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What happens when life throws not one, but two devastating curveballs and your career suddenly no longer fits who you are?
Petra Kolber could have stopped at survivor. She didn’t.
A two-time cancer survivor, former fitness icon, and now VP of Mindset at the Daisie Foundation, Petra joined me on The Enlightened Executive to share how facing mortality twice reshaped her life, her career, and her message for every leader hitting the reset button in midlife.
“I knew I couldn’t go back to life as usual. It wasn’t just about surviving. I had to remix my life.”
Why This Matters for Leaders
Too often, we equate leadership with control, polish, and forward momentum. But what if the greatest leadership moments come not from relentless striving, but from surrender, reinvention, and self-trust?
Petra’s story is a powerful reminder that resilience isn’t about bouncing back. It’s about bouncing forward, with purpose.
She calls it “midlife remix,” and it’s a leadership lesson we rarely talk about:
- Letting go of identities that no longer serve us
- Choosing presence over perfection
- Trading the old hustle for meaningful impact
In midlife, especially for high achievers, it’s easy to feel stuck between what was and what’s next. Petra’s journey is a permission slip to break that loop.
The Science Behind the Shift
Petra’s insights align with what neuroscience and positive psychology tell us about growth:
- Post-traumatic growth is real. When we choose to reflect, reframe, and re-engage after adversity, we build stronger neural pathways for resilience.
- Purpose isn’t a luxury; it’s a neurological anchor. Studies show that having a sense of meaning improves motivation, cognitive function, and overall wellbeing.
- Neuroplasticity peaks again in midlife, if we leverage it. Reinventing how we lead (and live) requires disrupting the habits that no longer serve us.
“I used to think the goal was perfection. Now I know it’s authenticity with impact.”
Action Steps You Can Take This Week
Whether you’re facing a personal pivot or simply sensing it’s time for a reset, here’s how to lead your own remix:
- Name what no longer fits. What identity, role, or narrative are you clinging to out of fear?
- Audit your energy. Where are you forcing vs. flowing? Midlife leadership requires energy alignment, not just effort.
- Rewrite your metrics. What does success now mean to you? Ditch outdated yardsticks.
- Find your joy edge. As Petra did with DJing; find what makes you light up, even if it seems unrelated to “work.”
- Lead out loud. Vulnerability isn’t weakness. It’s the foundation of influence in this new era of leadership.
Closing Thought
The leaders who shape the future aren’t the ones clinging to past identities. They’re the ones bold enough to remix their lives, and invite others to do the same.
Because in midlife, you don’t need to start over. You need to start real.
For deeper insight on rewiring your leadership story, subscribe to The Enlightened Executive!