Mary Marantz joins me on MESSmerized today, and this was such a thoughtful, encouraging conversation. We talk about how we both went to law school and ultimately chose paths that didn’t necessarily make sense on paper, but aligned much more with how God wired us. Mary shares about growing up in a single-wide trailer in West Virginia and how that background shaped her grit, her work ethic, and also her tendency to tie achievement to worth.

We spend a lot of time unpacking fear and the ways women quietly underestimate themselves—perfectionism, overthinking, procrastination, and constantly assuming someone else is more qualified or better. One of the biggest takeaways is how easy it is to over-idealize other people’s success while minimizing our own, simply because we see their highlight reel and live inside our own messy middle.

We also talk about procrastination and the deeper fear behind it, the danger of waiting for the “perfect time,” and how often fear doesn’t say “never,” it just says “not yet.” It’s a really honest conversation about comparison, calling, and showing up anyway—even when you don’t feel ready, qualified, or confident—trusting that God can use ordinary obedience more than perfect performance.

Can’t wait for you to listen!

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Mary Marantz’s Achiever Quiz 

Mary’s book: Dirt and Underestimated

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