Do you feel stuck not because you’re behind, but because you’re waiting to feel ready?

In today’s episode of The SMARTA Podcast, I sit down with Musonda Veronica, Insider LA’s Person of the Year 2026, TEDx speaker, leadership coach, and keynote speaker, to break down how to step into this year with courage, clarity, and momentum even when your path doesn’t make sense yet.

This conversation is about choosing movement over perfection, courage over readiness, and trusting that you already have more value than you think.

What you’ll walk away with:

• Why your career path doesn’t need to make sense right now

• Why courage always beats readiness

• How to name fear so it stops controlling you

• How to build confidence through competence and familiarity

• How Gen Z mindset can reshape leadership at any age

• How to network, find mentors, and build opportunities from where you are

• Why your differences are not disadvantages, they’re your edge

Musonda Veronica’s work focuses on confidence, career transitions, leadership identity, and helping people step into opportunities before they feel ready.

This is your reminder that your dreams don’t need to make sense to anyone else. They just need movement from you.

In this episode:

00:00 – Welcome to Episode 2 of the Year

02:10 – Why you don’t need to be Gen Z to think like one

05:15 – The 3 truths that change how you approach your career

08:45 – Why courage beats readiness every time

12:40 – Saying yes before you’re ready changed everything

18:10 – How to name fear and turn it into a plan

22:30 – Confidence comes from familiarity

26:00 – Networking without fear or awkwardness

31:40 – Transferable skills when you have no experience

36:50 – Finding mentors when you think no one will say yes

40:10 – Books that changed Musonda’s life

45:45 – Final message you need to hear this year

If you learned something new from this episode, do me a huge favor: double-check that you’re subscribed, follow the show, and rate this episode 5 stars. It’s the single best way to help us bring you more amazing guests and tools to help you live your best life ever. Now, go out there and make this your best year yet!

📺 Watch on YouTube: The SMARTA Podcast Playlist

📖 See Sonia’s books: www.soniamarta.com/books.

📲 Follow Sonia’s Journey linktr.ee/soniamartauthor

Music by epic_musictracks on Pixabay

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