Facing Fear and Finding Purpose: Nieves Murray on Change

In this month's upcoming episode of Never the Same, Nieves Murray shares a personal and powerful reflection on what holds us back from making bold changes — and how she found her way through.

“Fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear of what if I lose this and I'm unhappy wherever I go to. Fear,” Nieves said.

“I mean, in so many areas of life, fear holds us back. And particularly, I think, in pursuing careers and pursuing joy at work.”

For Nieves, who began her career in engineering and eventually became CEO of Suicide Prevention Australia, the path wasn’t obvious or easy, but each change deepened her purpose. 

“I think the whole notion of a linear career is, I think a fallacy. I don't think that anybody's career is linear,” she said. 

So what helped her navigate fear and take brave steps forward?

“Recognising that it's fear and then building some, some scaffolds around that so that you can make a transition,” she said.

“You know what they say, when you know what the problem is, you can then address it.”

For anyone feeling stuck, she offers a simple challenge.

“Never feel a prisoner to your job. Love what you do,” Nieves said.

“We spend a long time at work, and I think it's crucial that we find the joy in what we're doing at work. Or move on.”

This episode is a must-listen for anyone questioning what comes next — and needing a little courage to take the first step.

Keep an eye out for this episode next week, but in the meantime, catch up on all episodes of Never the Same here.