Finding Grit when you need it most with Shannon Huffman Polson
Release Date: 05/06/2025
Stop Morning Chaos (Before It Starts)
Brilliant Balance
Today, I’m sharing one of my favorite and most practical topics: how to get your mornings running smoothly without all the stress. With the school year underway and work routines in full gear, I know firsthand how challenging it can be to get everyone out the door calmly. From missing shoes to uncharged laptops, those frantic mornings can throw off your whole day! Are you ready to turn those mornings from a stressful scramble into a calm, productive launch pad for success? I’m laying out my tried-and-true framework that I call the “morning launch”—three simple, actionable keys that...
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Remaining Human in the Age of AI with Erica Keswin
Brilliant Balance
I’m so happy to have workplace strategist, bestselling author, and people-connection expert Erica Keswin join me in this episode for a timely conversation about life and workplace transformations in this age of AI. How can we stay connected in our technology-reshaped realities without sacrificing the values that make us uniquely human? Erica and I reflect on her journey as a lifelong connector, how technology has both empowered and challenged our ability to build meaningful relationships, and why intentionality is now more important than ever. She shares practical strategies for setting...
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Are you your own worst enemy?
Brilliant Balance
This week, let’s confront an enemy many of us deal with: ourselves. If you find yourself stuck in a pattern of perfectionism, second-guessing your work, or feeling unsatisfied no matter what you accomplish, you’re definitely not alone, and this episode is for you. I'm taking a closer look at how we sometimes pile pressure on ourselves, whether that’s thanks to our inner critic, tying our self-worth to how much we get done, or just moving the goalposts on what “success” even means—but this isn’t about stacking on more guilt. I want to call out these patterns and talk about...
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Breaking Free: Escaping the Overwhelm Cycle
Brilliant Balance
Have you ever felt like your to-do list is multiplying before your eyes and you’re barely able to keep up? In this episode, I’m sharing my own experiences with overwhelm and why so many ambitious women struggle with it as they juggle big dreams, demanding careers, and packed lives. You’ll hear how to spot the subtle signs that overwhelm has crept in—not just as panic, but also as irritability, indecision, perfectionism, and even mental clutter—and discover the common triggers that set us up for that exhausting cycle. Most importantly, I break down the simple steps I use to clear my...
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Build a Burnout Proof Life with Michelle Grosser
Brilliant Balance
I’m thrilled to introduce Michelle Grosser, a powerhouse former trial lawyer, law professor, and a mom of two, with a story so many of us can relate to: outward success paired with hidden exhaustion and stress. She seemed to be managing it all until her body and mind hit their limits. Today, she’s a nervous system strategist and the host of the Alive and Well podcast, who helps high-achieving women build burnout-proof lives. She’ll guide you through science-backed strategies and simple, impactful daily habits that you can start using right away to break free from chronic stress and...
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The Bounce-Back Blueprint: How to Recover from a Setback and Reclaim Your Momentum
Brilliant Balance
In this episode, I’m exploring a topic that touches all of us, yet one we so rarely anticipate: setbacks. I’ll also reveal the art (and the necessity) of bouncing back from setbacks, how instead of defining us, they can shape us, helping us grow stronger, wiser, and more resilient. I’m going to talk about the two different types of setbacks—permanent losses and temporary obstacles—and help you understand which ones require letting go and which call for persistence. I’m going to walk you through my “Bounce-Back Blueprint,” a straightforward, three-step process that can help you...
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Redefining Reasonable: It’s Time to Stop Overcompensating for Unrealistic Expectations
Brilliant Balance
Today, I’m taking a close look at the invisible pressures so many ambitious women, including myself, face while trying to have it all. If you’ve ever felt like you’re constantly running… juggling work demands, family obligations, and the endless “extras” that keep life moving, this episode is for you. I’m calling out the unrealistic expectations we’re accepting including the invisible labor trap, and explaining why it can feel like we’re playing in a rigged game. I’ll help you recognize the hidden work you do, explore why it often goes unnoticed, and, most importantly, show...
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The Weather Within: Making Sense of Emotions with Kathy Washburn
Brilliant Balance
In today’s episode, we’re talking about a framework for making sense of our emotions with Kathy Washburn, a positive psychology practitioner, life coach, cancer survivor, and extraordinary human. We’ll explore her “emotional weather” metaphor, which offers a fresh perspective and actionable wisdom on the storms we can feel within. Kathy draws on her powerful story of resilience and healing, moving from a life of outward success and emotional numbness to one marked by disruption, disease, deep self-inquiry, and reinvention, and shares how to become a compassionate witness to our...
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"Be Her Now" Making your vision your reality with Julie Solomon
Brilliant Balance
I’m so excited to bring you today’s episode because I had the pleasure of sitting down with the dynamic Julie Solomon, author, speaker, coach, and host of The Influencer Podcast, to talk about what it takes to turn our boldest visions into reality with her “Be her now” mantra. Julie reveals her evolution beyond her bestselling book Get What You Want and her unique perspective on “identity recalibration.” She shares how getting radically honest about who you are and what you want is the decisive first step toward living the life you want. You'll hear about how the hidden stories...
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Turn Down the Noise to Tune Into You
Brilliant Balance
Do you feel like the “noise” in your life is turned up way too high? Between buzzing phones, the din of a busy home, endless notifications, and the constant pulse of comparison, it can be nearly impossible to hear your own thoughts. Today, I’ll talk about the shocking impact of noise on our clarity, creativity, and sense of calm. I’m sharing how to spot the three major types of noise that keep us from hearing our inner voice and what to do about it. But don’t worry, you don’t have to escape to a mountain retreat or delete every app on your phone—I’ll share simple strategies and...
info_outlineIn this episode, I sit down with Shannon Huffman Polson to talk about grit. Shannon is the founder of The Grit Institute and the author of The Grit Factor…a skill she honed by, among other things, being one of the first women to fly the Apache helicopter in the U.S. Army!
Shannon shares her incredible journey from a shy Alaskan kid to breaking barriers in some of the world’s toughest environments, including the military, leading line units on three continents, and corporate leadership. We get real about what it takes to find true grit when life gets hard, the power of purpose and owning your story.
If you’re ready to push your own limits while still honoring your well-being, you’re in exactly the right place. Tune in for inspiration and actionable takeaways to fuel your next bold move!
Show Highlights:
- The power of cultivating discipline in early adversity and success in paradoxes. [04:21]
- What is it like to become a female Apache pilot? [11:15]
- Challenges faced by pioneering women in military aviation. [14:29]
- The double crucible “firsts” in insular fields face while representing change. [18:30]
- Insights on heeding the inner call for a career shift and higher purpose. [23:38]
- How a corporate bridge from tragedy to purpose birthed the Grit Institute. [25:46]
- Discover the Grit Institute’s focus and world-class programs. [28:10]
- Explore the healthy limits of grit with the “Grit Triad.” [30:25]
- The essential key to strength and renewal in rest. [37:05]
- The Grit Institute’s work for high school and college students. [40:58]
To find Shannon’s work, visit thegritinstitute.com. To buy Shannon's book The Grit Factor, visit: https://a.co/d/d77Au8q
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