Mic Drop Workshop Amplify Podcast: Speak, Write & Lead

How to Use Fear as Creative Fuel

Written by Lauren | Oct 29, 2025 6:57:19 PM

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ON THIS EPISODE OF AMPLIFY

Have you ever secretly loved being underestimated? That feeling of having nothing to lose and everything to prove. But what happens when you start to succeed, and that pressure of being watched threatens to sabotage your progress?
 
This week on Amplify, Jess sits down with her dear friend, author, and speaker Mary Marantz, whose new book Underestimated explores how to break free from the fears that hold us back. Mary gets candid about her journey, from being told by a high school teacher that she wouldn't make it, to the destructive cycle of perfectionism and self-sabotage that comes with success.
 
She shares how she's learned to embrace a new kind of fuel for her ambition and why she believes the very act of facing fear means you're about to do work that truly matters.
 

YOU’LL DISCOVER:

  • Why being an underdog is a "role of a lifetime" that can destroy your ambition if you aren’t careful.
  • The surprising connection between childhood chaos and the urge to self-sabotage as an adult.
  • The "Motivation-Defeat Cycle" and how to break free from the all-or-nothing mindset.
  • Why consistency will always beat excellence in the long run.
  • Mary’s powerful reframe: Fear isn't a creative force; it's a "boring liar" that uses the same broken scripts on everyone.
  • How to identify your "achiever type" and use that knowledge to overcome your unique fears.
  • The truth about asking for help and why we’re often our own worst enemies when it comes to showing vulnerability.