Shed Expectations & Write Your OWN Story | Marie Forleo

14 Apr 2026 · 7 min · 2 chapters

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In short

Marie Forleo discusses shedding expectations about marriage and having biological children, handling pressure/judgment/criticism, and choosing an “inner compass” to write one’s own story. She argues that people adopt societal/family expectations, but individuals can consciously reject them and still find fulfillment (e.g., being a stepmom without wanting biological kids).

Guest

Marie Forleo (entrepreneur/author; runs a company/programs and promotes her book “Make Money Easy” about making money easier and building financial freedom).

Key claims

caring what others think gives them power; judgment often reflects the other person’s own pain; no one has all the answers, but sharing principles can help others find their own.

Notable examples

being told “worst mistake” and “you’ll regret it” about not having babies; being criticized online despite having value to offer; citing that she’s a stepmom and loves her stepson.

Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.

Chapters

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Navigating Societal Expectations About Parenthood

0:45 to 2:36

Discussion on the pressures surrounding parenthood and personal choices.

“And I think you don't want to have kids.”

Handling Judgment and Criticism

2:36 to 4:25

Exploration of how to deal with criticism regarding personal life choices.

“And I'm like, I'm going to die alone anyway.”
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Transcript

Automatic transcript. May contain errors.

0:01Burlington knows you cannot forget Mother's Day. And be real, texting your sibling to add your name to their card isn't enough. Instead, head to your newly refreshed Burlington, where it's easier to shop for deals that'll make mom proud. Find fragrances from perfume to candles or opt for a brand name bag. Plus, your store had a glow up, so it's more fun to shop for those special women in your life. Mom is wow upside down after all. Burlington. Deals. Brands. Wow. Hi, my name is Lewis Howes and welcome to the Daily Motivation Show.

0:44Do you ever feel pressure or judged or critiqued because you don't have kids yet? And I think you don't want to have kids. Is that correct? Yeah, no, it is. So I want to actually hit on all of those because each that you mentioned, pressured, judged or critiqued. So let's stick with pressure, judged or critiqued because those are very distinct flavors. So at this stage, I don't get asked as much anymore because I've been talking about it so consistently and trying to be as loving and just straight up as possible about the fact that I've never wanted kids and real about the fact that I chose consciously or unconsciously a man who already had a child.

1:29So some part of me clearly wanted to be a stepmom because I am. And I love my stepson and he's awesome. So there's that, but I've never wanted to have my own biological kids. Why is that? Do you think, you know, I've also never wanted to get married. I just think that, um, we're all kind of born with these innate desires. And sometimes we adopt the expectations of our family, of society, of the culture that we grew up in. For whatever reason, I feel like I popped onto this earth with a very clear inner compass of the things that I would like to explore or learn or experience. And also a very clear compass of those things, which I just am not interested in.

2:17And so in my life, I've always known what I want to go after and the little plate that has have children and the little plate that's like get married it's not in your was i just was like that's not for me that's desirable it's not my path earlier on in my life i had many people tell me that i'm making the worst mistake ever that i'm gonna regret it not having babies and mostly babies yeah mostly babies was that i was gonna you know reach some age and uh just absolutely hate myself and like it would be the biggest mistake of my life that I was going to die alone. And I'm like, I'm going to die alone anyway.

2:53So the feeling judged about it and criticized, let's go into those pockets. Because that's interesting to me. I have had folks, and I can understand this. So I do understand it, but I think that there is just room to explore and have a discussion when it comes to having a conversation around productivity, having a conversation around business growth, having a conversation around priorities, uh, you know, and, and people can be very bold and courageous on like an Instagram comment where they wouldn't be nearly. So, you know, if you were sitting across the table and just having a conversation, I was like, well, it's easy for you to say those of us that have kids now, all of a sudden, anything that comes out of my mouth is all of a sudden without merit because I have not given biological birth to a child through my vagina.

3:47Like, really? Is that where we're going to take this? Oh, and by the way, let's take a look at other folks that I have worked with who have seven kids, eight kids who say, oh, I found value in this principle and here's how I made this idea work in the context of my life. So I think that it's really interesting to have someone judge another person for their choices. How do you handle being judged for that or for anything? Oh, I give absolutely no attention, right? Yeah. I just, I don't because you know, the more you care about what other people think, the more they own you, more power they have over you.

4:24Yeah. And it's like, I want people to win. That's who I am as a person. I want people to win. I want them to be well. I want them to be successful. If there's anything that I could possibly share that even a tiny nugget of what I share helps them become more of who they want to be, then I feel I have done my job successfully. Do I have all the answers? Absolutely not. No way. No one has all the answers. But I do believe that what we create in our company and the programs we put together and the things that we share help people find their own answers. So I don't, honestly, I don't care. I really don't care because if someone is going to take the time to either make that comment or that judgment, my perspective would be that there's something in their own life that's not working that puts them in that position of feeling a sense of pain or feeling like they have to judge someone else to justify what's happening in their own life.

5:19I just don't think that gets any of us anywhere.

5:31I have a brand new book called Make Money Easy. And if you're looking to create more financial freedom in your life, you want abundance in your life, and you want to stop making money hard in your life, but you want to make it easier, you want to make it flow, you want to feel abundant, then make sure to go to makemoneyeasybook.com right now and get yourself a copy. I really think this is going to help you transform your relationship with money this moment moving forward. We have some big guests and content coming up. Make sure you're following and stay tuned to this episode of The Daily Motivation Show.

6:12Thank you so much for listening to today's episode of The Daily Motivation, and I hope you have an amazing rest of your day. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to click the link in the description. that will take you to the full episode of our main podcast on the School of Greatness. And if you are loving the daily motivation, please follow us over on Apple Podcasts and Spotify and leave us a review over on Apple Podcasts right now. And if you want more exclusive content and ad-free listening experience, make sure to subscribe to our Greatness Plus channel on Apple Podcasts right now. And if you want to get even more inspiration from our world-class guests and learn how to improve your life and take it to the next level, then make sure to sign up for the Greatness newsletter and get it delivered right to your inbox over at greatness.com slash newsletter.

7:02Again, have an amazing day and I'll see you tomorrow with another episode of the Daily Motivation Show.

7:14We gather here tonight to bring women back to their rightful place. The Testaments, a new Hulu original series from the executive producers of The Handmaid's Tale. It's easier to accept a story than believe that the people around you are monsters. The battle isn't over. There comes a time when you have to take action, when you have to choose your own destiny. Never quite as it seems. Watch the new Hulu original series, The Testaments, streaming on Hulu and Hulu on Disney Plus for bundle subscribers. Terms apply.

From the publisher

Leave an Amazon Rating or Review for my New York Times Bestselling book, Make Money Easy!

Check out the full episode: https://lewishowes.com/podcast/marie-forleo/

Marie Forleo passionately advocates for the power of individuality and creativity, emphasizing that each person has the ability to craft their unique story. Through anecdotes, practical advice, and motivational insights, Forleo inspires her audience to embrace their authenticity, pursue their passions, and design a life that aligns with their true desires, rather than conforming to external pressures. This episode serves as a compelling reminder to live life on one's terms and be the author of their own journey.

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