Is Your Silence Sabotaging Your Success? - Penny Locaso on Fear, Leadership & Decision Fatigue
Are you holding back from making a decision that could change everything?
In this powerful episode of Decisions That Count, neuroscientist Dr. Shawn Watson and co-host Michelle O’Brien sit down with behavioral scientist, leadership coach, and founder of HackingHappy.co, Penny Locaso, to explore the hidden cost of inaction—especially for ambitious women navigating fear, self-doubt, and societal expectations.
We unpack the science behind decision fatigue, the authority gap, and why so many high-achieving women struggle to label themselves as experts—even when they’ve earned it. Penny shares her groundbreaking Intentional Adaptability® framework, insights on overcoming imposter syndrome, and practical strategies to break free from fear-based non-decisions that silently sabotage success.
Whether you're a leader, entrepreneur, parent, or simply someone battling the mental load of modern life, this conversation offers deep insights and actionable tools to help you reclaim your voice, your impact, and your decision-making power.
🔍 Key Topics:
The psychology of fear and non-decision
How internalized conditioning silences expertise
Why inaction drains mental energy
Gender dynamics in leadership and pitching
Building resilience and reclaiming expert authority
Practical mindfulness and brain-optimization tools
🎯 You’ll learn:
Why not deciding is a decision
How to dismantle the “ick” factor around expertise
The science behind decision fatigue—and how to overcome it
Simple ways to reset your brain and take intentional action
How to create inclusive environments that empower women to thrive
📌 Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
05:52 Conditioning and Gender Dynamics
09:06 – Gender Gap in Leadership
18:02 – Empowerment & Resilience
33:38 – Mindfulness & Brain Resets
46:13 – Disrupting Autopilot Thinking
56:04 – Penny’s Top 3 Takeaways
✨ Guest: Penny Locaso Behavioral Scientist | Leadership Coach | Creator of the Intentional Adaptability® framework 🔗 Explore More from Penny Locaso:
🌐 Website: https://hackinghappy.co💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pennylocaso📄 Expert Checklist: https://app.hackinghappy.co/howtobecomeanexpertchecklist📚 HBR Article on VC Bias: https://hbr.org/2017/06/male-and-female-entrepreneurs-get-asked-different-questions-by-vcs-and-it-affects-how-much-funding-they-get
🎧 Hidden Figures Podcast Series: https://hackinghappy.kartra.com/page/hiddenfigures
👥 Hosts: Dr. Shawn Watson – Neuroscientist & Founder Michelle O’Brien – Marketer, Mum, Marathon Runner
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🧠 Hosted by neuroscientist Dr. Shawn Watson and marketer-mum-marathoner Michelle, Decisions That Count explores how science-backed insights can help you overcome decision fatigue and unlock peak performance.
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💡 If you found this episode helpful, like, comment, and subscribe. Share it with someone who could use a reset on how they make decisions. Let’s build better brains together—one choice at a time.
Your decisions shape your life. Make every decision count.
📣 Ready to step into your expertise? Share this episode with a woman you admire—and call her what she is: an expert. 💡 #DecisionsThatCount #DecisionFatigue #Leadership #WomenInLeadership #PennyLocaso #Expertise #Empowerment #Mindfulness #MentalLoad #Neuroscience #CognitivePerformance #IntentionalAdaptability #AuthorityGap
