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What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Reframe: How to Stop Listening to Fear and Start Leading from Within?

The first time I learned to reframe fear, I didn’t even know that’s what I was doing. I was in my early twenties, waiting tables and barely keeping my head above water. A regular customer saw something in me I couldn’t yet see in myself and asked if I’d ever considered working in an office. That simple question changed the entire trajectory of my life. Looking back, that was my first reframe—shifting from “What if I fail?” to “What if I don’t?” But I didn’t yet understand what that really meant.

The lessons of reframing didn’t fully take shape until years later, when I was deep into my corporate career and began coaching others. That’s when I saw fear show up in its quieter, more sophisticated forms: imposter syndrome, perfectionism, comparison, the fear of success. Not the kind of fear that keeps you safe, but the kind that keeps you small. As a coach, I started recognizing patterns—brilliant, capable professionals who had every reason to believe in themselves but couldn’t hear their own potential over the noise of self-doubt. I’d been there too. I’d lived it. And I knew that “just be confident” wasn’t the answer. What worked was reframing—learning to interpret fear as information, not identity.

I wrote Reframe because I wanted to normalize fear, to remind people that it doesn’t mean you’re broken or unqualified—it means you care. And to share the same tools I use with my clients (and still with myself) to move through fear with honesty and courage. This isn’t a book about becoming fearless. It’s about becoming free—free to lead, grow, and live from a place of self-trust rather than self-doubt. My hope is that readers see themselves in these pages and walk away knowing they’re not alone, and that one small reframe can truly change everything.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Reframe: How to Stop Listening to Fear and Start Leading from Within, what would they be?

“Brave” by Sara Bareilles.

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

I’m drawn to books that explore human behavior—what drives us, what holds us back, and how we find purpose in our daily lives. I naturally gravitate toward philosophy, psychology, and personal development, especially when they’re written through a deeply human lens. Every morning, I start my day with The Daily Stoic and The Daily Dad by Ryan Holiday, along with The Daily Laws by Robert Greene. They ground me in reflection before the day even begins and have shaped how I think about leadership, parenting, and presence.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

I just finished Shadow Cell by Andrew and Jihi Bustamante—it’s a brilliant mix of intellect, intrigue, and insight—and Keep Going by Austin Kleon, which is such a powerful reminder that creativity is a discipline, not a spark. On my current to-be-read stack are The Next Conversation by Jefferson Fisher, The Barn by Wright Thompson, and Happy Sexy Millionaire by Steven Bartlett. Each one touches on communication, reflection, or purpose in a way that connects back to how we lead and live. At the end of each day, I’ve been winding down with Poems & Prayers by Matthew McConaughey—it’s grounding and reflective, a nice balance to how my mornings begin.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

My favorite scene to write was the story in the introduction, when I was a waiter, and a regular customer asked if I’d ever thought about working in an office. It was such an ordinary moment, but it completely changed the direction of my life. Writing that scene brought me back to the uncertainty, the self-doubt, and the quiet spark of hope that started everything.

What made it so powerful to write wasn’t just reliving that moment, but realizing how much meaning it carried in hindsight. That simple question, “Have you ever thought about…” was the first time I reframed fear without knowing it. It’s where the whole concept of the book was born. Putting it on the page reminded me that transformation doesn’t always happen in dramatic, cinematic moments. Sometimes it happens in the smallest exchanges, in the pause between doubt and possibility. That scene captured the heartbeat of Reframe: that one new way of seeing yourself can change everything.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

If waking up at 4 a.m. counts as quirky, then absolutely. I start every single day that early—weekends, holidays, travel days, all of it. It’s the only time my house is completely still, before my husband and son wake up and before the world starts asking for anything.

Those quiet hours are my investment in creativity. I spend about three hours every morning reading, writing, and thinking, with uninterrupted focus. No distractions, no noise—just space to explore ideas and follow where my thoughts want to go. People sometimes think 4 a.m. is about discipline, but for me, it’s really about peace. It’s the one part of my day that belongs entirely to me, and it’s how I stay connected to the work, the words, and the purpose behind them.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

I used to think I was late to getting my college degree, to having a child, to starting my writing career—but writing, and specifically writing Reframe, helped me see that it’s never being late; it’s arriving in your own season. And when you do, the joy is unexpected and unforgettable.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

If there’s one thing I’d want readers to take from Reframe, it’s that perspective is everything. How you choose to see a situation—your challenges, your timing, even your “failures”—can completely change your experience of it. Life rarely unfolds according to plan, but when you shift your frame, you can find joy, growth, and opportunity exactly where you are.

Michael Goodman is the author of the new book Reframe: How to Stop Listening to Fear and Start Leading from Within

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