Hey friends -
If you asked me what I’d love to spend my life doing, I’d probably say learning everything I can about human nature. The way we think, why we do what we do, why we’re so… weird.
Which is why I’ve spent a lot of time reading about the theories of motivation and what makes us keep going. One idea that keeps coming up is that we’re wired to want to grow. We need to feel challenged in order to stay motivated. It shows up everywhere: it’s called competence in self-determination theory, mastery in a few others, and it’s even part of what makes us reach a flow state. Too much comfort, and we tune out. Our brains want to see progress.
But there’s a balance. Things need to be hard enough to push us, but not so hard that we burn out. There’s this Goldilocks zone of challenge we’re all unconsciously chasing.
A lot of people leave their jobs because that balance breaks. The work becomes too much, the environment is toxic, they burn out. But sometimes the opposite happens. Things are fine. The team is great. The job is technically a dream. But you feel yourself plateauing—and that quiet loss of growth can be just as heavy.
My guest this week knows that feeling well.
Carla Siegel had one of those rare jobs that felt like the perfect fit. She studied design, followed her passion for food into culinary school, and somehow landed in a role that brought it all together—doing design and PR at The Dinex Group, the restaurant group founded by chef Daniel Boulud. It felt almost magical. She stayed eight years.
But eventually, the magic faded. Carla couldn’t ignore that she’d stopped growing.
So she left. No backup offer. No grand plan. Just a pull toward something that felt more her own.
Carla had to choose between two fears: the fear of stagnation, and the fear of failure. She chose the one that kept her moving.
In this episode we talk about:
What it was like to go to culinary school while working full-time
What happens when the perfect fit stops feeling perfect
Designing a career by following curiosity, not chasing a title
The five-year rule that helped her stay patient
The pros of being your own boss when you’re a caregiver
You might notice my brain working throughout this conversation—a few deep breaths, one or two tangents. That’s because Carla got me thinking about my own fears, and how often I’ve picked the wrong ones to listen to.
Trying not to make the same mistake again.
Cheers,
M.
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✨ About Carla Siegel:
Carla Siegel is the Founder of Agentsie, a boutique creative studio offering design and marketing services to clients in the hospitality industry. From establishing restaurant brand identities to crafting creative, on-brand communications in digital and in print, Agentsie provides smart, sustainable communications solutions with an intimate understanding of operational and budgetary constraints unique to the hospitality realm.
🏃♀️ Want to Get Moving?
There’s nothing like a challenge to keep you accountable.
Apparently, if you’re 40, there’s a high likelihood you’re in perimenopause—and yet most doctors don’t know how to support us through it. I’m in my early 40s, and I know this change is coming. So I’m doing what I can now to make sure I don’t get thrown for a loop.
Naviday Health (you might remember their founder, David Franklin, from this episode a few weeks back) just launched The Menopause Mile—a free 90-day challenge to help people move more and feel better during menopause.
I knew working out helped my head, but I didn’t realize it could actually make a difference with stuff like hot flashes and hormonal chaos.
I signed up. Would love to see you in the chat and swap notes along the way!
🧰 From The Toolbox
🛠️ For the freelancers (or the freelance-curious)
Carla’s dad told her it takes five years for people to know you’re doing a thing—and honestly, he’s not wrong. If you’re building something solo (or thinking about it), Freelancers Union has solid resources: contracts, benefits, community, and some peace of mind.
I talked to their Executive Director on the pod a while ago—listen here if you missed it.
🎨 A little design hack
I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’ve been trying out a new look and feel for the pod. I’m not a designer, but I love playing around with stuff.
Years ago, a friend told me about Creative Market’s freebies. They drop free design assets every week—fonts, mockups, templates, the occasional odd gem. I’ve been hoarding them ever since.
💖 Thanks for being here!
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