#30 - Redefining Success: My Journey from Symbols to Values

In this episode, Ryan shares a transformative personal story that reshaped his understanding of success. He reflects on a pivotal moment in his corporate career when a simple comment from an employee triggered a profound internal dialogue about what it means to "make it." Visit ryanwattslifecoaching.com/successIQ Check out the Personal Success Accelerator Course! 00:02 - Welcome and Introduction - Welcome to the Personal Success Podcast with Ryan Watts. - Introduction to the podcast's mission: exploring paths to living authentically, finding fulfillment, and defining success on your own terms. - Host introduction: Ryan Watts. 00:26 - Personal Story Introduction - Ryan begins sharing a personal story that influenced his understanding of success. - Mention of how this story led him to redefine success and what it truly means to "make it." - Explanation of its purpose: identifying strengths, overcoming obstacles, and creating a clear path to success. - Promotion details: free assessment available at Ryan's website. 01:38 - Beginning of Personal Story - Ryan takes listeners back to a pivotal moment in his corporate career. - Description of an ordinary day filled with meetings and deadlines. - Conversation with a bright and ambitious employee who viewed him as a mentor. 02:06 - The Employee's Comment - Ryan recalls casually mentioning, "When I make it big, you'll remember me." - The employee's surprising response: "What do you mean, make it big? That's ridiculous, you HAVE made it." - Ryan's realization of the dissonance between his internal feelings of inadequacy and external perceptions of success. 02:45 - Reflection on Success and Inadequacy - Ryan discusses the impact of the employee's comment on his internal dialogue. - Questions he asked himself: Why didn't he feel successful? What was he striving for? 03:26 - Confronting Uncomfortable Truths - Realization that his definition of success was shaped by external expectations and societal standards. - Metaphor of climbing a ladder leaning against the wrong wall. - Beginning of a journey to redefine success on his own terms. 03:55 - The Belief in Future Performance - Ryan's belief that his best performance was always ahead of him. - Realization that improvement required consistent effort and incremental changes. 04:23 - The Issue of Undefined Success - Ryan's internal struggle when his employee made the comment. - Lack of a clear definition of what "making it" meant. - Possession of material things but feeling visionless. 05:11 - The Executive Desk Story - Gift of an executive desk from his mother-in-law. - Setting up the desk but lacking a clear vision of its purpose. - Realization of the emptiness behind material symbols. 06:14 - Searching for Something Real - Ryan's journey of getting rid of material possessions post-divorce. - Recognition that this was also symbolic and not addressing the root cause. - Need to look deeper within. 06:59 - Seeking Medical Help and Diagnosis - Seeking medical help for feeling off and unfocused. - Diagnosis of ADHD as a turning point. - Need to understand true motivations and redefine success. 07:57 - Redefining True Success - True success is about aligning actions with core values, finding joy in the journey, and continuous improvement. - Importance of defining personal success rather than relying on external symbols. 08:28 - The Importance of Values - Journey to discover personal values and foundational principles. - Initial focus on productivity and its eventual realization as insufficient. 09:01 - Conversation with Father - Early morning routine impresses father. - Father's comment about the craziness of the routine. - Reflection on father's more balanced approach to life and work. 09:56 - Realization of True Success - Success isn't a collection of symbols or external validations. - Success is aligning with personal values and manifesting them in the real world. 10:26 - Core Values and Motivation - Discussion on uncovering core values and how they motivate and inspire actions. - Examples of values like integrity, family, and inspiration. 12:10 - The Power of Values - Core values provide direction and a framework for decisions. - Importance of being clear about values to achieve fulfillment. 13:06 - Defining Personal Success - Emphasis on defining success based on personal values rather than societal standards. - Invitation to explore these ideas further in the Personal Success Accelerator Course. 13:57 - PSA Course Promotion - Promotion of the Personal Success Accelerator (PSA) Course. - Addressing common problems: lack of clarity in defining success, internal obstacles, and lack of direction. 16:24 - Recap and Reflection - Recap of the initial questions asked: Why don't I feel successful? What am I striving for? Why isn't good enough, good enough? - Reflections on each question and personal insights. 18:04 - Final Thoughts and Call to Action - Encouragement to find joy in the journey and continuously improve. - Invitation to explore the PSA course for deeper understanding and tools to manifest success. - Reminder to subscribe and share the podcast. 18:52 - Closing Remarks - Ryan shares his journey from chasing external symbols to finding true fulfillment. - Realization that real success comes from aligning actions with core values. - Hope that his story inspires listeners to reflect on their own definitions of success. 19:40 - Final Promotion of Success IQ Assessment - Reminder to take the free Success IQ assessment for a baseline of emotional intelligence and actionable steps for improvement. - Promotion details: free assessment available at Ryan's website.