What if the biggest thing standing between you and the life you want isn't a lack of confidence, credentials, experience, or readiness? What if it's the invisible rules you've been following without ever questioning them?
In this episode of This Is Woman’s Work, Nicole sits down with Cate Hall—former Supreme Court attorney, former #1 ranked female poker player in the world, biotech founder, former CEO of the Astera Institute, and author of You Can Just Do Things: How High Agency People Get What They Want Out of Life. Together, they unpack the concept of high agency, why successful people aren't waiting for permission, and how fear of rejection, failure, and embarrassment may be keeping you stuck.
In This Episode We Discuss:
What it means to be a high agency person
Why most of the "rules" we follow are actually invisible agreements
The art of getting what you don't deserve—and why that's a good thing
How fear of rejection limits personal and professional growth… and why rejection is a necessary part of success
Practical ways to build rejection tolerance
The connection between identity and personal transformation
How strengths can become weaknesses when taken too far
The "moat of low status" and why people avoid being beginners
Why women often struggle with looking inexperienced—and how to overcome it
Cate's message is simple but powerful: you don't need more permission, more credentials, or more certainty. Sometimes, you just need to do the thing.
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Connect with Cate:
Book: https://www.amazon.com/You-Can-Just-Things-High-Agency/dp/0063488450
Website: https://www.catehall.com/
Find your personal cringe minefield quiz: https://www.catehall.com/cringe-minefield-quiz
TedTalk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gN07gbipMoY
Substack: https://usefulfictions.substack.com/
X: https://x.com/catehall
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