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WHAT I'VE LEARNT

Deborah Blashki- Marks

Rock legend Keith Urban, the iconic KD Lang, and the unforgettable Lionel Richie are just some of the names Deborah interviewed in the Melbourne Age column called, 'What I've Learnt.'

Everyone has a story to tell, and a lesson to learn. What I’ve Learnt is a Podcast from journalist Deborah Blashki-Marks. "What I've Learnt' is a unique platform for International and national talent to delve deep into their own challenges, successes, failures, and life lessons. As a journalist of over 30 years, Deborah has been lucky enough to interview some of the most influential people from around the world - actors, musicians, designers, doctors, business professionals and writers.

Now, introducing ‘What I’ve Learnt’ the podcast. Deborah shares conversations with world-class celebrities such as Kate Ceberano, Eric Bana, Deborra-Lee Furness, Troye Sivan, Katie Noonan, Michael Klim, Nick Littlemore, Jane Harper, Marcia Hines, Anthony Koutoufides, and many more.

Find us on:
Instagram: @what.ive.learnt
Facebook: What I've Learnt

CREDITS:
Host and Executive Producer: Deborah Blashki Marks (mindfilmandpublishing.com)
Audio and Video Production: Luke Evans (Luke.j.evans3@gmail.com)
Artwork: Rebecca Bana Photography
Original Music: Jonah Orbach
Voice Production: Matia Marks
Design: Thien Bang (thienbang.studio)

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S8 · E16
Today · 32 min
Mahjong Teacher Belinda Caviglia on Building Community through Tradition
After living in Hong Kong for 17 years, mahjong became part of Belinda Caviglia’s daily life. She instantly fell in love with the game and formed some of her closest friendships through it. What started as a simple game soon grew into a true passion, inspiring her to begin teaching in 2018. Now based in Melbourne, Belinda is excited to share her love of mahjong, bringing people together and creating the friendships and connections that make the game so special. She teaches Hong Kong–style mahjong in a relaxed and engaging way, welcoming both beginners and those looking to refine their skills. Deborah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/what.ive.learnt/ Mind, Film and Publishing: https://www.mindfilmandpublishing.com/ Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/what-ive-learnt/id153556330 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3TQjCspxcrSi4yw2YugxBk Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1365850
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S8 · E15
October 30 · 41 min
Advisor Avril Henry AM on Challenging Expectations & Standing Up for Change
In 1995 Avril was part of the Westpac team that introduced the first corporate paid maternity leave scheme at a publicly listed company in Australia. Since then, she has continuously used her influence to drive cultural change in the workplace. Avril founded Avril Henry & Associates in 2003. Between 2006 and 2022 she served as the first civilian, and woman, on the Navy People & Capability Committee, and was appointed senior advisor to the Chief of Army on gender diversity, values and cultural reform. In 2024 she was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant services to business consultancy, project management and women. Avril is one of the most sought-after leadership voices in the country, having delivered over 650 keynotes worldwide. She is also the best-selling author of several books on leadership including Leadership Revelations III - How We Achieve the Gender Tipping Point, a book that is as relevant as ever. Her memoir Not All Diamonds Are Worn is released October 2026. Deborah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/what.ive.learnt/ Mind, Film and Publishing: https://www.mindfilmandpublishing.com/ Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/what-ive-learnt/id153556330 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3TQjCspxcrSi4yw2YugxBk Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1365850
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S8 · E14
October 17 · 30 min
Time-Management Expert Kate Christie on Creating Your Life List & Making It Happen
Kate Christie is Australia’s leading time management expert, bestselling author, and dynamic keynote speaker. With five acclaimed books and a reputation for entertaining, high-impact presentations, she helps individuals and organisations reclaim hours of lost time. Kate empowers her audiences to design lives of purpose through smarter time habits and strategic planning. A sought-after consultant across industries, she’s also a respected media voice, featured on TV, radio, podcasts, and as a columnist for CEO World Magazine and Mamamia. Kate’s mission is simple but powerful: find your lost time and use it to live deliberately, productively, and joyfully. Deborah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/what.ive.learnt/ Mind, Film and Publishing: https://www.mindfilmandpublishing.com/ Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/what-ive-learnt/id153556330 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3TQjCspxcrSi4yw2YugxBk Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1365850
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S8 · E13
October 10 · 32 min
Author Nick Bendel on What 500 Lunches with Strangers Taught Him
Nick Bendel is a keynote speaker, corporate trainer, coach and author specialising in social courage. After spending six years having lunch with 500 strangers, he developed a framework that helps people overcome hesitation, build stronger relationships and create more opportunities. Today, he works with organisations and individuals who want to turn potential into action. Through the 500 lunches, Nick noticed a consistent pattern. The people who created the most opportunities weren't necessarily the smartest or most confident. They were often the people most willing to initiate conversations, ask questions and take small social risks. That insight led him to develop the concept of social courage and dedicate his work to helping others build it. Deborah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/what.ive.learnt/ Mind, Film and Publishing: https://www.mindfilmandpublishing.com/ Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/what-ive-learnt/id153556330 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3TQjCspxcrSi4yw2YugxBk Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1365850
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S8 · E12
October 4 · 45 min
Radio host Robin Bailey on Grief, Forgiveness & Finding a Way Forward
Robin Bailey has had the rug pulled out from under her more than most. As her career flourished (Robin is one of Australia’s longest serving female voices on commercial radio), her world fell apart when Tony, the father of their three boys, suicided when their children were aged only 10, 12 and 14. Robin slowly rebuilt their lives, and then five years later, her beloved husband Sean died of liver cancer 11 months after they married. However, she keeps standing back up, determined to live a life full of hope and colour. In her memoir Flamingos Aren’t Born Pink, Robin bares all with a level of unexpected honesty from someone in the public eye. She is currently one of Robin, Kip & Corey on KIIS FM 97.3 Brisbane Breakfast, but has been on Brisbane radio for decades. As the women in her family have taught her, Robin believes in not just surviving, but thriving, and hers is not just a story of tragedy, but one of resilience courage and authenticity Deborah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/what.ive.learnt/ Mind, Film and Publishing: https://www.mindfilmandpublishing.com/ Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/what-ive-learnt/id153556330 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3TQjCspxcrSi4yw2YugxBk Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1365850
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S8 · E11
September 5 · 35 min
Broadcaster Christian O'Connell on Connection & Being Human
For almost 30 years Christian O’Connell has connected with millions of people live on air by embracing the unscripted moments that make us human. He arrived in Australia a complete unknown and took his Melboume breakfast show to number one in just 15 months. Today he hosts Australia’s first national commercial breakfast show and is the first broadcaster ever to top the ratings in two countries. But the ratings are only half the story. O’Connell is one of the most compelling storytellers in broadcasting — and what he really builds isn’t a radio show, it’s a community. His whole career proves a single idea: authentic connection, not polished perlection. We explore his new book Unscripted, the panic attacks that almost took him off air as host of one of the most successful radio spots in the Country and why he showed kindness empathy and love when confronted by the trauma of the Bondi massacre in Sydney offering his listeners a safe space to be heard and heal. Deborah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/what.ive.learnt/ Mind, Film and Publishing: https://www.mindfilmandpublishing.com/ Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/what-ive-learnt/id153556330 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3TQjCspxcrSi4yw2YugxBk Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1365850
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S8 · E10
August 29 · 30 min
Clinical Psychologist Dr Shefali on Conscious Parenting & Connection
New York Times best seller Dr Shefali joins me to explore the complexity of childrens anxiety, emotional fragility, or vulnerability in today’s chaotic world, and stresses you are not alone. The stats are real! Nearly 60% of teen girls reported persistent sadness - the highest percentage ever recorded. 1 in 3 adolescents experience an anxiety disorder, but girls are nearly twice as likely as boys to be affected. Expectations and distractions for boys can be disturbing complex. Most parents feel overwhelmed, confused, and unsure how to guide their children through screens, pressure, social media, and constant stimulation. The problem isn’t that you don’t care. It’s that no one ever taught you how to parent consciously. Dr. Shefali’s has a 3-Phase Method for raising empowered, emotionally resilient, and conscious children. Something unprecedented is unfolding in the inner lives of our children.🙏 On the surface, they are achieving and adapting. Beneath it, many are struggling to stay connected to themselves. 📘 Girls are battling anxiety, perfectionism, and self-doubt despite their achievement. 📘 Boys are navigating impossible mandates around masculinity, strength, and identity. Both are growing up inside a digital culture that amplifies comparison, commodifies worth, and fractures authenticity. Without conscious parenting, children internalize the noise. With conscious guidance, they return to themselves. Deborah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/what.ive.learnt/ Mind, Film and Publishing: https://www.mindfilmandpublishing.com/ Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/what-ive-learnt/id153556330 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3TQjCspxcrSi4yw2YugxBk Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1365850
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S8 · E9
August 22 · 37 min
Ultra Athlete Jason Dunn on Belief & Overcoming Adversity
Jason Dunn is an elite, ultra-endurance athlete, having completed more than 14 IRONMAN competitions, multiple ultra marathons, and placing second overall at the Athletics Australia 100k National Road Running Championships. It is through these sporting endeavors that he honed his mindset and resilience. Jason had a successful career in finance and wealth management. He is a Leader, Founder, CEO, high-performance mindset coach, keynote speaker entrepreneur, and elite ultra-endurance athlete. Jason now pursues his interests as an author. His first book UNLIMITED, self-published in late 2023, sold in print, ebook and audio, with sales of 3,500+ across all formats and 18 countries in 18 months. Trunnis Goggins II, a best-selling author and the brother of NYT best-selling author David Goggins, described Jason as “The refined David Goggins". Deborah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/what.ive.learnt/ Mind, Film and Publishing: https://www.mindfilmandpublishing.com/ Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/what-ive-learnt/id153556330 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3TQjCspxcrSi4yw2YugxBk Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1365850
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S8 · E8
August 15 · 27 min
Performance Dietitian Jessica Spendlove on Burnout and Recovery
Jess Spendlove is a leading voice on wellbeing and high performance Becoming a top performer is about talent, drive and ambition. Staying a high performer is about consistency, habits and non-negotiables. Her journey began as an elite athlete, where she became a state and national swimming champion across breaststroke, butterfly and individual medley. Before moving into the corporate arena, she spent over a decade at the forefront of elite sport, working with seven professional teams, Olympic medallists, world champions, premiership-winning sides and the Special Forces Command. From her early years as an elite athlete, to supporting top performers in business, sport and the military, and now navigating life as a new mum, she understands that wellbeing and performance evolve across different seasons. Her mission: to help you and your team succeed not at the cost of your health, but because of it. Deborah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/what.ive.learnt/ Mind, Film and Publishing: https://www.mindfilmandpublishing.com/ Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/what-ive-learnt/id153556330 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3TQjCspxcrSi4yw2YugxBk Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1365850
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S8 · E7
August 6 · 46 min
Minkie Spiro on Directing Great Actors and Creative Collaboration
Award-winning film & television director Minkie Spiro likes to tell big stories. Her critically acclaimed body of work only proves her innate versatility to create cinematic masterpieces. Her hit series All Her Fault with Aussie Sarah Snook has become a global sensation, beating all records for the platform with over 2 billion hits in the first week. This mystery thriller is Sarah Snook’s first TV role since Succession and also stars Dakota Fanning, Michael Pena and Jake Lacey. Directing Peacock’s latest hit series The Five Star Weekend streaming now follows Hollis Shaw, a widowed food author played by Jennifer Gardner who hosts a Nantucket getaway with four friends from different life stages after a devastating loss. The series explores grief, friendship, and personal growth against a coastal backdrop. Deborah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/what.ive.learnt/ Mind, Film and Publishing: https://www.mindfilmandpublishing.com/ Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/what-ive-learnt/id153556330 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3TQjCspxcrSi4yw2YugxBk Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1365850
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S8 · E6
July 31 · 31 min
What I've Learnt - Dr Amy Wilson
Dr Amy Wilson is a senior OCRF ovarian cancer research foundation researcher and endometriosis patient with lived experience including an ovarian cancer scare. Amy brings personal and professional insight to the OCRF mission: to detect ovarian cancer earlier, improve treatment outcomes, and prevent the disease altogether . Having just had her first child she is hopeful and dedicated to closing the gender health gap and to improving healthcare for women in every stage of life. Deborah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/what.ive.learnt/ Mind, Film and Publishing: https://www.mindfilmandpublishing.com/ Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/what-ive-learnt/id153556330 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3TQjCspxcrSi4yw2YugxBk Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1365850
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S8 · E5
July 19 · 30 min
What I've Learnt - Em Rusciano
Over the past few years, Em has found herself navigating the end of an 18-year marriage, dating again in her 40s, single parenting, rebuilding her career independently and questioning many of the beliefs she’d carried since childhood about love, worthiness, approval and what it means to be a “good woman.” Her new national tour “Addicted To Love” grew out of that experience, but the conversation itself is really about what happens when the life you built no longer fits and you’re forced to start listening to yourself again. Deborah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/what.ive.learnt/ Mind, Film and Publishing: https://www.mindfilmandpublishing.com/ Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/what-ive-learnt/id153556330 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3TQjCspxcrSi4yw2YugxBk Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1365850
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S8 · E4
July 12 · 28 min
What I've Learnt - Lucinda Hartley
“We’ve lost the village”: Housing expert Lucinda Hartley on the loneliness crisis hiding in plain sight. Australia is facing a loneliness epidemic and according to housing expert and urbanist Lucinda Hartley, the problem isn’t just our busy lives or screen addiction. It’s the way our cities have been designed. From long commutes and car dependence to apartment buildings that prioritise privacy over connection, modern Australian life is making it easier than ever to move through entire days without meaningful human interaction. As rates of loneliness soar, particularly among young Australians, Lucinda says we need to stop treating loneliness as a personal failing and start recognising it as a housing and city design issue. Author of Finding Home, Lucinda can discuss why the “village” that once sustained communities has quietly disappeared and simple changes individuals, developers and governments can make to rebuild connection into everyday life. Deborah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/what.ive.learnt/ Mind, Film and Publishing: https://www.mindfilmandpublishing.com/ Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/what-ive-learnt/id153556330 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3TQjCspxcrSi4yw2YugxBk Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1365850
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S8 · E3
June 26 · 40 min
What I've Learnt - Shelly Horton
You’re going to love Shelly Horton as she explores all things Peri and Menopause! She’s transformed her own perimenopause experience into a mission to ensure other women aren’t sideswiped like she was. 💕 Through her book, I’m Your Peri Godmother: A happily-ever-after guide to kicking perimenopause in the ovaries, and her signature sassy delivery, Shelly blends lived experience with expert-backed advice to smash the stigma around perimenopause and menopause. With over 30 years in media, including a decade on TODAY EXTRA, she’s a trailblazer for menopause-friendly workplaces that boost productivity and support women with evidence, not eyerolls. Find out more about her Pri Godmother at Work training https://shellshockedmedia.com/peri-godmother-at-your-workplace/ Tickets to the Hot, Healthy and Unbreakable: Midlife Reimagined https://www.tegdainty.com/tour/hot-healthy-unbreakable/ Deborah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/what.ive.learnt/ Mind, Film and Publishing: https://www.mindfilmandpublishing.com/ Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/what-ive-learnt/id153556330 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3TQjCspxcrSi4yw2YugxBk Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1365850
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S8 · E2
June 5 · 51 min
What I've Learnt - Ruby Kraner-Tucci
Deborah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/what.ive.learnt/ Mind, Film and Publishing: https://www.mindfilmandpublishing.com/ Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/what-ive-learnt/id153556330 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3TQjCspxcrSi4yw2YugxBk Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1365850
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S8 · E1
May 29 · 40 min
What I've Learnt - Dane Hudson
500+ scuba dives have taught this exec about business leadership Dane Hudson credits the late @visyforabetterworld former CEO Richard Pratt with guiding him on his life’s journey as a young @visyforabetterworld employee. Through half a century in the water, Dane Hudson has mastered the core tenets he brings to business coaching: heightened awareness and disciplined, deliberate action. Global CEO Dane Hudson on his new book, Discipline Beats Vision shares powerful leadership lessons learnt. Dane has 25+ years as a CEO across five industries across Australia, the US, Asia and Africa, including roles as CEO of Regional CEO of ISS Asia Pacific (overseeing 200,000 employees) Experience, insight and wisdom. Deborah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/what.ive.learnt/ Mind, Film and Publishing: https://www.mindfilmandpublishing.com/ Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/what-ive-learnt/id153556330 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3TQjCspxcrSi4yw2YugxBk Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1365850
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S7 · E17
May 22 · 35 min
What I've Learnt - Bernadette Schwerdt
Deborah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/what.ive.learnt/ Mind, Film and Publishing: https://www.mindfilmandpublishing.com/ Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/what-ive-learnt/id153556330 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3TQjCspxcrSi4yw2YugxBk Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1365850
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S7 · E16
April 25 · 37 min
What I've Learnt - Amy Nobile Messing
After leaving her 20 year marriage and finding her self single scared and confused in New York Amy @love.amy.nyc ❤️embarked on a brave exploration to find her truth. Now she can charge $40,000 to help others find love which she did ! “I track all of the beautiful love stories that I’ve had the privilege of watching bloom. And one thing they all have in common is this: unbridled and glowing gratitude for each other. It’s the kind of energy that beams “We can’t believe we get to DO this together.” In early dating, look for signs that this person sees life through the lens of gratitude. How do they speak about their loved ones? How do they show up for them? Do they take them for granted? What role do they play in their family? In their friend group? The way they speak about their ex is a clue. Even if they had a tough breakup or divorce, do they speak with integrity about them? Do they own their part? The couples I’ve witnessed cannot believe how lucky they are to have found each other. It’s so heart opening to watch. You deserve that, too.” Amy is a holistic dating coach and author of Dating for the One, which will launch in 2027. Love, Amy is her coaching business that marries the technology of modern dating with a holistic view of human-to-human energy and connection. ❤️ Amy lives with her husband Brett (they met on Bumble!) in Los Angeles and New York City. Deborah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/what.ive.learnt/ Mind, Film and Publishing: https://www.mindfilmandpublishing.com/ Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/what-ive-learnt/id153556330 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3TQjCspxcrSi4yw2YugxBk Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1365850
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S7 · E15
April 25 · 38 min
What I've Learnt - Kathryn Heyman
“I did not tell my sister that our other sister was dying. Silence was the right choice, yet murky and painful” In family estrangement, the mud and dirt gets everywhere, Kathryn Heyman writes. “And it is very hard to undo what has been done” She is the author of 9 novels, and the acclaimed memoir, Fury. She has won numerous awards infact almost too many to mention. Her new book “Circle of Wonders”is a novel about facing death while rediscovering life, and about the messy grace that emerges when people who’ve hurt one another choose to love anyway. Roni is running out of time. As cancer claims her body, she begins a Book of Wonders, capturing the small, luminous moments she once overlooked. It’s a final gift to the people she loves, and completing it means reckoning with both the flawed life she has lived and the fractured family she’s about to leave behind. Over one charged lunar month, the women closest to her gather: Belle, her daughter fresh from rehab and trying to stay upright; Anna, her brilliant sister returning from London with all her old certainties cracking; and Sylvie, her estranged mother, approaching her own death across the mountain ridge. Meanwhile, Roni’s ex, the Drone, as she’s dubbed him, haunts the house, casting shade on the light she’s fighting to keep burning. Deborah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/what.ive.learnt/ Mind, Film and Publishing: https://www.mindfilmandpublishing.com/ Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/what-ive-learnt/id153556330 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3TQjCspxcrSi4yw2YugxBk Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1365850
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S7 · E14
March 27 · 33 min
What I've Learnt - Fleur Marks
Fleur Marks was a high performer who built a successful career on drive and relentless high standards. Until the pace that fuelled this ambition triggered a life-threatening health crisis and landed her in what she describes as the ‘waiting room of death’. Fleur survived. But she also woke up. Because beneath a polished surface, countless other high achievers are silently exhausted and questioning whether relentless striving is worth the cost. The truth? Many are trapped in the ‘overachiever’s cycle’, an unsustainable pattern where self-worth is tethered to achievement and external validation. For Fleur, what followed was not a retreat from ambition, but a total life reset. Drawing on neuroscience, behavioural science and a decade of lived experience, she rebuilt how she lived, led and defined success. Now she shares this blueprint in her new book, The Overachiever’s Reset which combines Fleurs deeply personal story with practical tools for those who want impact without implosion. Deborah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/what.ive.learnt/ Mind, Film and Publishing: https://www.mindfilmandpublishing.com/ Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/what-ive-learnt/id153556330 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3TQjCspxcrSi4yw2YugxBk Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1365850
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