The ONE Trait The Happiest, Richest Women Have In Common (Anyone Can Have It)

September 2, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

In the depths of a drug addiction that had nearly destroyed her life, Kate Hall had a moment of clarity that changed everything. She was a former Supreme Court attorney and the number one ranked female poker player in the world, yet she found herself waking up every morning to buy nitrous oxide and use it all day, completely checked out of her life. That moment—when she suddenly saw what her life would become if she didn't change course—became the foundation for what she now calls "agency," the single trait she argues is the common denominator among the happiest and most successful people. Hall's book You Can Just Do Things is a practical guide to developing this quality, and her conversation with host Liz Moody unpacks what agency actually means, why most people misunderstand it, and how to cultivate it even when you feel stuck.

What Agency Actually Is (And Isn't)

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What you'll learn

1 (00:08) **Agency: The Common Trait of the Happiest, Richest Women** - Liz introduces the episode's core thesis: agency is the one trait that the most successful and happy people share, and guest Kate Hall will explain how to get it.
2 (01:01) **Kate's Rock Bottom: Addiction and the "Moment of Clarity"** - Kate describes her lowest point during a three-and-a-half-year addiction to nitrous oxide and how she finally found the will to change.
3 (04:19) **Defining High vs. Low Agency: It's About Feeling Stuck vs. Free** - Kate explains that agency isn't one monolithic trait; people are often high agency in one area of life (career) and low agency in another (relationships).
4 (07:08) **The "Best" Type of Person for Agency (and Why We Need to Teach the Good Ones)** - Kate identifies that people who are less pro-social and less worried about asking for permission naturally have more agency, but this skill is crucial for good-hearted people to learn.
5 (09:17) **The "Interests vs. Positions" Technique for Getting What You Want** - Kate introduces a negotiation tactic to overcome the feeling of not having enough money or resources for a goal.
6 (10:51) **Agency vs. Privilege and Luck: Playing the Hand You're Dealt** - Kate addresses the common objection that successful people were just born on third base, arguing that agency is about maximizing *your* specific life, not comparing starting hands.
7 (14:27) **High Agency Dating and Relationships: Commitment Before Compatibility** - Kate offers a radical approach to finding a partner, suggesting that commitment can come first and create the conditions for a great relationship.

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Guests on this episode

Liz Moody

Show Notes

There's one big reason that many of us are not living our dream life, whether it's having our dream career, our dream partner, our dream home, and that is having agency. Agency is one of the key things that the most successful and the most happy people in the world have in common.

My guest today, Cate Hall, has been at various points in her career the number one ranked female poker player in the world, a Supreme Court attorney, a CEO of a multi-billion dollar company, and the author of the book, You Can Just Do Things. She teaches us how to start to cultivating our own agency and get our dream life.

🎧 What you’ll learn:

• The simple reframe that turns impossible goals (money, time, location) into achievable ones

• The "crisis manager" mindset trick for silencing the voice that says it's too late

• One free 5-minute habit that will radically improve how you see yourself

• How to tell the difference between a real obstacle and an excuse in disguise

For more from Cate Hall:

• Book, You Can Just Do Things: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0063488450?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback

• Substack: https://usefulfictions.substack.com/

• X: https://x.com/catehall

Ready to uplevel every part of your life? Order Liz’s book 100 Ways to Change Your Life: The Science of Leveling Up Health, Happiness, Relationships & Success now!

Connect with Liz on Instagram @lizmoody or online at www.lizmoody.com. Subscribe to the substack by visiting https://lizmoody.substack.com/welcome.Buy our cute sweatshirts, conversation cards, and more at https://shop.lizmoody.com/.

Use our discount codes from our highly vetted and tested brand partners by visiting https://www.lizmoody.com/codes.

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This episode is brought to you completely free thanks to the following podcast sponsors:

• Birch: go to https://BirchLiving.com/LizMoody for 20% off a new mattress.

• ZBiotics: Head to ZBiotics.com/LizMoody and use code LIZMOODY at checkout for 15% off

• Pique: head to PiqueLife.com/LizMoody for 20% off + a FREE Starter Kit o