Bozoma Saint John's The Urgent Life cracked Debbie wide open—not because it's about ambition, but because it's about love, loss, and the choices we make when we realize tomorrow isn't promised.

In this vulnerable CEO Study Session, Debbie shares how both she and Bozoma learned the hard way that most of us don't ask "What am I doing with my life?" until everything falls apart. This episode explores the brutal but beautiful truth that grief can become your greatest teacher about what actually matters.

We're talking about the difference between building for approval and building for peace, and why sometimes the most urgent thing you can do is slow down enough to get real about what you actually want.

Key Takeaways:

• Grief and loss can be powerful catalysts for reassessing what truly matters in your business and life
• Most entrepreneurs stay busy optimizing everything except whether their work actually serves them
• The difference between building for applause vs. building for your own peace of mind
• How to identify when you're running on autopilot versus operating with intention
• Why "awareness without action is just expensive therapy"
• The importance of asking hard questions before life forces you to through crisis
• How to shift from survival mode to strategic thinking in your business

Questions to Reflect On:

• What are you chasing that doesn't even feel like you anymore?
• What have you been putting on the back burner waiting for things to "calm down"?
• What's the ONE system in your business that would let you breathe instead of holding your breath?

Resources Mentioned:

• Freebie: 5 Essentials Steps for the Overwhelmed CEO
• Panic to Presence: A CEO Self-Check
• Bozoma Saint John's The Urgent Life

Connect with Debbie:

• Instagram: @its.debbiej
• Website: www.itsdebbiej.com
• Email: [email protected]