Season 1 Episode 9 | Who’s Really Running Your Business? Meet the Invisible Saboteur Costing You Peace, Power & Profit

Who’s Really Running Your Business? Meet the Invisible Saboteur Costing You Peace, Power & Profit

Have you ever found yourself spiraling over something that didn’t even happen, but your nervous system swears it did?

In this raw and revealing episode, Deborah Hartnett exposes the silent saboteur that might be secretly running your business: your distorted lens. Those old, subconscious stories shaped by fear, comparison, or childhood conditioning.

Through neuroscience, personal reflection, and a practical 3-step model, Deb walks you through how to break free from reactive leadership and step into powerful, soul-aligned decision-making.

If you’re craving clarity, grounded confidence, and peace in how you lead, this episode will help you spot the invisible narrative shaping your results, and give you the tools to rewrite it.

In This Episode, We Cover:

• What a distorted lens is, and how it silently shapes your business decisions
• How your nervous system reacts to thoughts like they’re real events
• The neuroscience behind self-sabotage and survival-mode leadership
• Why mindset isn’t just “emotional fluff”, it’s performance critical
• A 3-part Inspired Alignment Framework to shift from distortion to clarity

“You are not your distorted lens. You are not your past. You are the author now, leading from truth, not fear.”

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Introduction and Personal Story
01:08 Welcome and Purpose
01:42 Identifying the Distorted Lens
02:14 Personal Background and Early Influences
03:20 Understanding Neuroscience and Distorted Lenses
04:53 Impact on Business and Leadership
05:42 Invitation to Free Training
06:29 The Inspired Alignment Model
07:54 Practical Application of the Model
09:11 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
10:45 Legal Disclaimer

What distorted lens have you been unconsciously looking through, and what aligned truth are you ready to reclaim?

Resources & Links:

Registration opens soon!

Join the Purpose to Profit Free Training: https://bit.ly/45tawIt

Grab the The Aligned Business Blue Print  – your first step to building a business and life that feels as good as it looks: https://bit.ly/3SX0W9u

Want to work with Deb or join the Accelerator Waitlist?

Book a 1-on-1 call → https://inspired-bp.com

Love this episode?

💬 Did something in this episode stir something in you?

If so, you're not alone. Share your biggest takeaway in the comments, your story could be the mirror someone else needs.

👍 Like, subscribe, and tap the 🔔 so you never miss another raw, honest episode about building a soul-aligned business.

Music Credit:

“Who I’ve Always Been” by Beza, licensed via PremiumBeat (License #7089927, Order #5573317)

Legal Disclaimer:

The Inspired Entrepreneur Podcast and all content shared by Deborah Hartnett are for educational, informational, and inspirational purposes only. This podcast is not a substitute for professional advice, including medical, mental health, legal, or business guidance.

Music Credit:
“Who I’ve Always Been” by Beza, licensed via PremiumBeat (License #7089927, Order #5573317) © PremiumBeat.com / Shutterstock Canada, ULC

Legal Disclaimer:
This podcast is for educational and inspirational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult qualified experts for medical, legal, mental health, or business matters.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐔𝐬:

Website :www.inspired-bp.com
Instagram: @inspiredbusinessperformance
Facebook: @deborahannhartnett

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction and Personal Story
• 1:08 Welcome and Purpose
• 1:42 Identifying the Distorted Lens
• 2:14 Personal Background and Early Influences
• 3:20 Understanding Neuroscience and Distorted Lenses
• 4:53 Impact on Business and Leadership
• 5:42 Invitation to Free Training
• 6:29 The Inspired Alignment Model
• 7:54 Practical Application of the Model
• 9:11 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
• 10:45 Legal Disclaimer

Transcript

Season 1, Episode 9

Who’s Really Running Your Business?

[00:00:00]
No music at the top

Deborah:
The other day, I was in a room with a colleague I deeply respect. I didn’t think I was even on their radar.

What I didn’t realize at the time was that I’d been carrying the story: “I don’t matter.” And I’d been carrying it for years.

During the meeting, this colleague said, “Deb, you say the most insightful things.”

Wait, what?

I did a double take. Because the context I’d been living in was: “I don’t matter. I’m nice, but not impressive.” It was the same distorted lens I’ve carried since I was a kid.

Right then, I caught it—the subtle saboteur that distorts everything.

And today, we’re naming it.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, self-doubting, or like growing your business has gotten heavier than it should be, this one’s for you.

🎵 Theme Vocal Music (short)

[00:01:00]

Welcome home, inspired entrepreneurs.

I’m Deborah Hartnett—Master Performance Coach and fellow entrepreneur—walking this purposeful path with you.

You being here says something: you want more ease, more alignment, and more truth in the way you grow your business—not just results at any cost.

You're not here to chase. You're here to choose. To pause, reflect, and build something meaningful without burning yourself out in the process.

Have you ever spiraled over something that didn’t even happen—but your nervous system swears it did?

Maybe a client didn’t renew. A post flopped. You walked into a room and instantly felt like you didn’t belong.

What’s really hijacking your peace in those moments?

It’s not the external thing.
 It’s not your team.
 It’s not your systems.

There’s something else at play—something sneakier.
 And today, we’re calling it out.

🎵 Zen Music Break

[00:02:00]

Growing up, I was the youngest of three girls.

My oldest sister? She was everyone’s friend. People adored her.
 My middle sister? She was the sporty one.

And me?

In those early years, I decided: “I can’t be them. So who do I need to be?”

I became funny. Loud. I made people laugh. I made noise. I took the heat off.

But underneath it all, I was compensating for a deep-rooted belief:
 “I don’t matter as much as they do.”

That became my distorted lens—a subconscious story that shaped how I moved through the world.

So I spent years—decades—trying to prove my value, instead of just being valuable.

🎵 Zen Music Break

[00:03:00]

Let’s talk neuroscience.

What I was doing—what we all do—was interpreting reality through a distorted lens I didn’t even realize was there.

The content of that meeting was what my colleague actually said:
“Deb, you say the most insightful things.”
That’s what happened. That’s the data.

But then there’s context—the lens we’re seeing and listening through.

In neuroscience, this is called the Default Mode Network (DMN).
It’s the part of your brain that lights up when you’re not focused.
It replays old loops, past wounds, assumptions, fears—your survival stories.

And here’s the kicker: a Harvard study found that our minds wander 47% of the time.
And most of that wandering is negative and disconnected from reality.

Let me say that again:
 Nearly half the time, your brain is reacting to things that aren’t even real.

Because the brain doesn’t distinguish between thought and experience.

So when you think:
 “They don’t respect me.”
“I’m not good enough.”

…your nervous system reacts like it’s true.

Cortisol spikes.
 Creativity drops.
 Risk-taking? Gone.

You’re in full-on survival mode.

[00:05:00]

And you might be wondering:
 “Okay, Deb, but why does this matter for me as a business owner?”

Because this isn’t just emotional fluff.
This is performance critical.

Distorted lenses do 3 things:

1. Skew your decisions.
   You don’t raise prices because you assume they’ll walk.
   You avoid pitching because you expect a no.
2. Sabotage your leadership.
   You overwork, micromanage, or freeze entirely.
3. Leak into client relationships.
   If you’re doubting yourself, they feel it—and mirror it.

🎵 Theme Instrumental Music (short)

🌀 Mid-Episode Invitation

[00:06:00]

Let’s take a breath.

If you’re realizing you’ve been seeing your business through a distorted lens—and you’re ready to lead from something truer—I’d love to invite you to my free Soul-Centered Training: Purpose to Profit.

We’ll go deep into how to shift the patterns that sabotage your leadership and grow a business that reflects who you truly are.

You’ll find the link in the show notes, or just DM me the word “purpose” and I’ll send it directly.

Now, back to the invisible saboteur.

🎵 Zen Music Break (short)

[00:07:00]

Now that we’ve named the silent saboteur that distorts how you lead, decide, and grow, the question becomes:

What do you do once you see it?

This is the part most people skip. But it’s the part that changes everything.

It’s the work I’ve been doing for over a decade with purpose-driven founders all over the world.

And I call it the Inspired Alignment Model—a simple but powerful 3-step process:

1. Pause.
   Interrupt the spiral. Get present. Ask yourself:
   What distorted lens am I seeing through right now?
2. Remember.
   Return to what’s true.
   What does your highest self know about this?
   Is the thought aligned, empowering, compassionate?
3. Reclaim.
   Speak the aligned truth out loud. Choose again.
   Anchor into what’s real.

[00:08:00]

Let me walk you through this in action:

Back to that meeting—
 I walked in already carrying the lens: “I don’t matter.”

When my colleague complimented me, I was floored.
 It didn’t match the story I’d been believing.

So Step 1: I paused and noticed the lens.

Step 2: I remembered what’s true—
 That who I am in this world is someone who lights people up and empowers them.
 That truth called me to speak up in the meeting. What I say matters.

Step 3: I reclaimed my power.
 Internally, I reframed the moment and aligned with my commitment to empower others.

The result?
 I was present. I contributed. The meeting felt joyful.

That’s the power of this practice.

🌱 Outro

Pause.
Remember.
Reclaim.

Start leading from alignment—not reaction.
 Reclaim your energy, your clarity, your power.

You are not your distorted lens.
 You are not your past.
 You are not your old loops.

You are the author now.
This next chapter is being led by you—with purpose, alignment, and love.

If this episode stirred something in you, trust that.
 That was your soul saying, “Yes. This is what I’ve been waiting for.”

Share this episode with someone ready to let go of the old lens and reclaim their truth.

And don’t forget to sign up for the Purpose to Profit free training.
The link is in the show notes. I’ll see you there.

Until next time, breathe… align… and reclaim.

Your soul didn’t come here to play small.
 It came here to lead.

Welcome home.
Welcome to The Inspired Entrepreneur.

📜 Legal Disclaimer

The Inspired Entrepreneur Podcast and all content shared by Deborah Hartnett are for educational, informational, and inspirational purposes only.

This podcast is not a substitute for professional advice, including medical, mental health, legal, or business guidance. Always consult qualified professionals for any personal or professional concerns.