The Fear You Choose: Kristi Piehl on Resilience, Hard Things & Choosing Fear Before It Chooses You

Resilience isn't built only when life gets hard. Kristi Piehl explains why choosing difficult things when you can may prepare you for the fear you can't choose.

Kristi Piehl, Founder and CEO of Media Minefield, joins Jaime Taets for a vulnerable conversation about resilience, fear, leadership, identity, and the moments that force us to rethink what matters most. After losing her television news career during the 2008 economic crisis, Kristi spent nearly two years figuring out what came next before founding Media Minefield. Years later, her son's cancer diagnosis created another life-changing moment that reshaped her perspective on family, work, success, and what truly matters. Through both experiences, Kristi learned to control what she could control, lean on community, and choose the hard things when they were still a choice.

Together, Jaime and Kristi discuss how difficult experiences can clarify your values rather than completely change who you are. They explore why leaders need to know who they are, why you cannot go through hard times alone, how relationships can change during adversity, and why success can ultimately mean having the freedom to make meaningful choices and help others.

Whether you're facing a crisis, navigating transition, or simply wondering how to build resilience before you need it, this conversation will give you a different way to think about fear and hard things.

Timestamped Chapters

0:00 Introduction to Kristi Piehl
2:35 From TV news reporter to entrepreneur
7:51 Control what you can control
9:26 Choose hard before life chooses it for you
11:23 When adversity reveals what really matters
12:59 Success equals freedom
16:32 Know who you are before you lead others
21:22 Take the next right step
23:28 The fear you choose vs. the fear that chooses you
28:26 Be yourself, lean into it, and leave a trail

Guest Bio

Kristi Piehl is the Founder and CEO of Media Minefield, a national award-winning public relations firm specializing in media relations, executive social media, reputation management, crisis communication, and training. Before launching Media Minefield in 2010, Kristi spent 12 years as an Emmy Award-winning television news reporter. She is also the author of Flip Your Script: Own Your Story & Unlock the Positive Power of Social Media, host of the Flip Your Script podcast, an experienced keynote speaker, and a Forbes Councils contributor. Kristi has been recognized with multiple PRNEWS awards and named one of Minnesota's 500 Most Powerful Business Leaders. She earned her Master of Science in Management and Leadership from Pepperdine University's Graziadio Business School.

Quotes from the Episode

"Choose hard when it's a choice."

"Success equals freedom."

"If you choose fear when you can, you are more ready to be available for the fear that chooses you."

Leadership Insights

Q: What is resilience and how can leaders build it before a crisis?

A: Resilience is the ability to adapt, recover, and continue moving forward when faced with difficult circumstances. Kristi's experience shows that resilience can be strengthened before a crisis by intentionally choosing challenges, building supportive relationships, and learning how to focus energy on what you can control. As she puts it, "Choose hard when it's a choice" practice doing difficult things in ordinary moments so you're more prepared when circumstances become genuinely difficult.

Q: How can difficult experiences change leadership and clarify values?

A: Difficult experiences can clarify what matters most without requiring someone to become an entirely different person. For Kristi, adversity reinforced the importance of family, meaningful work, authentic leadership, and using her position to help others. Rather than creating a new identity, hard times can "galvanize" the values you already have and show you what you're truly willing to fight for.

Resources

• Learn more about Kristi Piehl and her work in leadership, media, and storytelling.
• Explore Media Minefield, Kristi’s public relations and reputation management agency.
• Listen to Flip Your Script, Kristi’s podcast about transformation, storytelling, and using social media for positive impact.
• Learn more about Jaime Taets and her work in leadership development and organizational growth.
• Explore Jaime’s Women’s Executive Retreats, focused on dreams, fears, purpose, and meaningful change.
• Follow Jaime on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook

If this conversation challenged the way you think about resilience, fear, or the hard things in life, share it with another leader who could benefit from these insights.

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Jaime Taets