Global Speaker | Author | MC
Lisa Stephenson is a global speaker who looks beyond the obvious, asking the right questions at the right time. Lisa is the author of the book 'Read me first' which is full of thought provoking questions and strategies to change your life.
Lisa is a gifted storyteller, searching out adventure, real-life struggles, success and all the challenges that life can throw at us.
Lisa on Instagram:
@lisastephensonconsulting
Lisa's Book:
www.readmefirst.com.au
Lisa's Website:
www.lisastephensonconsulting.com.au
Verbatim from the transcripts — each quote links to the moment.
“Success doesn't happen accidentally, and neither does happiness.”
“When we have a thought 6 times, it becomes a belief, and our brain creates that pathway, right?”
“So what that means is we're boring, habitual, and negative.”
“You've got everything you need, but it will take everything you've got.”
“People responded to the truth.”
“For everything that we say yes to, we're saying no to something else.”
“You know, when you're alone in the bottom of the shower, what's the truth that you're telling yourself?”
“We don't fake it. Absolutely do not fake it, but we do trust ourselves and we do give ourselves permission to try out new things as if we know.”
How should high achievers deal with being overly self-critical?
Deliberately spend time discussing and recognizing what is working well, not just gathering evidence about weaknesses, since most high performers default to self-criticism and under-invest in acknowledging strengths.
How do you build more stillness into a busy life?
Build small daily non-negotiables that don't require much time or money: regular walking, starting the day with meditation, and doing unedited 'conscious writing' to let your brain process without judging what comes out.
How do you actually follow through on self-care or big goals instead of just knowing what to do?
Sit down and write a specific, measurable plan—covering daily, weekly and monthly commitments—and treat it as a living document you revisit with a coach or mentor, because success and happiness don't happen accidentally.
How do you work through limiting or outdated beliefs?
Periodically sit down and write out which of your beliefs no longer serve you, which beliefs would support the person you want to become, and which you're not even sure you agree with anymore, since beliefs form from repeated thoughts and your brain then seeks evidence to justify them.
How do you know if you're truly successful?
Define success for yourself rather than borrowing a generic definition — it might be a 15-minute walk, paying your bills, or something entirely different from someone else's version, and real success is increasingly tied to experiences, relationships and learning rather than possessions.
How do I know if the work/story I'm currently living is my 'big thing' or just a chapter?
Lisa suggests recognizing that life has different chapters, and it's valuable to look back at the story so far to assess what you want to take from it, what you regret, where you currently get energy and passion, and whether your life aligns with what you actually value before deciding what's next.
Lisa planned a public workshop expecting it to sell quickly, but it didn't sell at all until she posted an authentic Instagram update admitting uncertainty, after which it filled within an hour, teaching her that audiences respond to truth over polish.
Lisa describes saving up and planning to take her three children to live in Italy for three months as a single mother after divorce, and how a social media post from a critic accused her of arrogance and not understanding real struggle, sparking a confronting backlash.
Lisa describes how her husband unexpectedly left her and their three children, leaving her in survival mode, including sitting in the shower asking how she would get through each day, before she rebuilt her life and career.
Lisa admits she invents detailed backstories for strangers, especially at airports, sometimes crying over imagined situations, and Tommy admits he and Josh play a similar game at restaurants guessing people's lives.
Drawn from the episode transcripts.
Lisa Stephenson suggests building small non-negotiable daily habits that don't require much time or money, such as walking, meditating each morning, and 'conscious writing' (unedited journaling), to give the brain and body time to process and heal rather than just staying busy.
From episode 530→Lisa explains that when you have a thought about six times it becomes a belief, and the brain creates a pathway that then seeks evidence to prove that belief right, which is why examining and 'spring cleaning' your beliefs is important but difficult.
From episode 530→Lisa says people striving to be their best are typically self-critical and default to discussing what's not working rather than what's going well, partly because Australian culture emphasizes self-improvement over celebrating strengths.
From episode 530→Lisa Stephenson suggests being wary of very young or inexperienced people calling themselves life coaches, asking around for recommendations since the industry is small, and checking whether someone is truly asking empowering questions versus just giving advice or telling people what to do.
From episode 98→After suddenly becoming a single mother of three when her husband left, Lisa decided to be deliberate about building a new life, drawing on about 20 years of consulting, coaching and facilitation experience to grow a business that now works with major companies and includes international speaking engagements and a published book, Read Me First.
From episode 98→Every episode featuring Lisa Stephenson on The Daily Talk Show.
Lisa Stephenson joined Tommy Jackett and Josh Janssen on Episode 530 (27 November 2019) — "Lisa Stephenson On Habits & Challenging Your Beliefs". Lisa Stephenson is back! Lisa is a global speaker, success coach, facilitator, MC, author and CEO of a global, Australian-based consulting firm. We chat about challenging your habitual thoughts and beliefs, why change is so difficult, and the importance of having a plan.
Lisa Stephenson joined Tommy Jackett and Josh Janssen on Episode 98 (30 May 2018) — "Lisa Stephenson on understanding your story". Lisa Stephenson is a global speaker, success coach, facilitator, MC, author and CEO of a global, Australian-based consulting firm. Tommy and Lisa have known each other for close to ten years! We delve into personal development, understanding your story and sitting in the shower.