Podcast Summary: Aspire with Emma Grede
Episode: "Start with Yourself: Change Your Mindset, Change Your Life"
Host: Emma Grede
Date: October 21, 2025
Overview
In this inspiring solo episode, Emma Grede explores the transformative power of mindset, uncovering how changing the way you think can unlock personal and professional success. Drawing from her own experiences—from humble beginnings to self-made entrepreneurial success—Emma offers listeners actionable mental tools to overcome self-doubt, negativity, fear of failure, and external criticism. She also shares a major personal announcement: her upcoming book Start with Yourself, out in spring 2026. The episode is filled with practical exercises, advice on resilience, and personal anecdotes, delivered in Emma's no-nonsense, energetic, and empowering style.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Emma’s Big Announcement: Her First Book
- [05:13] Emma reveals she’s written a book entitled Start with Yourself, coming out Spring 2026.
- Purpose: “This book is for anyone who’s seeking success on their own terms. ... It's a blueprint to my mindset and how I think about business and in life. ... But when I landed this title, nothing has ever felt more true for me.” — Emma Grede ([06:02])
- Main Message: Mastering your mindset is foundational for both business and life success.
2. Defining Mindset & Its Importance
- [09:05] Emma defines mindset as "your established set of attitudes, beliefs, and ways of thinking that shape how you interpret the world."
- Quote: “Think about your mindset as a garden. Whatever you plant, whether it’s weeds of negativity or seeds of growth, they will take root, grow, and shape the environment you live in.” — Emma Grede ([10:03])
- Mindset is the "invisible force" behind why some people succeed and others stall.
3. Assessing Your Baseline Mindset
- [12:28] Emma encourages listeners to honestly assess if their default thinking patterns are optimistic, pessimistic, defensive, etc.
- Action: “Pause for a second and write it down: What is my baseline mindset? Are you optimistic, pessimistic, defensive—whatever it is, that’s okay. But make that your starting point.” — Emma Grede ([12:55])
- Self-Inquiry: Key questions for personal reflection (e.g., "If I stayed in this mindset for the next five years, where would it take me?")
4. The Fixed vs. Growth Mindset Framework
- [11:25] Drawing on Carol Dweck’s research:
- Fixed Mindset: Abilities are static (“I’m just not good at math.”)
- Growth Mindset: Abilities can be developed (“I can get better at math if I practice.”)
- Recommendation: “If you haven’t read Mindset by Carol Dweck, you need to go out and immediately buy that book.” — Emma Grede ([11:54])
5. Creative Visualization / The Power of Dreams
- [24:05] Emma details how “creative visualization”—vividly imagining your goals—can rewire the brain for action and achievement.
- Step-by-step guide for beginners:
- Set a clear intention
- Find a quiet space, relax, and close your eyes
- Visualize the outcome as if it’s already happening
- Write down what you visualized and how it felt
- Repeat daily
- Emma’s Formula: “It’s seeing plus feeling plus repeating. Imagine your goal is already real. Feel it emotionally, and repeat it consistently.” ([27:28])
- Recommended Reading: Creative Visualization by Shakti Gwain
- Step-by-step guide for beginners:
6. Positive Thinking vs. Toxic Positivity
- [29:40] Emma stresses she’s “allergic to toxic positivity” and instead focuses on authentic strategies:
- Three Essentials for Positivity:
- Company you keep: “You become the average of the company you keep.” ([30:14])
- Consumption matters: Be mindful of what you read, watch, and listen to—this shapes your thought patterns.
- Gratitude practice: “Gratitude changes the brain.” ([34:37])
- Three Essentials for Positivity:
7. Managing Negative Thoughts
- [39:25] Emma shares reframing techniques:
- Therapist wisdom: “Talk to yourself like you talk to a best friend.”
- Detach from thoughts: "It was just a thought. I could create distance between myself and the thought." ([40:21])
- Emma’s Personal Hacks:
- Set and acknowledge one small win per day for a dopamine boost
- Connect with others to reduce stress
- Jay Shetty’s 5-4-3-2-1 method for grounding in the present:
([42:05])- 5 things you see
- 4 things you feel
- 3 things you hear
- 2 things you smell
- 1 thing you taste
8. Dealing With Haters and External Negativity
- [44:01] Emma on online criticism and unsupportive people:
- “Learning to live with haters isn’t about being cold or indifferent... it’s about building mental strength, self awareness, and emotional boundaries.”
- “Is it feedback or fuel? … Not everyone’s opinion deserves your attention ... If they're not in the arena with you, honestly, their voice just doesn’t get priority.” ([46:18])
- Build a “circle of credibility”—people whose feedback you value.
9. Fear of Failure—Especially for Women
- [48:30] Emma contextualizes fear of failure in terms of social conditioning, perfectionism, and double standards for women.
- "There is no failure, only feedback." — Emma Grede quoting Robert Allen ([49:07])
- Key Takeaways:
- Visualize failing and recovering
- Redefine failure as data, not defeat
- Ask: “What is this teaching me? What worked? What would I do differently?”
- If you play small, you stay small.
10. Celebrating Wins—Big and Small
- [54:10] The cultural issue of rushing and never pausing to acknowledge progress
- Quote: “When you never pause to celebrate, you fall into this idea of constant urgency, nothing really mattering, you get burnt out… but when you pause to celebrate a win … your brain releases that dopamine.” — Emma Grede ([54:40])
- Make celebration a habit, even for tiny victories—to reinforce confidence, motivation, and a growth mindset.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
| Timestamp | Quote | Speaker | |-----------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------| | 06:02 | "Learning to always start with yourself is the theme of this book." | Emma Grede | | 10:03 | "Think about your mindset as a garden. Whatever you plant... will take root, grow..." | Emma Grede | | 11:54 | "If you haven't read Mindset by Carol Dweck, you need to go out and immediately buy that book." | Emma Grede | | 27:28 | "It’s seeing plus feeling plus repeating. Imagine your goal is already real..." | Emma Grede | | 30:14 | "You become the average of the company you keep." | Emma Grede | | 34:37 | "Gratitude changes the brain." | Emma Grede | | 40:21 | "It was just a thought. I could create distance between myself and the thought." | Emma Grede | | 46:18 | "If they're not in the arena with you, honestly, their voice just doesn’t get priority." | Emma Grede | | 49:07 | "There is no failure, only feedback." | Emma quoting Robert Allen | | 54:40 | “When you never pause to celebrate, you fall into this idea of constant urgency… but when you pause to celebrate a win … your brain releases that dopamine.” | Emma Grede | | 57:19 | “The way you train your mind to see progress is exactly the way that you’ll create more of it.” | Emma Grede |
Key Timestamps for Essential Segments
- [05:13] — Emma announces her book, Start with Yourself
- [09:05] — Defining mindset and its impact on outcomes
- [11:25] — Carol Dweck’s fixed vs. growth mindset explained
- [24:05] — Creative visualization: The step-by-step technique
- [30:14] — The importance of your social and media environment
- [39:25] — Responding skillfully to negative thought loops
- [42:05] — Jay Shetty’s 5-4-3-2-1 grounding exercise
- [44:01] — How to handle haters and build your “circle of credibility”
- [48:30] — Gendered fear of failure and how to overcome it
- [54:10] — The science and practice of celebrating wins
Takeaways For Listeners
- Start with yourself: True change begins internally, with your attitudes and habits of mind.
- Be intentional: Audit both your thoughts and your social environment for negativity and growth opportunities.
- Use visualization: Imagine your goals vividly; repetition and emotional engagement make them attainable.
- Cultivate gratitude and celebrate progress: These practices directly rewire your brain for resilience and positivity.
- Redefine failure: It’s feedback, not defeat—especially crucial for women fighting cultural double standards.
- Surround yourself well: Seek people and content that uplift, not drain, your spirit.
- Don’t shy from support: Therapy, community, and sharing your journey are signs of strength, not weakness.
Final Message
Emma ends this episode with her signature blend of encouragement and realism:
"Don’t forget to always, always bet on yourself." — Emma Grede ([58:30])
Listeners are invited to reflect on the episode, share it with others who could benefit, and engage with Emma directly via her social channels and website.
For more practical strategies and true stories from some of the world’s most successful minds, subscribe and tune in to 'Aspire with Emma Grede.'