leaders who navigate uncertainty with confidence and create impact without burning out, go to https://impactwithease.com/corporate-training-consulting/

Creating Career Safety: Future-Proof Your Career & Leadership skills The old rulebook said: work hard, deliver results, stay loyal, and your career will be safe. But that rulebook? It's obsolete. Today, even the best leaders are getting blindsided by layoffs, burnout, and change they didn't see coming. Target, Amazon, Meta, consulting firms—massive waves of restructuring are reshaping how organizations operate. The question isn't "How do I keep my job?" anymore. It's "How do I create safety, clarity, and growth no matter what changes around me?" In this episode, Blake reveals why the traditional model of job security no longer works and introduces the five essential skills that will define the next decade of leadership. You'll discover how to build real career safety in a world where certainty no longer exists, not by working harder, but by learning to optimize your energy, align with how you're wired, and navigate change with confidence. If you're a high-achieving leader feeling the weight of uncertainty, this episode will help you move from survival mode to strategic leadership. Episode Highlights The New Reality of Work [00:45] - Why the old career safety model is obsolete [01:15] - What's happening across corporate America [02:30] - The most significant transition in the history of work Building Career Safety from the Inside Out [03:45] - What career safety really means [04:20] - The three foundations of career safety [05:10] - Why you can't future-proof your career from survival mode [06:15] The Torchlight Framework: 5 Skills to Master Playing Offense, Not Defense [10:00] - Skating to where the puck is going [10:45] - Moving from protection to creation Powerful Quotes "When you're aligned with how you're wired to work best, stress becomes fuel. When you're not, it becomes exhaustion. And that's the invisible line between leaders who adapt and those who burn out." -Blake Schofield "The leaders who thrive in this next decade won't be the ones who push harder. They'll be the ones who learn how to optimize their skills, their energy, and their path, and realign faster when things get off track." -Blake Schofield "What used to make you successful was endurance. What will make you successful now is alignment." -Blake Schofield Resources Mentioned Drained at the end of the day & want more presence in your life? In just 5 minutes, learn your unique burnout type™ & how to restore your energy, fulfillment & peace at www.impactwithease.com/burnout-type The Fastest Path to Clarity, Confidence & Your Next Level of Success: executive coaching for leaders navigating layered challenges. Whether you're burned out, standing at a crossroads, or simply know you're meant for more—you don't have to figure it out alone. Go to impactwithease.com/coaching to apply! Ready to Future-Proof Your Leadership? Let's explore what's possible for your team. Whether you're navigating rapid growth, culture change, or quiet disengagement…we can help with our high-touch, root-cause focused solutions that are designed to help grow resilient, aligned & empowered leaders who navigate uncertainty with confidence and create impact without burning out, go to https://impactwithease.com/corporate-training-consulting/