#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.