What if success didn’t require you to be “on” all the time?

In this episode, Sharon sits down with solicitor, author, and leadership mentor Midja Fisher for a big conversation about boundaries, energy, and building a life that actually feels good — while still doing exceptional work.

Midja is the founder of the Legal Leadership Project, author of Unshakeable Confidence, Great Lawyer to Great Leader, and Take Off The Cape, and host of Mondays with Midja (returning soon). She’s also a living example of “tools down” leadership — finishing Fridays early, protecting weekends, and showing up with real presence because rest is part of the strategy.

In this episode we cover:
• What “tools down” looks like in real life (and why it works)
• Why boundaries aren’t a luxury — they’re a performance tool
• How energy, fun, and recovery make you more valuable at work
• The mindset shift: rest as part of your business plan
• Why so many business owners lose the freedom they built the business for
• Values-based leadership and “tent peg” principles that hold you steady
• Fixed vs growth mindset (Dr Carol Dweck) and giving yourself permission to experiment
• Navigating change: AI, tech, and why we still need to keep thinking
• Building connection and community (especially for introverts)
• Why younger leaders are raising the standard — and it’s a good thing
• The difference between urgent, reactive work and intentional leadership

Key insights:
• You do better work when your boundaries are sacred.
• The evidence is in how you show up — not how long you stay online.
• Values create stability when the world is changing fast.
• You get to choose: build a business that supports your life, not consumes it.

Mentioned in this episode:
• Dr Carol Dweck — Mindset
• Stephen Covey — The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
• Joseph Campbell — The Hero’s Journey
• “Tools down” as a leadership and wellbeing strategy

🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts
https://www.sharonfrancisco.com/podcast

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Questions for the podcast? hello@sharonfrancisco.com

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👉 Also: The Entrepreneurial Bookkeeper — grow your business without sacrificing your health: sharonfrancisco.com/program

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Have a question for the podcast? Email hello@sharonfrancisco.com