Choosing Strategic Grit Over Missed Opportunities

Marta Norton describes herself as a “maniac about soccer,” but by her senior year of high school, the game she once loved had left her drained.

“I was really, really burnt out,” she admitted on a recent episode of the Corporate Competitor Podcast. “I had lost some of that spark and some of that love for the game.”

She had spent years dedicating herself to the sport—playing in multiple leagues, traveling constantly, pushing herself to improve. But when it came time for college, burnout won. She walked away from soccer, a decision she would later regret.

Fast forward to today, and Norton is the chief investment strategist at Empower, the second-largest retirement plan provider in the U.S., serving more than 19 million individuals across 83,000 organizations. Even now, all these years later, she still thinks about that choice—not playing soccer in college. Why? Because it taught her a valuable lesson about seizing opportunities.

When the position of chief investment officer of the Americas first opened at her previous company, she declined it. “I passed on it the first time,” she recalled. But when the opportunity came around again, she couldn’t ignore the memory of soccer and the regret she still carried from walking away.

“I didn’t want to make the same mistake twice,” she said.

At the time, she had three kids at home and was already balancing a demanding workload. Taking on more responsibility felt daunting. But this time, she chose exhaustion over regret.

“I would rather have more exhaustion and less regret than more regret and less exhaustion,” she explained.

For Norton, this was about more than just ambition—it was about strategic grit. Norton believes that overcoming burnout isn’t just about pushing through; it’s about stepping back and making thoughtful choices.

On the podcast, Norton shared additional leadership insights that every executive should consider:

• Senior leaders must take ownership. Instead of offloading tough tasks to less experienced teammates, the best leaders step up when it matters most.
• Diverse perspectives drive success. Before turning to senior members in a meeting, Norton intentionally calls on the most junior person first—to ensure fresh ideas and unfiltered perspectives make it to the table.
• Progress is about small, daily strides. Success isn’t about massive leaps—it’s about consistency.

Her career, spanning almost two decades at Morningstar and now at Empower, has been shaped by these principles. Norton doesn’t just talk about leadership—she lives it.

“Consistency and persistence have value in and of themselves, even if it feels like you’re not accomplishing a whole lot in any given moment,” she said.

For Norton, and for any leader aiming for long-term success, the lesson is clear: You can recover from exhaustion. But regret? That sticks with you.