Share

cover art for Mind your mindfulness

LifePilot: Be the CEO of your life, not just your business!

Mind your mindfulness

•

For the last 7 years I’ve been running my business The Suitcase Entrepreneur from all over the world, while living out of the suitcase and going on adventures. This year, in 2017, I’ve decided to fire myself. Yup, that’s right. I am quitting. I am taking a business sabbatical from my own business and instead I am taking YOU on a Quest for Freedom. Your freedom. I'm so freakin excited to do this. To understand why the heck I am, here's a bit of backstory into me. This is actually taken from my TEDx talk last year called ‘The Surprising Truth About Freedom’ (feel free to just watch from 12:12-15:44).

Why tune into this podcast?

After watching, I hope you can understand why I’ve named this podcast Natalie Sisson’s Quest for Freedom, because as I mentioned, I’m on a hunt to understand what freedom really is. This podcast is part audio journal, part narrative and part ‘choose your own adventure’. It will be divided into Seasons (just like on TV) and each season will be a different quest around freedom. I’m starting with Personal freedom, and I’ll break that down more in Episode 2.

What is the definition of Freedom?

First off let’s attempt to better understand freedom (or maybe expose why this is no ordinary quest I’m going on). Over the years I’ve asked a LOT of people what their definition of personal freedom is and I am starting to see a pattern in their answers. A couple of Friday's ago I was having dinner with friends and new acquaintances, listening to music and discussing all sorts of topics. So I decided to whip out my new Zoom H6 recorder and ask them a question for my new podcast. They all agreed, so without any background I just launched into my question which I posed to them which was: "What's your definition of freedom?" Here’s what they had to say:

“Deciding when you want to wake up in the morning, where you want to be and deciding what you want to do for the day.”

“Freedom for me is abundance but it’s conditional on the freedom of others. I am not free if other people aren’t free.”

“There are a lot of different types of freedom, but the most important freedom is the freedom from our own minds, and that if freedom is dependent on external factors then it’s not truly free.”

“I believe that the only thing that we are actually in control of is how we react in the moment and having an internal sense of freedom to be able to react as we choose is the ultimate freedom.”

“Choice. You just get to choose freely whether it’d be a monetary thing or just your thoughts or your reactions.”

“Free is something that doesn’t cost anything”

Do any of those resonate with you? I go on to say in my podcast: "There’s also a price to pay for too much freedom. I feel like I experienced that a few weeks ago when I was trying to make a big decision in my life, and I realized I was so free in choosing either one, that I almost felt paralyzed for the first time. There was too much freedom. You have to have some boundaries and some limits within which to feel free." So as you can see from this discussion…..I’m really no closer to uncovering a definition for freedom. And perhaps it’s un-defineable. Perhaps this whole quest is going to impossible, but I can’t wait either way because this is a year like no other. I’m firing myself and taking a business sabbatical to become a student of life, and go on a quest to find freedom.

What is a Quest?

Now that we've established the challenge in defining freedom, I thought understanding what a quest is would be a logical next move. So back to my friends for their ideas around this:

“It’s like bigger than yourself. There will be obstacles, there will be doubt, there will be naysayers, there will be almost insurmountable odds but your values and what’s inside of you pull you forward beyond what you think is possible and achieving your quest will be one of the greatest memories for a parts of your life.”

“A quest is fundamentally a search for meaning. It’s about trying to find and discover meaning.”

“Is quest the root of question?”

And yes is the answer to that question. I looked it up on the interwebs to find it is from late Middle English: from Old French queste (noun), based on Latin quaerere ‘ask, seek’. According to the dictionary, because all intrepid people going on a quest would of course refer to a dictionary first right….. a quest is both a noun and a verb. noun

  1. a long or arduous search for something.

That sounds really freaking fun doesn’t it… long and arduous? Ah no thanks. The verb came up with much better results in my opinion

  1. search for something.
  search, seek, look, hunt, pursue, investigate, explore, probe, inspect
  • "his eyes quested to left and right"

 

That all sounds much better. But if you ever hear me saying “My eyes quested to the left and right” I’ve either lost the plot or I’m exploring a medieval festival and getting in character. According to Wikipedia a quest serves as a plot device in mythology and fiction: a difficult journey towards a goal, often symbolic or allegorical. Tales of quests figure prominently in the folklore of every nation and ethnic culture.... The moral of a quest tale often centers on the changed character of the hero. So I guess for the purposes of Natalie Sisson’s Quest for Freedom podcast…. I’m the hero? Which also means I’m the one who has to go through the good, the bad and the ugly. I am a walking, talking human experiment, so that you can sit back in your armchair at home, or on your drive to the city, or while you’re enjoying a relaxing pedicure, and listen to me do all the hard stuff, the grueling, intense, exciting, thrilling, daring and at times, prob mundane things I need to do to achieve on this Quest for Freedom. And I’m ok with that. You know. I’ll take it on the chin. Partly because it’s my idea and all so I have no excuse to complain. And partly cos I kind of like the idea of being the guinea pig. First things first I feel like you guys need to give me an appropriate mythological made up Hero’s name.

Do me a favor and humour me. Leave a comment below with your idea for my 'hero' name. I’ll choose the best one, and for season one will henceforth call myself that name and you’ll get your name in the credits.

My favourite definition of a quest, because I found it so fitting, was from Vocabulary.com A quest is all about seeking something important, and it often involves a journey. You would travel the world in a quest for gold. You would not travel to the front of the lunchroom in a quest for tater tots. Ha. That’s one heck of a definition. They go on to say: Knights in the Middle Ages were forever taking on quests––most famously to find the Holy Grail. In modern times, you can quest without ever leaving home, thanks to the Internet. A scientist might embark on a quest to find the cure for cancer. A detective might quest for the truth. It’s worthwhile noting here that quest is also a verb that means bark with prolonged noises, of dogs. Perhaps something I can incorporate into the show? Unintentionally I chose this word because it sounds grandiose, but in a good ol down to earth way. And probably because as a kid I loved Greek Mythology and read books like Odysseus, or Ulysses, depending on which side you gun for more. Same hero. Same quest. Different name. Unbeknownst to me however is the Quest is one of 7 Types of Story Plots you can use when writing, or making a movie! According to Liz Bureman over at The Write Practice: “The Quest is a search for a place, item, or person that requires the hero to leave home in order to find it. Sometimes the item is just a MacGuffin to drive the plot along. I’m going to pause to explain here, as I had no idea what a MacGuffin was, but if you’re a fan of Raiders of the Lost Ark, it’s the thing the hero needs to find on their journey to get to the real important thing. So in this case the golden monkey head Harrison Ford finds in the tomb, not the actual ark. Back to Liz: “Other times the thing driving the quest is specific to the story’s circumstances. Either way, the hero is leaving home to find whatever the heck the story demands, and we get to come along for the ride.” Sounds fair to me. You game to come on this ride with me? You’re not going to leave me all alone out here are you? To show you’re serious if you’re not subscribed to my show on iTunes and you want to follow along on Season One then head to nataliesisson.com/itunes and it will take you straight there! You can do the same by heading to nataliesisson.com/stitcher too. Ok here’s where Liz got me thinking. She went on to describe the characters in a quest and I realized I’m going to need a crew. You see a quest is the plot type most likely to have a group of main characters rather than one protagonist in the main eye of the story. Shiiiiittt and here I was thinking this was ALL about me! Nope apparently not. According to Liz I should have:

  • A close friend who is loyal to our hero, but doesn’t have much else going for him or her;
  • A sidekick who is the polar opposite of the hero mentally, physically, and emotionally;
  • A generic mass of identity-less bros who don’t get names because they’re not alive long enough to matter; or
  • A balanced party of brains, heart, and strength who support the hero, or who count the hero as one of their own.

So I guess before the next episode I need to find some of these characters to make this more enticing right? Ok I’ll be back in the next episode with some characters, I can’t guarantee they’ll fit the bill but heck, this is my quest so I get to choose them. It may even be you if you play your cards right! Whereever you’re tuning in or reading this from around the world, I’m sending you a BIG virtual hug of thanks and gratitude for tuning into to the very first Season and Episode of Natalie Sisson’s Quest for Freedom. If you want to make my day leave a comment below to:

  • tell me my Hero name
  • simply say hi, and;
  • add your own definition of what freedom means to you.

Go ahead and make sure you subscribe to the show in any podcast player you have, and find me on iTunes, Stitcher, SoundCloud, Google Play and iHeartRadio.

Tune in to the next episode where I let an Oracle tell me what I can expect in 2017….

Yep I consulted an Oracle...or more over the Suburban Psychic approached me to do a session with me. And here's just a snippet of what she had to say: "There’s a part of you that doesn’t want to know stuff, and there’s that little part of you that is giving permission to you to dive in deeper, to explore further, because you got this amazing watch dog in the ego. If a wave is crashing, coming towards you you don’t try to get over the top and scoot your way around it. You got to dive into that sucker and that’s the only way you are going to come out the other side without being thrown on your head and getting sand in places that you don’t want to even talk about " Intrigued? Make sure you jump in and sign up to updates via email so I can share with you when each episode goes live.

More episodes

View all episodes

  • 114. 114. My HYROX Race Lessons (And the Science-Backed Reasons to Do Crazy Hard Things)

    23:50||Season 1, Ep. 114
    I need to be honest with you: I didn't enjoy my HYROX race last week.  Not one moment felt like I was “crushing it.” I was slower than I wanted to be, overheated, disappointed, and questioning myself more than once.And you know what? That makes it the most valuable thing I've done so far this year.This is the story of how a tough race taught me more about resilience, self-efficacy, and mental strength than any perfect performance ever could. It's about what happened when I debriefed with my AI coach ChatGPT, how the science of stress inoculation actually works,  and why doing hard physical things — especially when they don’t go to plan — can radically change how you show up in every other area of your life.If you’ve ever felt disappointed after something you worked hard for… or wondered whether pushing yourself physically is “worth it”, this episode will shift how you see challenge, confidence, and growth.What You'll Learn:Why the challenges that stretch you don’t always feel good in the moment and why they matter more because of itWhat HYROX actually is and why it's become a $140 million global phenomenon that makes "average people feel like athletes"Why this was the first event I've paid for that I genuinely didn't enjoy (and why that made it so valuable)How self-efficacy, stress inoculation, and generalized confidence actually work (backed by research from Albert Bandura)Why my brain learned more from struggle than it would have from a perfect race

  • 113. 113. Why growing on social media is the riskiest business strategy in 2026 with Jenny Melrose

    41:57||Season 1, Ep. 113
    Let’s be real: are you creating content everywhere but connecting with no one?Posting daily, showing up on multiple platforms, but your audience isn't growing. Your email list is stagnant. And the profit you thought would follow? It's not there.Here's the hard truth: you might be building your entire business on borrowed land.That's exactly what happened to today's guest, Jenny Melrose. She had 660,000 followers on Google+. Then one day, the platform shut down and she lost every single one of them. That painful lesson completely transformed how she builds audiences—and it's why she's here to share what actually works.Jenny is a former reading specialist turned marketing strategist, author of Influencer Entrepreneurs, and host of the Influencer Entrepreneurs podcast. She's been building online businesses since 2009 and has weathered every major shift in the digital landscape.In this conversation, we dive into her PACK framework for standing out authentically, why your personal brand is your greatest defense against AI, how to create one piece of content and repurpose it into multiple formats, and why your email list is the only audience you truly own.If you've ever felt invisible online despite showing up everywhere, or wondered how to use AI without sounding generic, this episode will change how you build your business.Get ready for systems, strategy, and the wake-up call you need about where you're investing your energy online.What You'll Learn:The PACK framework: Positioning, Authenticity, Confidence, and Kindness (and why each matters more than ever)How to find your unique positioning by looking at your real life experiences and the problems people already come to you forWhy complete flexibility in your business will actually drive you insane (and what to do instead)The content creation system that starts with keyword research and ends with SEO-optimized blog posts, podcast episodes, and YouTube videosHow to use AI effectively: as a brainstorming assistant, outline creator, and editor, without losing your unique voiceHow to stop comparing yourself to that 35-year-old making millions (and be kind to yourself instead)

  • 112. 112. Behind the scenes of my Saudi Arabia trip and being back on the global stage

    29:06||Season 1, Ep. 112
    I almost deleted the email that changed my year.There it was, sitting in my inbox while Josh and I were testing out our new standing desks in our Bali villa, a speaking invitation to Saudi Arabia that looked way too good to be true. And honestly? I thought it was a scam. But this is the story of how that "sketchy" email turned into me standing on stage as the only female keynote speaker at one of Saudi Arabia's largest entrepreneurship events, flying business class, staying at the Ritz Carlton, and getting paid to share a message I deeply believe in.More than that, it's about what happens when you plant seeds without knowing where they'll grow, when you show up with intention even when no one's watching, and when you stay open to possibilities that sound impossible. Because the real twist? The reason I got invited traced back to someone I'd spoken to six years ago and a manifestation practice I started at the beginning of 2025.If you’ve ever wondered how big opportunities actually happen, or felt called to think bigger about what’s possible for you in your work and life, this one’s for you.What You'll Learn:How a random email in my inbox turned into a dream speaking opportunity (and why I thought it was a scam)What Saudi Arabia is really like in 2025, the massive transformation happening, what surprised me most, and what I got totally wrongWhy being the only female keynote speaker felt like both a privilege and a responsibilityHow someone I spoke to six years ago became the reason I got invited and what that teaches us about showing up authenticallyWhat it's really like to speak on an international stage Why this trip reminded me that the world is more open, more curious, and more interconnected than we think

  • 111. 111. Quit Setting Goals and Use the Annual Anchors Method to Transform Your Year in 2026

    20:52||Season 1, Ep. 111
    I'm about to tell you something that might sting a little: in about three weeks, you're probably gonna be doing the exact same thing you did all last year.I know. You've got your goals. You've got your intentions. You're ready for a new year, new start, new you.But unless you've got a methodology that actually works, that niggly feeling you have right now? It's probably right.Here's what I realized after years of hitting some goals but always ending up back at baseline: I wasn't changing who I was in order to get what I wanted. And without that, nothing was ever gonna fundamentally shift.That’s why, I'm sharing the Annual Anchors Methodology, the framework that completely transformed how I approach my year. Instead of chasing 47 different goals, I focus on three foundational anchors that ground me in what actually matters. And it really works!.After listening, you'll understand why being comes before doing, how to choose your three most important priorities for the year, and you'll have a concrete roadmap to make this your most intentional year yet (without burning out or giving up by February).What You'll Learn:Why most goal-setting fails (hint: you're skipping the most critical step)The be → do → have framework that actually gets resultsHow I chose my three Annual Anchors for 2026 (and why my business isn't one of them)The exact structure: one anchor + one "so that" statement + three committed actions + a 90-day habit trackerWhy breaking up with my phone is already changing everything in just two weeksThe difference between reacting and responding, especially in your closest relationshipsWhat it means to prioritize intuition over hustle this year

  • 110. 110. Invest Your Time Like Money and Stop Working Around the Clock with Elizabeth Grace Saunders

    46:08||Season 1, Ep. 110
    Freedom doesn’t come from having endless flexibility.It comes from knowing what matters and protecting it with intention.In this episode of the LifePilot Podcast, I sit down with Elizabeth Grace Saunders, one of the world’s leading time management experts and the founder of Real Life E®, for a grounded, honest conversation about time, boundaries, and self-worth.Elizabeth and I have known each other for over a decade — long before either of us were married or parents — and throughout the years, I’ve watched her quietly and consistently redefine what time management actually means. Not hustle. Not optimisation. But peace, presence, and intentional living.In this conversation, Elizabeth shares how she became a time management coach by first fixing her own unhealthy relationship with work, why most entrepreneurs struggle more once they leave corporate life, and how planning ahead is the thing that actually creates flexibility, not restriction.We also dive into motherhood, shifting capacity, lowering expectations without lowering standards, and navigating the rise of AI without losing your voice, creativity, or sense of worth.If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by freedom, guilty when you rest, or stuck reacting instead of leading your life, this episode will bring clarity, calm, and perspective.What You'll Learn:Why the flexibility of entrepreneurship often drives us insane (and what to do about it)The "infinity pool" model that will revolutionize how you think about your timeThe top three time management challenges almost everyone faces but thinks are unique to themHow to translate your values into concrete actions on your calendar (not just vague intentions)What having two young children has taught a time management expert about lowering expectations and radical prioritizationThe surprisingly emotional reality of running a business in the age of AI (and why your human value matters more than ever)

  • 109. 109. The 6-Step Reverse Planning Methodology I Use to Claim My Life First

    19:45||Season 1, Ep. 109
    I'm about to tell you something that might sting a little: you've been planning your years completely backwards. And it's costing you everything.Here's what I see every single January, and maybe you'll recognize yourself in this: You're setting bold revenue goals, mapping out launches, planning content calendars. It all looks perfect on paper. You're ambitious. You're strategic. You're ready to make things happen.But by March? You're exhausted. By June? You're behind. And by September, you're lying awake at night wondering why this business you built to give you freedom feels like it's running you instead of supporting the life you actually want to live.Sound familiar?Here's the thing: after years of doing this work myself and with hundreds of ambitious women just like you, I've discovered something radical. The problem isn't that you're not disciplined enough. It's not that you're not working hard enough. The problem is the planning methodology itself.We've been doing this backwards. We plan business first. And then we try to squeeze our lives into whatever's left over.In this episode, I'm sharing part of  my framework from my Plan Your Ideal Freedom Year workshop, the methodology that's changed everything for me and the women I work with. And it starts with a simple but powerful flip: what if you built your business around your life instead of fitting your life around your business?If you're in your 40s or 50s like me, juggling aging parents, kids launching into adulthood, your own health becoming more complex, and a business that seems to demand more every single year,  this isn't just a nice idea. This approach is necessary. It's how you stop optimizing and start actually living.What You'll Learn:Why everything you've been taught about business planning is backwards (and why it's leading you straight to burnout, resentment, and a business that consumes your life instead of supporting it)The 6-step reverse planning methodology I use to claim my life first, then build my business around my actual capacity, not some fantasy version where nothing goes wrongHow to choose your word for the year that becomes your North Star (mine is "golden" for 2026, and I'll tell you exactly why)The non-negotiable first step that most ambitious women skip and why skipping it is stealing your energy, creativity, and joyWhy women in their 40s and 50s must plan differently. Your energy, responsibilities, and wellbeing require a new strategic approach.The holistic life planning process I created with LifePilot to make sure your health, relationships, and personal growth don't get sacrificed on the altar of business success

  • 108. 108. From Quiet Copywriter to Viral Brand Builder with Marisa Twentyman

    49:11||Season 1, Ep. 108
    We don’t start businesses so we can work nonstop.We start them for freedom, flexibility, creativity, and time with the people we love.And yet… so many women find themselves doing everything but that.In this week’s episode of the LifePilot Podcast, I’m joined by Marisa Twentyman, founder of Dirty Copy — a personality-packed copywriting studio and home of the viral Dirty Chats podcast.What makes her story so refreshing is not just how fast she built her business… but the life she built around it.After leaving teaching, teaching herself copywriting through YouTube, working during nap times, and rebranding into the cheeky, bold identity she's now known for, Marisa grew quickly. Instead of scaling into burnout, she chose something radical: She designed her business to support 3.5 months living in France with her family. She worked on her terms - a few client sessions, one website project - woven seamlessly into lakeside afternoons, long French dinners with locals, learning the language, and building a life around what mattered most.If you’ve ever felt the slow pull of a life that once felt like freedom but now feels like a quiet prison… this conversation is for you. Not to convince you to sell everything. But to remind you: you already have the right to imagine something deeper. And sometimes, all it takes is the courage to take the first step, even without a map.What You'll Learn:How Marisa went from high school English teacher to booked-out copywriter What's actually selling in the course landscape right now after her recent launch sold 3 courses versus 77 in one weekendHow she made three and a half months in France financially possible just 18 months into her businessHer honest struggle with being a goal-driven mom entrepreneur versus societal expectations of motherhoodThe mindset shift that helps her post consistently on social media even when she never feels like it

  • 107. 107. From Doing It All to Delegating It All with Brittany Bettini

    47:09||Season 1, Ep. 107
    We’ve been conditioned to believe that being a successful woman in business means juggling everything — the kids, the clients, the emails, the laundry, the launch, the life.But what if the real power move isn’t doing more… it’s doing less?Sometimes the strongest thing you can do isn't proving you can handle it all, it's having the courage to ask for help.This week on the LifePilot Podcast, I sit down with Brittany Bettini—CEO, author, and the woman who went from scrubbing toilets as a single mom on food stamps to building a thriving virtual assistant agency that serves 70+ industries worldwide.Brittany's story is one of transformation, resilience, and radical self-trust. She knows what it's like to feel completely overwhelmed, to cry in the shower wondering if entrepreneurship is sustainable, and to believe that asking for help means you're not strong enough. But through her journey, she discovered something revolutionary: delegation isn't a sign of weakness, it's the ultimate act of self-leadership.In this episode, Brittany shares her "lazy CEO" philosophy, the life audit that helps you figure out what to delegate first, and why building a team became one of the most healing experiences of her life. We also talk about the myth that women have to "do it all," how to vet and trust virtual assistants, the role of AI in a human-centered business, and why giving your team permission to make decisions might be the smartest move you ever make.Whether you're a solopreneur drowning in admin tasks, a parent trying to balance it all, or someone who just knows there has to be a better way—this conversation will give you permission to stop doing everything yourself and start building the business (and life) you actually want.What You'll Learn:The biggest myth holding women entrepreneurs back and why "doing it all yourself" is keeping you stuckWhy “lazy CEO” actually means “highly strategic CEO”How to overcome the control trap and start trusting your team with the keys to your kingdomThe truth about AI vs. human support and why you need both in your business

  • 106. 106. Longevity As Your Business Superpower: The Six Pillars That Change Everything

    29:26||Season 1, Ep. 106
    Let me be really honest with you about something: I used to worry that hitting 40 meant my best work was behind me.I'd see all the messaging out there — the obsession with youth, the subtle (and not-so-subtle) ways our culture tells women that getting older means becoming less relevant, less powerful, less... everything.But then I started paying attention to the women I actually admire. The ones building multimillion-dollar businesses, leading movements, living their most vibrant lives. And guess what? They're all in their 40s, 50s, and beyond.So this episode is about something I'm currently obsessed with: longevity. I break down six longevity pillars every woman entrepreneur needs if she wants to build a business that thrives and a body that carries her powerfully through the next four decades.If you're exhausted, foggy-brained, and running on fumes, you're not going to execute even the best strategy effectively. And here's the thing that blows my mind: 80% of longevity comes from the basics, not fancy treatments or expensive procedures, but fundamentals available to all of us.By the end, you’ll walk away with simple, doable shifts that will dramatically transform your energy, focus, clarity, creativity, resilience, and leadership — inside and outside your business.What You'll Learn:Why women over 40 are actually more successful as entrepreneurs (and the research that proves it)The 6 longevity pillars that will transform your energy, focus, and leadership (deep sleep, ditching sugar/grains/dairy, intermittent fasting, strength training, stress management, and social connection)The truth about strength training for women over 40 (and why it's non-negotiable for maintaining muscle, bone density, and cognitive function)How protecting your peace isn't selfish, it's essential for your longevity and business successWhy partying with your girls in fabulous frocks is actually medicine (yes, really. There's science behind this)
Copyright LifePilot
Hosted with ❤️ by Acast