We’ve been told a story — that purpose is a North Star, a perfect sentence, a destination to reach in the distant future. But what if that story is what’s keeping us stuck?

In this episode, thought leader and author Michael Ventura shares a new path to purpose — one that helps you realize yours now and chart your path forward. Instead of chasing a single North Star, he invites us to see purpose as a constellation of meaningful points already alive in our lives. Through 13 “points of light” — from origin and identity to wounds, joy, and service — he offers a framework to help map who we are and what we’re here to do.

We talk also about:

• Why the “North Star” model no longer works
• A new framework made up of 13 “points of light” — from origins, identity, and wounds to joy, and service
• How wounds shape our direction — and why healing is part of living our purpose
• How to recognize that your purpose is already alive, now
• The difference between intellectualizing your purpose and deeply knowing it
• What to do when you feel stuck or like nothing’s blooming
• A preview of Michael’s forthcoming book — and how he shifted from agency leader to guide, teacher, and healer

Michael Ventura is a thought leader, author and practitioner working at the intersection of personal transformation and organizational change. He’s the founder of the strategy and design consultancy Sub Rosa, the author of Applied Empathy, and an advisor to leaders at organizations like Nike, Google, and the Obama-Biden Administration. He teaches at Esalen and works with individuals and teams in moments of transition.

Connect with Michael Ventura:

• https://www.michaelventura.co/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mvmvmv/
• Substack: https://michaelventura.substack.com/

Connect with Lizzie Azzolino:

• https://www.workwithlizzie.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizzieazzolino/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lizzie_azzolino/

Time is something we think about, talk about, worry about and structure our work and lives around every day. Yet, how often do you stop and ask: What is time, really? What is my relationship with time? Could I be experiencing time in a completely different way? In a world that feels like it’s speeding up, our relationship with time is ready to evolve. Because “I don’t have enough time” is just a belief. But it’s not the whole truth.

In this conversation with my friend Daniel Naor — Kabbalah teacher and belief system coach — we break down the subconscious programming to explore how to rise above the limitation of linear time and open to a more expansive reality.

In this episode, we bridge the spiritual with the practical to explore:

• What time really is — and how to expand beyond a purely linear experience of time
• The biggest limiting beliefs we hold about time — and how to shift them
• Divine timing: how to work with time, rather than work against time
• The balance between planning and allowing for a greater plan to unfold
• The difference between hustling and aligning with time’s natural flow
• Practical ways to rewrite your relationship with time and move from pressure to presence

Work with Daniel Naor:

• https://www.kabbalah.com/
• Instagram https://www.instagram.com/daniel.naor72

Work with Lizzie Azzolino:

• https://www.workwithlizzie.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizzieazzolino/
• Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lizzie_azzolino/

What does it really mean to lead with integrity? And how do we move beyond external expectations and comparison to fully trust and be ourselves?

In this conversation with Benedikt Lehnert—a seasoned design executive whose career spans startups to Fortune 10 big tech, including Microsoft and SAP—we explore what it means to shift from thinking our way to answers to feeling our way into alignment. Ben shares his journey of leaving external validation behind to reconnect with his core truth. We explore the inner work leadership requires today.

We also discuss the concept of “openings”—moments that wake us up and invite us to release old ways of operating, even when it’s uncomfortable. I share how to spot, understand, and move through these openings with intention.

Finally, we explore the intersection of entrepreneurship, humanistic design, business leadership, and intuition—and why, as industries and systems crumble, our willingness to step into alignment is not just personal but collective.

If you’ve felt like you’re being asked to step into a new way of leading—both in work and life—this episode will help you trust that process.

Get in touch with Benedikt Lehnert:

• https://benediktlehnert.github.io/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benediktlehnert/
• Substack: https://benediktlehnert.substack.com/

Get in touch with Lizzie Azzolino:

• https://www.workwithlizzie.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizzieazzolino/
• Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lizzie_azzolino/