A special thank you to our speaker, Khalilah Shakir Lyons, for reminding us to shift our focus from the “A-List”: Achievement, Accolades, and Applause, to our “B-List,” who we want to be and how we want to show up each day.
When we root our actions in presence and intention, we stop simply managing a To Do List and prioritize living our purpose every day.
Watch the Zoom recording of this compelling program by clicking on the image below.
Key Takeaways
“A-List living,” i.e., only focused on the accomplishment of your to-do list, can let you fall into an automatic and transactional way of living, not necessarily one that is intentional and aligned with what and who you value.
- To test that, you can pause and ask yourself: Does the life I am building feel as good on the inside as it looks on the outside
Being grounded in your B-List helps you create a to-do that aligns with your purpose and that you don’t just get caught in the busyness of life. Our to-do list is a tool. It was never supposed to become your identity.
Resources
Khalilah’s book: “Prioritize Your Purpose Every Day,” by Khalilah Shakir Lyons
A daily companion to help you stay connected to your purpose, your presence, and your way of being. You will find a link on her website to this and other publications: B List Living
Reflections, practices, and prompts that Khalilah is building to support and benefit her community: https://www.iamkhalilah.com/stayclose
About Our Speaker
Founder of Answer the Moment™, Strategist, Speaker, Coach, Author
Khalilah Shakir Lyons is a visionary strategist, storyteller, speaker, coach, and founder of Answer the Moment™, a leadership and culture firm redefining how individuals and organizations align purpose with performance. Known for codifying clarity and transforming complexity into everyday breakthroughs, she equips leaders and teams to answer critical business moments with confidence, connection, and humanity, ensuring purpose drives performance even under pressure.
A celebrated thought leader and multi-hyphenate force, Khalilah has partnered with global corporations, nonprofits, and communities to build cultures of empowerment that drive both well-being and results. Recognized as the 2024 Corporate Woman of Achievement by NAWBO Chicago and Top 100 DEI Leader by Mogul, she’s advised and inspired clients such as General Mills, YMCA, Grant Thornton, Ronald McDonald House Charities, the City of Evanston, and Aurrera Health Group.
As a sought-after speaker, Khalilah has delivered keynote talks and interactive sessions for audiences of executives, educators, entrepreneurs, and emerging leaders across corporate, nonprofit, and academic stages. Her signature topics include purpose-driven leadership, leading through change, inclusive culture transformation, confidence and clarity for women, and building empowered workplaces. Khalilah leaves every audience with actionable shifts and benchmarks that turn inspiration into immediate motion; anchored in practices that ripple through every moment of life, both at work and beyond.
As an executive and clarity coach, Khalilah is known for her intuitive, truth-centered approach that blends candor with compassion. She helps high-achieving leaders move beyond exhaustion and expectation into purpose and peace. Her coaching empowers clients to find miracles in the mundane, lead with presence, and translate awareness into sustainable action.
Please let us know if you would like to have a conversation with us. Email the Women’s Forum with any questions at womensforum@creativeplanning.com!
