In her new book, “Lead Yourself First,” Holtzinger challenges the modern obsession with self-optimization and reinvention, arguing that many people aren’t struggling because they lack ambition, motivation or discipline. They’re struggling because they’ve become disconnected from themselves beneath years of performance, achievement, external expectations, and constant pressure to do more.

Part personal reflection, part leadership philosophy and part practical guide, “Lead Yourself First” explores what happens when the life you’ve built no longer feels aligned with who you are — and how to find your way forward without abandoning yourself in the process.

“We live in a culture that constantly tells people to optimize, perform, and become someone new,” said Holtzinger. “But many people are exhausted from trying to sustain versions of themselves that no longer fit. Most people don’t need reinvention. They need recovery of self-trust.”

The book emerged from a deeply personal season of reflection. As Holtzinger approached her 50th birthday, an unexpected bout of COVID forced her to cancel long-awaited plans and spend time alone with questions she had spent years pushing aside. What began as a writing exercise quickly evolved into a deeper examination of burnout, identity, self-neglect, leadership and the patterns that shape how people live and work.

For more than two decades, Holtzinger has taught rhetoric, communication, leadership and decision-making at Penn State University. She has also built a career spanning entrepreneurship, healthcare leadership, business development, marketing and strategy. Through those experiences, she became increasingly interested in the connection between language, identity and the choices people make while navigating uncertainty, transition and personal growth.

Unlike many leadership and self-development books, “Lead Yourself First” does not offer productivity hacks, motivational formulas or step-by-step systems for personal transformation. Instead, it encourages readers to slow down, examine the stories they tell themselves and reconnect with the values, judgment and inner clarity that often get lost amid the noise of modern life.

The book arrives amid growing conversations around burnout, workplace disengagement, mental wellness and the pressure many professionals — particularly women leaders — feel to constantly prove themselves. The timing is notable: the 2025 Women in the Workplace report from Lean In and McKinsey & Company found that six in 10 senior-level women report frequent burnout.

While burnout is often framed as a productivity problem, Holtzinger believes it is frequently an alignment problem.

“Many people have become disconnected from themselves beneath years of achievement, responsibility and performance,” she said. “Eventually, that disconnect catches up with you.”

Holtzinger believes a different approach is needed. “Growth isn’t always about adding more,” she said. “Sometimes it’s about letting go of what no longer fits. Sometimes it’s about returning to yourself honestly and leading from that place.”

“Lead Yourself First” is available now on Amazon.

About the author

Liz Holtzinger is a writer, professor, entrepreneur and author of Lead Yourself First. For more than 20 years, she has taught communication, rhetoric, leadership and decision-making while helping people think more clearly about how they live, work, and lead. Her work focuses on self-trust, clarity, burnout, identity and the relationship between personal alignment and effective leadership. To learn more, visit https://lizholtzinger.com/.