“I was a zero. I was probably a negative back when I was 25.”

That is how mindset coach Susan Vernicek describes the start of her adult life. She wasn’t just struggling; she was deep in a “victim mindset.” She was numbing herself with partying and drinking. She was convinced that life was happening to her rather than for her.

In this week’s episode, we sit down with Susan to discuss how she pulled herself out of that dark place (which included $30,000 in credit card debt ) and built a successful career as an entrepreneur and coach over the last 20 years.

If you feel like you are drifting through your days on autopilot, or if you find yourself self-sabotaging every time you get close to success, this conversation is for you.

The Trap of “The Void”

One of the most powerful moments in our conversation came when we discussed why we form bad habits. Why do we overspend? Why do we overeat? Why do we scroll endlessly?

Susan admits that for her, it was often about comparison. She would see something online or on a platform and feel like she wasn’t “enough” (pretty enough, trendy enough, successful enough).

She calls this “filling a void.”

It got so bad that she had to boycott Target. She realized she had a pattern; she would walk in for one thing and walk out with a $300 receipt. She was simply trying to soothe an internal feeling with external items.

Ask yourself: What “void” are you trying to fill right now? And what expensive or toxic habit are you using to patch it up?

The “A-Game” Formula

Susan didn’t fix her life by accident. She used a specific framework that she now teaches to her clients. It is called the A-Game Formula, and it has four steps:

* Awareness: You have to wake up. You cannot change what you do not see. Most of us are running on autopilot.

* Acceptance: This isn’t about resignation. It is about embracing and acknowledging where you are right now (the debt, the weight, the unhappiness) so you can release the resistance.

* Appreciation: This sounds counterintuitive, but you have to appreciate your current struggle. It is providing you with data, evidence, and patterns that will help you grow.

* Achievement: Once you have the first three, you can finally take action and reach your personal achievements.

Stop Living on Autopilot

The scariest part of the victim mindset is that it feels comfortable. It is easy to say “I can’t do this” or “it’s not my fault.” But as Susan says, once you have awareness, you can’t unsee it. You have to call out your own BS.

If you are ready to stop drifting and start steering, listen to the full episode. Susan breaks down exactly how to use a self-awareness tracker. She explains how to grade yourself on your efforts daily (on a scale of 1 to 5) so you can finally see progress and change your behavior.

Resources Mentioned:

* Connect with Susan: susanvernicek.com

* Read Identity Magazine: identitymagazine.net

* Follow on Instagram: @susanvernicek

* Susan’s Book: Get All A’s in the Game of Life

* Book Mentioned: The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz

About the Guest:

Susan Vernicek is a mindset coach, author, and speaker with over 20 years of entrepreneurial experience. As the founder of Identity Magazine and the creator of the “A-Game” formula, she helps high-performers and mompreneurs shift from a “victim” state to a “warrior” mindset. She specializes in helping women break through mental blocks to achieve their next level of success without the guilt.

Get full access to Chitra Rochlani at thewarriormindset.substack.com/subscribe