It is rare for someone to climb the corporate ladder and admit, once they reach the top, that the ladder is leaning against the wrong wall. It is even more rare for someone to have the confidence to climb down the ladder and reinvent themselves after such a discovery.

But that is exactly what Cortney McDermott did, leaving both the wall and the ladder behind and blazing a new path of life and business success on her terms.

Now a bestselling book, Change Starts Within You by Cortney McDermott shares her story and offers wisdom and encouragement for others who find themselves in a similar paradox of what she calls “miserable success.” The book has been selected by Inc. Magazine’s “26 Favorite Books of High Achievers” alongside other Success 101 books by Anthony Robbins, Richard Branson, Ken Blanchard, Dale Carnegie, and Jim Rohn. The book has also been featured in Success Magazine, Women’s Health, Startup Canada, and Fox News. That momentum has propelled Change Starts Within You to the Top 10 in several markets, achieving international bestseller status in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Italy, and Spain, in the world’s most highly competitive self-help categories.

In her book, McDermott chronicles lessons learned on a journey that began as a highly successful but unfulfilled Fortune 500 executive. Even though she had the outward symbols of success, McDermott felt something was wrong. “I call them ‘Cold Shower Moments,’ when I realized that things weren’t quite right,” McDermott says. “And even if I had reached the standards of what society would deem as ‘success,’ like how many gold stars I had collected, I still wasn’t feeling all that happy.”

Forced to rethink what success really means, McDermott learned to look within, live a life of purpose, and trust her intuition to know how best to sustain herself. She left the corporate world behind and started several new business ventures, feeling free to pursue a fresh vision of heart-based confidence. “I made my way into the life I lead right now, working with whom I want, when I want, how I want,” McDermott says. “But also having plenty of time for what’s really, really important to me outside of work.”

Today, McDermott is a best-selling author, TEDx speaker, and advisor to corporate executives, leading entrepreneurs, and talented business and Ph.D. students around the world. She is focused on empowering women (and some brave men) to lead from within, rather that chase an external, draining idea of success. She offers C-suite training, keynotes and workshops, and 1-on-1 intensives for select clients.

“Change Starts Within You is the perfect sequel to Cortney’s electrifying TEDx Talk,” says Nadine Hack, Top 100 Thought Leader on Trustworthy Business Behavior and adviser to Nelson Mandela and President Obama. “If you want to follow the road to success without detouring through burnout and self-disillusionment, McDermott’s book will be your trail guide!”

McDermott teaches her clients how to look within and trust their intuition. “We’re used to seeking external validation, looking outside for our answers,” she says. “But change really does start within you. You are the answer you’re seeking.”

Change Starts Within You: Unlock the Confidence to Lead with Intuition by Cortney McDermott is available from Amazon and other booksellers in both print and digital versions. For more information about the book, or to learn about keynotes and trainings available from Cortney McDermott, visit CortInc.com.