Interview with Madame Le Figaro: My-MindPower, Transforming Life and Leadership

Dear readers,

On this occasion, I had the opportunity to be interviewed by Madame Le Figaro magazine to share my ideas on coaching and leadership. Here I share the interview:

For Paola Knecht, mentor in personal and professional transformation, everything begins with a vision—a desire to transform life and realign with deep values through My-MindPower.

“Every Monday morning, I woke up with more stress than excitement about going to work. I asked myself: is this really what I want to do for the rest of my life?” she recalls.

In her book The Success Mindset, she proposes a six-step method. The first step consists of identifying what we truly love to do, without worrying about its viability or profitability. Next comes determining talents: what we do well or what those around us perceive about us. Paola encourages her clients to overcome mental blocks, especially the one that separates passion from work. “We are often taught that what we love cannot be a source of income. But why not consider combining what we are passionate about with something for which we can be paid? That is often where fulfillment lies,” she explains.

Finally, she invites her clients to reflect on the impact they want to have in the world and what legacy they want to leave behind. This approach helps define a clear and motivating direction.

Forging the Future of Leadership
Paola Knecht has always been fascinated by human psychology, particularly in the field of leadership. “Extraordinary leaders have something in common: a strong vision that guides their actions. That vision gives them purpose and makes them more effective and fulfilled,” she says. This concept, which she has explored in her books and mentoring sessions, is not limited to executives and managers.

As she points out, anyone can benefit from a clear vision to give meaning to their life—whether leading a company or simply creating a daily life aligned with their values. Paola also emphasizes that success has no universal definition. “For some, it may be running a small business that allows them to have time for their children or passions. For others, it is having a global impact. What matters is that it makes sense for the person themselves,” she notes.

Active Listening and the Role of Mentorship
What sets Paola Knecht and My-MindPower apart is the approach that combines coaching and mentoring. Unlike traditional coaching, which focuses on asking questions to guide clients toward their own answers, mentoring includes more specific and personalized advice. “Executives, for example, sometimes need a clear opinion on concrete problems,” she explains.

The key to the My-MindPower method? Active listening. “To guide someone, you must first deeply understand their needs, fears, and blockages,” Paola stresses. She helps her clients depersonalize their problems in order to analyze them objectively. “Often, leaders feel paralyzed by the fear of making the wrong decision. I help them take distance, map out the consequences of their choices, and move forward with clarity.”

Today, Paola Knecht supports clients around the world through online sessions and shares her knowledge through her books. After The Success Mindset, she recently published The Secrets of Discipline, where she explores the mental mechanisms that allow people to cultivate lasting discipline.

Inspiring and methodical, Paola Knecht demonstrates that finding one’s path and transforming life are achievable goals for everyone—provided we take the time to ask ourselves the right questions.

To access the article in its original language, you can visit the following webpage:

 

Paola Knecht on How We Need to Redefine Success

Interview conducted by Karen Mangia for Thrive Global

In an interview for The Thrive Global by Karen Mangia, Paola Knecht discusses the need to redefine success, a central theme of her book The Success Mindset.

Knecht emphasizes the importance of looking inward to discover personal definitions of success, as opposed to relying on societal norms that equate success with wealth, status, or the accumulation of “more”—whether it’s more products, achievements, or recognition.

Knecht shares her personal journey, moving from a promising career in international management to becoming a self-development coach and author. Despite having material success, she realized she wasn’t aligned with her true passions of writing and helping others. This turning point helped her define success as living authentically and pursuing what truly matters, rather than conforming to external expectations.

 

In the interview, Knecht outlines five key lessons for redefining success:

  1. Look inward: Define success based on personal desires, rather than imitating others’ achievements.
  2. Live as a role model: Make a positive impact on the world by fighting for causes or dreams that matter to you.
  3. Value simplicity: Embrace the joy found in simple pleasures and focus on what truly brings fulfillment.
  4. Stay curious: Cultivate curiosity to stay inspired and open to new perspectives, which can fuel personal growth.
  5. Reject one-size-fits-all success formulas: Avoid ready-made recipes for success and instead craft your own unique path.

Knecht also highlights the obstacles to achieving this redefined success, particularly the need to overcome limiting beliefs and bad habits. She advises making a conscious effort to live intentionally, cultivate self-awareness, and stay true to one’s core values.

Ultimately, Knecht encourages readers to reclaim their narratives and define success on their own terms, as this inward reflection is an essential act of self-love, personal empowerment, and long-term fulfillment.

For more insights, you can visit the full interview on The Thrive Global website here.

Interview with Dr. Sarah E. Brown on the KTS Success Factor Podcast about the Definition of Success

Success doesn’t have a specific shape, size, or form.

We all have our own definition of success, but oftentimes, we get swayed by what we see on social media. It can unconsciously influence us.

So how can you avoid this hazard, and really commit to the life you’ve always envisioned for yourself?

In this interview, I share with Sarah my own definition of what success is and how we can shift our definition of success toward something that truly excites us and is authentic to ourselves. She will also guide us through some of the key pillars mentioned in her book to help us discover our vision and make more conscious decisions about our lives.

What you will learn from this episode:

  • Discover how you can define your own success story instead of letting others do it for you.
  • Learn powerful questions you can reflect on to help you understand what you really want.
  • Understand the importance of having a vision in defining your own success.

 

Key Takeaways:

“Success, when I come back to the essence of it, it’s really to discover the meaning of your life, to discover your vision, something that goes beyond the race of accumulating things, or following a path that you did not consciously choose for yourself.” – Paola Knecht

“You have to look inward, instead of outward. We are distracted.” – Paola Knecht

“I believe, over time– all these have a root cause. And I believe one of those is that we spend way too much time comparing ourselves to other lives and not paying enough attention to ourselves first.” – Paola Knecht

“It all starts with really going back to the basics and asking yourself, “What do I really love about my life, about me?” – Paola Knecht

“If I have an awareness about the things I love doing, and they are meaningful for me, then how can I connect that passion with some activity that I enjoy? Or how can I connect that to bring service to others?” – Paola Knecht

“We all have talents and gifts that come inherited, and they are wonderful. And it’s also great when we discover them and they can really bring us great surprises.” – Paola Knecht

“It’s really about not underrating the value of hard work because that’s what really brings you far.” – Paola Knecht

“To take the conscious decision to basically log out, to take some time offline, and really take more time to discover who you really are, and what you’re after.” – Paola Knecht

“If we really want to know ourselves better, we also have to invest time to know ourselves better.” – Paola Knecht

“You have the power to take back your own life. And for this is really to make the conscious decision to go on that journey of self-discovery. You can and have the power to define your success story. And do not let other people tell you what these should look like. You can write your own story and find transcendence in doing it.” – Paola Knecht