Awfully Quiet

I came home from a Monday evening cycling class and immediately sat down to record this.
The instructor said something during class that completely stayed with me. And the more I sat with it (or more accurately: sweat through it), the more I realized how much of career ambition, confidence, visibility, and even success seems to come back to that exact thing.
Not following what looks impressive externally.
Not following the same path as everybody else.
But figuring out what actually feels true, warm, strong and deeply yours.
This one is very voice-note style. Unfinished thoughts, real time reflections, sweaty gym clothes and all.
But if it resonates, let me know.

Apparently, speaking in front of people is one of the most feared things in the world. Which… checks out. Especially if you’re listening to this.
This conversation made me want to use my voice more. Not in a performative, “be louder” way. More in a stop overthinking and just say the thing kind of way.
This week, I’m joined by Annelise McCarthy: Speaking coach and the voice behind You’re On Mute. She’s just wrapped a national tour across Australia, teaching thousands of women how to speak with confidence.
We talk about:
Why you’re not actually “bad at speaking”
The gap between what you think… and what you say out loud
Thought-to-speech fluency (and how you can train it)
Why confidence doesn’t come before you speak
What “taking up space” actually looks like (and why it’s not about being louder)

We also get into the less visible side of it: the self-doubt, the inner work, and the routines Annelise relies on before she steps on stage.
If you’ve ever sat in a meeting, had the thought… and then kept it to yourself, this one’s for you.
Send it to someone who’s been told to “just speak up more.”
Or save it for the next time you’re about to go off mute.
Connect with Annelise: https://www.instagram.com/theannelisemccarthy/
Follow Awfully Quiet: https://www.instagram.com/awfullyquietpod/

Here’s my confession: I worked five years to get to a senior level position in brand management. But whenever I introduce myself in meetings… I always drop the word "senior".
Because it feels like I shouldn’t be making a fuss. Stressing this little word would feel ego driven. Like I want to make myself more important than I am.
Until I realized… it’s doing myself and the people I introduce myself to a huge disservice.
I talk all about this in what feels like a voice note episode to myself, and to the person who downplays their credentials in the same way.

At some point, exceeding expectations stops being impressive… and starts being expected.
It becomes your thing. What you’re known for.
And more often than not… what quietly keeps you in place.
Because your work is strong. Your standards are high. And somehow, you’re still not the one people think of when opportunities come up.
We get into:
Why exceeding expectations is the floor, not the ceiling
Why quiet people over-index on output and under-index on visibility
The difference between value and value people can actually see
What to do instead of just working harder
What promotion decisions are actually based on

Chapters
00:00 The performance trap quiet people fall into
01:10 Great work was never the differentiator (sorry)
01:19 What “exceeding expectations” actually means at work
03:01 Why quiet people over-index on output and under-index on visibility
04:05 What actually changes how people see you
05:10 The quiet way up
05:49 Next week

Send this episode to someone who quietly needs it.

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/awfullyquietpod/
Subtle Series: https://www.instagram.com/subtleseries/

You’ve probably been told to “speak up more” at work.
And you try. But it never quite works the way people say it will.
This episode is about why that advice doesn’t really work for quiet people. And actually… why it can make things worse.
We talk about:
why visibility isn’t a volume problem
what happens when you try to “speak up more”
why your thinking stays invisible (even when it’s really good)
the difference between talking more and being understood
what the quiet version of visibility actually looks like

Chapters
00:00 The worst advice quiet people keep getting
00:47 Why visibility was never really built for you
01:28 The assumption that’s setting you up to fail
03:02 Why doing great work still isn’t enough
04:00 The alternative no one really talks about
05:03 What changes when you stop trying to be louder
05:32 Next week

If this made something click...share it with one person who needs to hear it. Quiet things spread that way.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Follow along
Instagram: @awfullyquietpodcast
Subtle Series: @subtleseries