Episode #25
Play the Long Game: Lessons on Pressure, Patience, and Success with Morgan Burns
In this episode of Life From Within , Morgan Burns , a top corporate law partner in the Corporate practice at Faegre Drinker , who has led over 100 M&A transactions and 100 capital markets deals, discusses the high-stakes reality of corporate law, how he manages urgency without losing authenticity, and why kindness is a secret weapon in tough negotiations. Drawing from his background as a US ski team racer and software executive, Morgan offers sharp insights on managing high-pressure situations, overcoming distraction, choosing sobriety, and prioritizing mental health as a high performer. Key Takeaways The Reality of High-Stakes Dealmaking: What factors make urgency critical in M&A transactions? Authenticity in Negotiation: Do effective law firm negotiators need to be overtly assertive? High Performance Lessons from Athletic Failure: Can you have the drive to succeed but also collaborate with a team? Slow Thinking & Compartmentalizing: Is multitasking effective or damaging? Choosing Sobriety: Morgan reflects on his decision to eliminate alcohol over six years ago, detailing how it improved his focus, enhanced his family life, and eliminated unnecessary social friction. Breaking the Stigma on Mental Health: Morgan candidly discusses his long-term work with a therapist, framing mental health care as simple health maintenance. Chapters 00:00 | Introduction 00:42 | Introduction to Morgan Burns 02:53 | Who creates the urgency in the transactions? 04:27 | Does BS ever get you anywhere? 07:04 | Do you have to be a jerk in order to have a backbone? 08:26 | Seeing the Business from the Client’s Perspective 13:23 | A professional athlete's insights on the long game 19:53 | Can you eliminate distractions? 25:25 | How has yoga benefited you? 27:02 | Transforming Relationship with Alcohol 32:17 | Mental Health and Vulnerability Guest Morgan Burns is a Partner in the Corporate practice at Faegre Drinker . He is a trusted adviser to public and private companies, their boards of directors and investment banks on a wide range of strategic matters, including mergers and acquisitions , capital markets transactions , and corporate governance . Morgan has deep experience across a number of industries and a variety of transaction structures, having led over 100 M&A transactions and over 100 capital markets transactions during his career. He has also advised numerous public companies on their most sensitive corporate governance and compliance matters. Earlier in his career, Morgan gained firsthand business experience as a corporate development executive and as co-founder of a successful software company. He has an A.B. in Government from Dartmouth College and a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law. Morgan lives in Minneapolis with his three teenagers and his partner, Renee, who splits time between Minneapolis and Steamboat Springs, Colorado. https://www.linkedin.com/in/morgan-burns-a731501/ https://www.faegredrinker.com/en/professionals/b/burns-w-morgan#tab-Overview Host Kelly Dwyer is an executive coach, facilitator, and host of Life from Within , a podcast exploring the inner work of leadership, growth, and career transition. She works with thoughtful leaders, founders, and seasoned professionals who are navigating complexity, change, and meaningful inflection points in their work. Through her coaching, facilitation, and podcast conversations, Kelly helps people find clarity, strengthen self-trust, and move forward with greater intention and grounded conviction. https://www.kellydwyer.co/contact Listen, subscribe and share Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube IG – @kd_lifefromwithin LinkedIn – /in/kellydwyer
