"Be comfortable with discomfort. Make yourself comfortable with discomfort."
– Mona Johansson
🔍 In this episode:
Mona Johansson shares her transformation from chemical engineer to human-centric transformation coach. In this powerful conversation, we unpack how discomfort, crisis, and deep self-reflection can shape anti-fragile, purpose-driven careers — especially for technical professionals navigating complexity beyond code.
👤 About the Guest
Mona Johansson began her career in the oil and gas sector, eventually leading quality and safety operations across national branches. But her path took several turns — some forced, some voluntary — all of which shaped a more holistic career focused on neuroscience-based mindset coaching, leadership transformation, and internal consultancy.
Now based in Norway, Mona runs Dynamic Mindset, helping individuals and organisations rewire how they think, act, and grow — especially when the familiar path begins to feel too small.
🌪️ A Career Forged in Change and Inner Work
Mona’s career took her from engineering oil rigs to overseeing software for battery-powered ferries, and finally into the human systems behind technical success. Some moves were initiated by external constraints (such as gender-based barriers in male-dominated fields), while others — like starting her own business — came from an internal call to redefine meaning and growth.
Throughout it all, Mona blended technical rigour with deep psychological insight, demonstrating what it truly means to grow through change.
🧠 Redefining the "Comfort Zone" as the "Familiar Zone"
One of Mona’s most striking reframes is her redefinition of the Comfort zone — she calls it the Familiar zone.
Why? Because most of us don’t stay where we’re comfortable — we stay where we’re used to, even if it’s painful.
“Our brains are machines of survival. They prefer the familiar because it costs less energy. But a system stuck in the familiar will either evolve or disintegrate.”
Drawing on neuroscience and personal experience, Mona shows how we can train our brains to seek uncertainty, rather than avoid it. Just as the "red car effect," also known as the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon or frequency illusion, demonstrates, focus reshapes perception, and intention directs the subconscious mind toward new opportunities.
🔄 Turning Points: From Breakdown to Breakthrough
Mona’s deeper transformation began not in a boardroom but in the aftermath of a personal and emotional collapse — a breakup, the wrong job, and a deep sense of misalignment. That breakdown became the gateway to Jungian psychology, mindset mentorship, and an eventual career pivot into personal transformation.
“Once you commit to a new path, the energy shifts. Things begin to move around you. But first, you need to say: I’m all in.”
From starting below zero in a new country to building a thriving life on her own terms, Mona’s story is a masterclass in anti-fragility — not just surviving pressure, but using it to evolve.
💎 Key Takeaways for Building an Anti-fragile Career
💥 Embrace Discomfort Intentionally: Growth doesn't happen in ease — it begins with unfamiliarity. Start small: new habits, new people, new perspectives.
🧭 Own Your Evolution: Don’t wait for external permission. Take charge of your upskilling and development, especially in meta-level and emotional skills.
🧠 Direct Your Brain: Your brain is a high-powered system. Set clear intentions, and it will go to work — consciously and unconsciously — to help you evolve.
🧩 Develop Soft & Meta Skills: Human challenges are harder than technical ones. Master communication, self-awareness, and leadership to thrive where others get stuck.
💰 Redefine Financial Freedom: Instead of chasing early retirement, use financial independence as a tool for value-aligned autonomy. Say no to the wrong projects. Say yes to growth.
🧵 Reflection Prompt
What area of your life or work are you clinging to simply because it's familiar, and what might change if you stepped beyond it?
📚 Suggested Resources
Books:
Concepts & Tools:
Jungian Psychology & Self-Projection
Bob Proctor's Mentorship Principles
The Ikigai Framework for Meaning
Films:
Yes Man – Embracing change
Inside Out 2 – Understanding emotions
The Intern – Career reinvention and human connection
Listen / Watch
* 🎧 Audio on Substack: (you’re here)
* 🎥 Prefer video? Watch it on YouTube: here
🎧 Huge thanks to Mona Johansson for her honesty, depth, and wisdom. Her blend of engineering mindset and human insight is exactly what TABA stands for — learning to think and grow beyond the algorithm.
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About The Art of Beyond Algorithms (TABA)
The Art of Beyond Algorithms (TABA) is a podcast and platform dedicated to exploring the invisible skills that drive meaningful, long-term success in Data Science and AI careers. Beyond tools, code, and technical mastery, TABA dives into the meta-layer of professional growth — from decision-making and self-leadership to communication, adaptability, and identity shifts.
Through weekly live interviews with DSAI professionals, TABA podcast shares the real stories, mindset changes, and cross-disciplinary insights that shape impactful careers, offering listeners not just knowledge but also perspective.
About the host
Dr. Alireza Dehghani is an award-winning AI technologist, strategist, and the creator of two career-focused podcasts — Ordmen (in Persian) and The Art of Beyond Algorithms (TABA).
With over 15 years of experience across industry and research, he has led AI initiatives at startups, large enterprises, and national innovation centres. Passionate about the intersection of technical excellence and human insight, Alireza brings a unique perspective to career development in Data Science & AI — focusing not just on what professionals do, but on how they think, grow, and lead beyond the algorithm.
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