501. She Knows What Transformation Looks Like

Kate Maree O’Brien

When Kate saw the hospital job posting for a project manager, she admitted to herself it was a long shot. With a confidence she had developed during hard times—and search results from Google—she convinced the hospital to give her a try. It would be a year before she learned why she had been chosen for the job.

Kate Maree O’Brien is a visionary and global voice for boldness and truth. She has fought for her life twice and knows firsthand what a personal transformation looks like. She has taken a total stand for what is possible in humanity and collaborates with top leaders such as Jack Canfield, Brendon Burchard and many more.

How Did You Start Using Your Talents?

Kate transformed a difficult childhood—where her father was an active, often violent alcoholic—into a career path of helping people. “My favorite was working in the emergency department, which I did for a number of years, then Intensive care, and coronary care. I loved environments that were very emergency-heavy. Interestingly, I found that through the experiences I had as a child, I was really good at handling emergency situations!”

The Most Impactful Turning Point?

“Sure, I had insecurities from growing up, but I also had another part of me that started to blossom. I got to be really unstoppable and learned how to talk my way into things I wanted.” While working in nursing at a local hospital in New Zealand, she saw a job posting and decided to apply, even though she knew she was less qualified than the other applicants. She Googled the topic of project management and absorbed all she could. She got the job. “About a year into the job, they told me they could tell I was the least experienced, but they saw a passion, an energy and an attitude that the others didn’t have. They thought I would take hold of the job with both hands.”

The Most Powerful Lessons Learned?

When Kate and her husband decided to open their own company, they knew they would have to learn about business from the ground up. They made a strategic decision, “to take things at our own pace and not oversell ourselves before we were ready. I see a lot of people doing the opposite. They jump straight from one role and into coaching. They over-sell themselves beyond what they are actually capable of offering.”

Steps to Success from Kate Maree O’Brien

1. Focus on getting mental clarity. Once you’ve sorted things in your mind, you can actually see the doors opening for you. The doors look a little different to everyone.

2. Really get it that you are here with a unique skill set, genius and point of view. I believe that is half the battle.

3. Don’t try to make your genius fit into somebody else’s sense of genius. If you do that you are watering down your own uniqueness.

4. Trust your journey.