Jamie: Hello, and welcome to Risky Conversations. Why? Because everything that’s worthwhile is on the other side of a risky conversation. My name is Jamie Lee, and I help smart, ambitious women leaders who feel allergic to office politics get promoted and better paid without throwing anyone under the bus.

As we gear up for the year of the Fire Horse in 2026, I want to share a metaphor that has been resonating deeply with several of my 1:1 coaching clients lately. I’m sharing it with you today because it might just clarify the real reason you’ve been feeling stuck.

When you have clarity, it fuels change. It fuels the new set of actions you’ve been hesitant to take. And honestly? I think this metaphor—in a poetic sense—perfectly rhymes with the spirit of a Fire Horse.

Jamie: I want you to imagine a Ferrari.

It is a masterpiece of engineering. It’s designed for speed, precision, and high-octane performance. Now, imagine that Ferrari… parked on a golf course.

A golf course looks "safe." It’s manicured, it’s prestigious, it’s beautiful. But a golf course is designed for slow, deliberate, constrained movement.

When you put a Ferrari on a golf course, you get friction. On the grass, the Ferrari feels like a failure. The suspension is too stiff for the bumps. The engine is too loud for the quiet. Every time the driver tries to hit the gas, the golfers and the caddies turn around and "shush" the car.

Does this sound like your office?

In the "real world," this is what my clients call The Squeeze. It’s that pressure to be everything to everyone while your internal engine is revving at 8,000 RPMs.

You bring a brilliant management idea to the table—an idea designed to reduce headaches and help your team win—and it’s ignored, discounted, or silenced. You’re told to "tone it down," to "be more collaborative," or the classic: "Wait your turn."

They are telling a Fire Horse to act like a golf cart. And it’s exhausting.

Jamie: I want to tell you about two women who decided they were done with the golf course.

First, there was Janice. She was a star media trainer. She was bringing in the majority of her agency’s bookings, but her commission was a tiny fraction of the value she created. In our 1:1 sessions, we didn't just look at the numbers; we built her "nervous system capacity" to go out on her own. She stopped being the engine for someone else’s golf cart. Within weeks of announcing her departure, she was fully booked. She’s now the Principal of her own agency, marking her first multiple-six-figure year.

Then there was Marie. She’s an accounting expert who was stalled under a partner who didn't know how to use her drive. She wanted to be Managing Director, but the environment was "shushing" her. We stopped asking for permission. We started having the "risky conversations" with the real decision-makers. When the firm reorged, they didn't just move her; they created a custom-budgeted MD role just for her.

Jamie: If you’re listening to this and you feel that "Fire Horse" energy inside you, but you’re stuck on the grass, I want you to hear these three truths:

1. Your Identity: You are a high-performance machine. You aren't "difficult" or "too much." You are simply in the wrong terrain.
2. The Frustration: The bumpy ride isn’t your fault. It’s the grass. When you separate your worth from your environment, you get your agency back.
3. The Action: A Ferrari doesn’t need to be "fixed." It needs a track.

This year, don't spend your energy trying to become a better golf cart. Spend your energy finding the road where you can finally floor it.

Jamie: If you are ready to stop being shushed and start being promoted—on your terms—I am here to help. I offer bespoke 1:1 executive coaching for women who are ready to find their race track.

Let’s make 2026 the year you take yourself off the golf course. Book your free strategy consult with me at [Your Website Link].

Everything worthwhile is on the other side of a risky conversation. Let's have ours.

The link to book your free consult is JamieLeeCoach.com/Apply. Talk soon.