Women’s History Month celebrates the contributions women have made to history, culture, and society. On a personal level, this feels like the perfect time to celebrate some of the incredible women who have shaped my life and career, and express my deep gratitude.

The world is full of tributes to individual greatness – media empires, artworks, publications, prizes and awards, philanthropic acts, halls of learning, public spaces.

But when it’s not your name on the building, the effect can be numbing, not inspiring. Greatness exists, but it’s not your role.

I’m here to tell you that realizing your own greatness is your role. It’s the prime reason for being.

Years ago, I abandoned the practice of making New Year's resolutions. It didn’t work for me. 

Why not? Because it triggered me. It put me on a shame roller coaster. And I hated that feeling. And then I hated myself for failing. 

A lot of high-achieving people are self-critical, fueled by a feeling of not being enough. In 2022, I decided to let that feeling go, and it turned out to be the best year yet for my business, and in many ways, for my life. Here’s what I learned in a year where I stopped looking outside for validation, and found answers within myself.

A client came to me hoping to reclaim his spark and move more joyfully toward important life goals which he hadn’t pursued in years because of the usual—a demanding job, kids, marriage, family, staying healthy, and a million other energy-expending reasons.

He wanted to feel good in his body, and to reconnect with his sense of excitement for life, his motivation to move toward fulfilling his purpose.

The way toward your own greatness may look lonely, but I assure you, when you’re really doing the inner work and staying your course which only you can plot, you’ll find a whole different community of people who are on their own journeys, too.

How my leadership, relationships, quality of life, and self-outlook changed immeasurably when I started tending to my inner dialogue.

Several of my clients know each other, so it shouldn’t be surprising that they talk about our coaching work when they get together. However, this was news to me.

And it’s how I discovered a term they coined and use with each other about what it’s like to decide to take the plunge into coaching.

That term is: Being Marte-ready.

When I was a brand new executive, I was super excited, I had tons of ideas, and I felt jazzed to dive right into the pool–to lead, leverage my experience and my strategic mind at the helm of a great organization. I went in, full-force.

Is grant-writing a science or magic? There are a lot of perceptions about what it takes to create a compelling grant. Here I debunk two of the myths that most often derail grant applications, and share what I’ve learned about what works. Whether you’re an individual artist, a large nonprofit, or somewhere in between, this post is for you.

Here are 4 key takeaways (from among many beautiful ones) these young changemakers shared with me about the value of storytelling—and what that means for you and your work.

2021 was a year filled with insights. Here are Marte’s top 7 business and personal takeaways from the year, which she hopes will inspire you to engage in your own reflection and jump start 2022.

Ritual is a transformative practice that can set you free and transform your life. Plus, four rituals you can use to spark greater creativity and success.

Whether or not you resist it, your self-actualization is calling (and it won’t be silenced).

Top client tip for the week: 5 reasons telling your story is worthwhile, and how your story is actually the path to your success.

How learning to master my fears was the unexpected blessing of 2020, and how this has also been the most important gift I could have given myself and my clients.

What’s the secret to more effective meetings? We unpack what’s behind a powerful meeting kickoff, what an experienced facilitator does and why, and tips for creating your own kickass meeting success.

3 things you can do now to boost your creativity

When you and your business put your creativity toward living your values and embracing equity – right down to your financial decisions – even small actions can be powerful.

How learning to play on purpose is the best thing I ever did to enhance my work, and three reasons it’s time for you to bring more play into your workplace.

How a daily practice of becoming on-purpose helps you enjoy life as it unfolds and stop being in a rush to “get there” already.