The Personal Success Podcast with Ryan Watts

The Three Patterns Keeping Successful People from Feeling Alive In this episode of The Personal Success Podcast, Ryan Watts sits down with Misha Saidov for a deep conversation on psychology, behavior change, mysticism, leadership, identity, and real transformation. Misha’s work lives at the intersection of psychology, behavioral change, and mysticism. He explains how transformation happens when a person begins to shift identity from an old self into a newer, truer one. What begins as a conversation about hypnosis and metacognitive programming becomes a powerful exploration of success, emotional inhibition, leadership, authority, and the quiet emptiness that can follow achievement. Misha shares how his own journey began at 14, when he started studying psychology, NLP, Ericksonian hypnosis, psychoanalysis, and behavioral change in an effort to address his own existential fear. That early search became the foundation for a career helping thousands of people understand the thought patterns that shape their lives. Ryan and Misha discuss what Misha calls the three headed dragon many people face… • the belief that I am not good enough• the belief that I am alone and different from others• the belief that the best things in life are unreachable for me They also explore why successful people often carry three hidden patterns… • emotional inhibition• entitlement or grandiosity• unrelenting standards and perfectionism These patterns can drive achievement. But they can also create a life that looks successful from the outside while feeling empty on the inside. Misha explains why transformation is not only about insight. Real transformation requires an emotional experience that helps the insight become embodied. Without emotion, a moment may be interesting. With emotion and insight together, it can become identity shifting. The conversation also moves into leadership. Misha offers a powerful distinction between belief and knowing. Leadership, he says, is not built by copying other leaders. It is built through lived experience that changes what a person knows to be true. This episode is for leaders, coaches, high achievers, and anyone who has reached a level of success and quietly wondered why it does not feel the way they thought it would. In this episode • Why Misha began studying psychology at 14• How hypnosis helped him understand the mind• The three headed dragon of insufficiency, isolation, and unreachable desire• What metacognitive programming is• Why successful people often disconnect from emotion• The cost of emotional inhibition• Why achievement can create emptiness• The difference between insight and real transformation• Why emotional experience helps identity shift• The internal negotiation behind leaving a safe career path• Why leadership requires knowing, not just belief• The difference between reluctant leaders and self directed leaders• Why true ambition is about scaling your values• Misha’s definition of personal success• What makes a life well lived Key ideas from the conversation Transformation begins when we stop treating every thought as truth. Many successful people have learned how to function by disconnecting from what they feel. Emotional inhibition can help a person achieve, but it can also remove access to joy, love, meaning, and inner navigation. A powerful emotional moment is not always transformation. Transformation requires insight and emotion together. Leadership is not a future performance. It is the result of lived experience that changes what you know to be true. The real work is not becoming impressive. It is becoming honest. Memorable moments Misha describes the three headed dragon many people fight internally. Ryan reflects on the belief that doing more would make him worth more. Misha explains why some people are not ready to stop suffering until they have had enough. The conversation explores why high achievers may protect the very patterns that are causing them pain. Misha shares the heartbreaking story that led him to leave his corporate path and fully commit to his coaching and psychology work. Ryan and Misha discuss leadership as an ontological phenomenon rooted in lived experience. Misha closes with a powerful reflection on ambition, values, and what it means to scale what matters most. Guest Misha Saidov is a transformational expert whose work integrates psychology, behavioral change, mysticism, metacognitive programming, and identity transformation. He has certified thousands of coaches and worked with thousands of clients around the world. Learn more about Misha’s work:https://imcp.org Misha’s books:https://a.co/d/0c5vLZVA Recommended starting point mentioned in the episode:Conversations That Change Lives Additional book mentioned in the episode:Mind Your Mind, Heart Your Heart Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/metacognitiveprogramming/ Listen to The Personal Success Podcast The Personal Success Podcast:https://thepersonalsuccesspodcast.com New from Ryan Watts The Private Leadership Reset Podcast:https://privateleadershipreset.com ADVERTISEMENT Steve Lang's Aura Marketing Agency:https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevelangauraaiagency/

In this profound episode of The Personal Success Podcast, Ryan Watts sits down with Dr. Maria Elena Lukeides, a clinical psychologist, meditation and mindfulness teacher, speaker, trainer, and psychedelic assisted therapist. This conversation moves through psychology, spirituality, fear, flow, healing, self acceptance, and the deeper meaning of success. Dr. Lukeides shares how one early experience of being truly seen helped shape her path into psychology. From her work in adoption, foster care, psychiatric settings, pain management, private practice, coaching, and psychedelic assisted therapy, one clear thread emerges. People are seeking love, safety, acceptance, and the felt sense that they are okay. Ryan and Dr. Lukeides explore why so much human suffering is rooted in the fear of failure, incompetence, humiliation, exposure, and unlovability. They also discuss how meditation, mindfulness, exposure, and flow can help us stop resisting our own inner experience. This episode helps listeners recognize the internal friction of trying to earn love, safety, and enoughness through achievement. At the center of the conversation is a simple but life changing possibility. What if success is not finally proving you are enough? What if success is becoming okay with yourself while you are still alive? In this episode • Why fear of failure is often fear of losing lovability • How one validating therapy session changed Dr. Lukeides’ life • The connection between psychology, spirituality, mindfulness, and healing • Why flow states can feel like a glimpse of oneness • How music, writing, coaching, crochet, yoga, and work can become portals into flow • Why fear blocks creativity • How meditation can function as exposure and response prevention • Why feelings are survivable when we stop making them mean something permanent about who we are • The difference between symptom reduction and real healing • What psychedelic assisted therapy may reveal about love, safety, and the self • Why set, setting, preparation, screening, and integration matter • How self love is not always liking yourself • Why success may be the ability to die at peace with who you are Key idea So much of life is spent trying to earn the feeling of being okay. Through achievement.Through work.Through approval.Through performance.Through becoming impressive enough to finally relax. But real success may begin when the internal argument softens. When we stop fighting who we are.When fear becomes something we can feel without obeying.When love is no longer something we are waiting to receive before we allow ourselves to belong. Memorable moments Dr. Lukeides describes the common thread beneath human suffering as the fear of failure, incompetence, and unlovability. She shares how one therapy session as a teenager helped her feel sane, seen, and validated. Ryan and Dr. Lukeides explore flow as a state where the self quiets and the activity begins to move through us. Dr. Lukeides explains meditation as a place where we can practice staying with discomfort long enough to realize it does not consume us. The conversation moves into psychedelic assisted therapy, where Dr. Lukeides discusses how some people experience insights not as ideas, but as embodied truths. Near the end, Dr. Lukeides names success in its simplest form. Being okay with yourself. Guest links Dr. Maria Elena Lukeides website: https://www.drmariaelenalukeides.com.au Psychedelic and MDMA Assisted Therapy: Learn more here Instagram: @drmariaelena_lukeides Book mentioned: No Parts Left Behind by Dr. Maria Elena LukeidesPublication forthcoming Courses mentioned: Foundations of Mindfulness and Pillars of HappinessWaiting list available through Dr. Lukeides’ website Resources mentioned Alan Watts: https://alanwatts.org Flow Research Collective: https://www.flowresearchcollective.com Steven Kotler: https://www.stevenkotler.com Ryan Watts links The Personal Success Podcast: https://thepersonalsuccesspodcast.com Ryan Watts Coaching: https://www.ryanwattslifecoaching.com Private Leadership Reset Podcast: https://privateleadershipreset.com LeaderShift Scorecard: https://www.ryanwattslifecoaching.com/scorecard Advertisement ADVERTISEMENT: Steve Lang's Aura Marketing Agency: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevelangauraaiagency/ Closing reflection If this conversation moved something in you, take a moment before rushing to the next thing. Ask yourself: Where am I still trying to earn the right to feel okay? That question may be the beginning of a very different kind of success.

In this episode of The Personal Success Podcast, Ryan Watts sits down with George Jerjian, author, retirement mindset mentor, and creator of the DARE Method, for a powerful conversation about retirement, identity, purpose, and the courage to begin again. George’s life changed when an oncologist told him he may have only six months to live. After discovering he belonged to what he calls “the 2 percent club,” George realized he was living on bonus time. That experience led him to retire at 52, expecting freedom, ease, and fulfillment. Instead, he found himself drifting. For nine years, George lived inside what he now calls the myth of retirement. His identity felt compromised. His energy faded. The question became unavoidable. Who am I now? This conversation explores why retirement is not simply a financial transition. It is an emotional, psychological, and spiritual crossing. George shares how a 30 day silent retreat helped him reconnect with buried parts of himself, how purpose can return after success, and why the next chapter of life requires courage, not comfort. Ryan and George also discuss the difference between success and significance, the danger of drifting into oblivion, the power of desire, the role of gratitude, and why retirement can become a second hero’s journey. In This Episode Ryan and George explore: • George’s diagnosis and the moment he was told he might have six months to live• Why retirement can create a deep identity crisis• The danger of sleepwalking into the next chapter of life• Why success and significance require different mindsets• The emotional negotiation many people face after retirement• Why courage is essential for reinvention• The DARE Method…Discover, Assimilate, Rewire, Expand• How a 30 day silent retreat helped George reconnect with himself• Why travel can help reveal who we are not• George’s 80 day journey around the world• The importance of self love, gratitude, and inner authority• Mary Oliver’s question…what will you do with your one wild and precious life? Key Takeaways Retirement is not the finish line. For many people, retirement removes the structure, identity, and meaning that work once provided. Without a new sense of purpose, freedom can quietly become drift. Purpose does not end with age. George makes the case that later life is not a time to disappear. It is an opportunity to move from success into significance. Courage is the turning point. George’s DARE Method begins with courage because beginning again requires emotional willingness. It is not only a strategic decision. It is a heart decision. The next chapter requires a new identity. Who you were may not be who you are becoming. That transition can be painful, but it can also become deeply meaningful. Gratitude changes perception. George connects thinking and thanking, reminding us that gratitude is not passive. It changes how we see the life already in front of us. Memorable Quotes “Retirement is our opportunity to become who we’re meant to be.” “You can retire from work, but you can’t retire from life.” “We’re moving from the concept of success to the concept of significance.” “If you feel that you’ve still got a lot to give, then this is for you.” “Every single day is a lifetime.” “What will you do with your one wild and precious life?” About George Jerjian George Jerjian is an author, speaker, and retirement mindset mentor who helps retirees find a new beginning. After a life changing health scare and his own difficult transition into retirement, George began helping others rethink retirement as a chapter of purpose, passion, and significance. He is the author of multiple books, including Dare to Discover Your Purpose: Retire, Refire, Rewire and Odyssey of an Elder: Around the World in Eighty Days. Connect With George Jerjian Website: https://georgejerjian.com Books: https://georgejerjian.com/books LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/georgejerjian YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQAHngaJVQiuQixO6Q01rVA George’s Books Dare to Discover Your Purpose: Retire, Refire, RewireAmazon: https://www.amazon.com/Dare-Discover-Your-Purpose-Retire/dp/1774820749 Odyssey of an Elder: Around the World in Eighty DaysAmazon: https://www.amazon.com/Odyssey-Elder-Around-World-Eighty/dp/1774823438 Listen to The Personal Success Podcast Website: https://thepersonalsuccesspodcast.com ADVERTISEMENT Steve Lang's Aura Marketing Agency: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevelangauraaiagency/ Subscribe and Follow Subscribe to The Personal Success Podcast for conversations on purpose, leadership, personal growth, self awareness, and what it means to create a life that actually feels like your own. Website: https://thepersonalsuccesspodcast.com

In this episode of The Personal Success Podcast, Ryan sits down with Jeff Jones, a strength and conditioning coach, performance coach, speaker, and author of The Intentional Edge: 10 Reps to Mental Toughness. Jeff has spent more than 20 years coaching college football athletes. Early in his career, his work focused on physical performance…speed, strength, explosiveness, and athletic development. Over time, he saw something deeper. Physical talent matters. But what usually limits performance is mental. That realization led Jeff into the world of mindset, motivation, habits, discipline, gratitude, identity, focus, and mental toughness. His work now centers on helping athletes, leaders, and high performers train the mind with the same intention they bring to the weight room. Ryan and Jeff explore the difference between knowing mental performance concepts and actually living them. They talk about why mental toughness is not a personality trait, why motivation is a responsibility, how the brain creates automatic negative thoughts, and why the quality of your daily reps determines the quality of your life. Jeff also shares key ideas from The Intentional Edge, including the importance of talking to yourself instead of listening to yourself, building a stronger identity beyond performance, creating boundaries with your phone, celebrating daily wins, and choosing hard things on purpose. This conversation is for athletes, leaders, entrepreneurs, coaches, parents, and anyone who wants to become more intentional with how they think, act, lead, and live. In this episode, Ryan and Jeff discuss: • Why mental toughness is trained, not given• The shift from physical performance to mental performance• Why most people are already putting in mental reps without realizing it• The difference between default reps and intentional reps• Why talking to yourself matters more than listening to yourself• How automatic negative thoughts shape confidence and behavior• The “penthouse versus outhouse” mindset framework• Why motivation is your responsibility• How values and identity create stronger performance• The danger of tying self worth only to outcomes• Why achievement alone does not create fulfillment• How progress creates meaning• Why gratitude belongs inside mental toughness• The role of solitude, boredom, and focus in a distracted world• How smartphones steal attention and weaken presence• Why doing hard things builds resilience• The difference between performing toughness and training toughness• How leaders and athletes can become more intentional every day Featured Guest Jeff Jones is a performance coach, strength and conditioning coach, speaker, and author. He has spent more than two decades working in college football, helping athletes develop physically, mentally, and personally. His book, The Intentional Edge: 10 Reps to Mental Toughness, gives readers a practical framework for training the mind through daily intentional reps. Connect with Jeff Jones Jeff’s Book: The Intentional Edge: 10 Reps To Mental Toughness: https://a.co/d/0inmge95 Website:https://coachjeffjones.com Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/coachjeffjones X:https://x.com/JonesyJeff1 Connect with Ryan Watts Ryan Watts Coaching:https://www.ryanwattslifecoaching.com The Personal Success Podcast:https://thepersonalsuccesspodcast.com Private Leadership Reset:https://privateleadershipreset.com ADVERTISEMENT Steve Lang's Aura Marketing Agency:https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevelangauraaiagency/ Listen and Subscribe Listen to The Personal Success Podcast wherever you get podcasts. Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-personal-success-podcast/id1682844152 Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0f9xZkY8gNHSHxWcZy9RrQ YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@ThePersonalSuccessPodcast Closing Mental toughness is not something you wait to feel. It is something you train. One thought.One choice.One rep at a time.

Ryan sits down with Nawal Roy, Founder and CEO of Holmusk, for a powerful conversation about the future of mental health care, the role of data, and why one of the world’s most complex problems may also be one of the most solvable. Nawal brings a rare combination of conviction, humility, and systems thinking to the conversation. With a background in economics, finance, and strategy, he entered the mental health space after recognizing one massive gap…the lack of high quality data needed to improve research, treatment development, care delivery, and patient outcomes. His company, Holmusk, has spent more than a decade building one of the largest behavioral health data platforms in the world. In this conversation, Nawal explains why mental health has remained far behind other areas of medicine, why trial and error still dominates treatment, and what could become possible if society committed to solving mental health as a true healthcare problem. In this episode, Ryan and Nawal discuss: Why mental health care is still years behind fields like cardiology and oncology How data became the missing infrastructure in behavioral health Why mental health should be treated as a healthcare problem, not a moral failure or social defect The role of stigma in delaying care and limiting access How AI may help improve mental health treatment and global access Why trial and error remains one of the biggest problems in psychiatric care What Holmusk has learned from millions of patient records Why healthcare payment models are often harder to solve than the technology itself The leadership required to take on a complex, generational problem Why meaningful work often begins with attempting something that may never be fully solved by one person Key Themes Mental health is not unsolvable. Nawal makes a clear case that mental health can be improved in the same way other major health challenges have been improved…through research, funding, measurement, infrastructure, and serious societal commitment. His position is simple and hopeful. Mental health is a health problem. Health problems can be measured. Measured problems can be studied. Studied problems can be improved. Data is the foundation for better care. Nawal compares the need in mental health to what Bloomberg created for finance…high quality data at your fingertips. His belief is that better data can reduce trial and error, improve outcomes, support clinicians, help researchers, and eventually give patients access to better treatment earlier in the process. Stigma changes when the frame changes. One of the strongest moments in the episode comes when Nawal compares the stigma around mental health to the historical stigma around AIDS. His point is not that the problems are identical. His point is that stigma can change when society begins to understand a condition as a health issue and commits real research, funding, public policy, and clinical infrastructure toward solving it. Leadership requires sustained conviction. This conversation is also about leadership. Nawal does not romanticize the work. He names the difficulty clearly. Capital is hard. Talent is hard. Partnerships are hard. Business models are hard. Healthcare payment systems are hard. And still, he continues. For Nawal, the attempt matters. The work matters. The problem is large enough that even solving a small percentage of it would be meaningful. Memorable Ideas From the Conversation Mental health should be treated as a healthcare problem. Trial and error in psychiatric treatment can and should be reduced. The lack of high quality data has slowed progress in mental health. The future of mental health may depend on better measurement, better research, and better infrastructure. AI can only be as useful as the quality of the data underneath it. Hard problems are hard for a reason. The attempt matters, even when the full outcome is uncertain. About Nawal Roy Nawal Roy is the Founder and CEO of Holmusk, a company focused on transforming mental and behavioral health through real world data, analytics, and evidence generation. Before founding Holmusk, Nawal built a career in finance, economics, and strategy. His work now centers on solving one of the most complex and consequential challenges in healthcare…improving mental health outcomes through better data, better research, and better systems. Connect with Nawal Roy Holmusk: https://www.holmusk.com/ Nawal Roy Website: https://www.nawalroy.com/ Nawal Roy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nawalroy Listen to The Personal Success Podcast Website: http://thepersonalsuccesspodcast.com Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-personal-success-podcast-with-ryan-watts/id1699785392 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0poXmaxpjA6ViNDy1KOh9c YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thepersonalsuccesspodcast  Connect With Ryan Website: http://ryanwattscoaching.com ADVERTISEMENT Steve Lang's Aura Marketing Agency: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevelangauraaiagency/ Closing Reflection This episode is a reminder that some problems are too important to avoid simply because they are complex. Mental health care may be fragmented. It may be under measured. It may be far too dependent on trial and error. But according to Nawal Roy, it is not beyond repair. With better data, better leadership, better infrastructure, and a serious commitment from society, mental health can become more measurable, more treatable, and more humane. That is not hype. That is conviction. And it may be exactly the kind of conviction this field needs.

In this episode of The Personal Success Podcast, Ryan Watts sits down with Nahum Vizakis…also known as The Spiritual Bodybuilder…for a powerful conversation on trauma, masculinity, bodybuilding, nervous system regulation, plant medicine, authenticity, and what it means to build real strength from the inside out. Nahum shares his journey from a difficult childhood marked by foster care, homelessness, gangs, and survival…to military service after 9/11, working in EOD, facing PTSD, and eventually entering a long process of healing, self discovery, and spiritual transformation. The conversation explores how the body can become both a place of discipline and a place of deep emotional truth. Nahum explains his philosophy of spiritual bodybuilding…a way of approaching fitness not only as physical development, but as a path toward self mastery, emotional honesty, nervous system balance, and authentic strength. Ryan and Nahum also discuss the difference between ego driven performance and embodied wholeness, why vulnerability can be a form of strength, how men are often conditioned to reject sensitivity, and how authenticity becomes a deeper kind of leadership. This episode includes discussion of trauma, PTSD, plant medicine, ayahuasca, bodybuilding, performance enhancing drugs, addiction, emotional healing, fasting, nervous system regulation, and the importance of integration after transformational experiences. In this episode Ryan and Nahum explore… • What spiritual bodybuilding means• Nahum’s journey from foster care and survival to military service and healing• How PTSD and childhood trauma shaped his path• Why bodybuilding became a spiritual practice for Nahum• The difference between external strength and internal wholeness• Why vulnerability can be a deeper form of masculine strength• How men often overcompensate for sensitivity with toughness• What happens when identity is built on performance or appearance• The role of nervous system regulation in fitness and leadership• Why hustle culture and sympathetic dominance can exhaust the body• How breath, stillness, and presence change the way we train• The importance of integration after plant medicine experiences• Why authenticity requires accepting the full truth of your life• How the body can reveal emotional patterns• Why true healing requires responsibility, humility, and devotion Notable themes Spiritual BodybuildingNahum describes bodybuilding as more than aesthetics. For him, it became a way to study discipline, identity, ego, emotional patterns, and self mastery. Trauma and the BodyThe episode explores how unresolved experiences can live in the body and how healing often requires more than mindset alone. Masculinity and VulnerabilityRyan and Nahum discuss how many men are taught to suppress sensitivity, and how true strength often emerges through humility, honesty, and the willingness to be vulnerable. Nervous System RegulationNahum explains the importance of training from a balanced nervous system rather than relying only on intensity, stimulants, anger, or force. Plant Medicine and IntegrationNahum shares his personal experience with ayahuasca and other plant medicine work, while emphasizing that integration is where the real work happens. AuthenticityNahum closes the episode with a powerful reflection: authenticity is the new currency. Living authentically means accepting your truth, facing the pain in your heart, and allowing that truth to guide how you move through the world. Guest links Nahum Vizakis…The Spiritual BodybuilderWebsite: https://www.spiritualbodybuilder.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/spiritual_bodybuilderYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SpiritualBodybuilderFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/OptimizingHuman Books mentioned The Indigo Flamehttps://www.balboapress.com/en/bookstore/bookdetails/868497-the-indigo-flame The Biohacker’s Guide to Spiritual Bodybuildinghttps://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FSF59FSR Ryan Watts links The Personal Success Podcasthttp://thepersonalsuccesspodcast.com Ryan Watts Life Coachinghttps://www.ryanwattslifecoaching.com Personal Success Podcast Guest Formhttps://forms.gle/nxKkZw5P3UEaUZ6TA Advertisement ADVERTISEMENT: Steve Lang's Aura Marketing Agency:https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevelangauraaiagency/ Listener note This episode includes personal experiences and perspectives related to trauma, PTSD, plant medicine, health, fitness, and healing. Nothing in this episode should be taken as medical advice. Always consult a qualified professional before making decisions related to mental health, physical health, medication, supplements, or psychedelic assisted experiences. Closing reflection This conversation is for anyone who has ever chased strength on the outside while sensing that something deeper needed to be healed on the inside. True strength is not just what the body can endure. It is what the heart is finally willing to face.

In this episode of The Personal Success Podcast, Ryan speaks with Croft Edwards, MCC, leadership and change coach, retired military officer, author, and President of CROFT + Company. Croft has spent decades studying one central question… What is leadership? The conversation begins with a powerful distinction. Management is authority granted by an organization. Leadership is authority granted by the follower. From there, Ryan and Croft explore what it means to lead from the body, not just the mind. Croft shares how his military background, early exposure to leadership through General Omar Bradley, and years of ontological and somatic coaching shaped his understanding of presence, trust, and authority. The conversation centers on Croft’s book, The Liquid Accordion: A Somatic and Embodiment Primer for Coaching In, With, and Through the Body for Coaches and Leaders. Croft explains the metaphor of the “liquid accordion” as the body’s constant expansion and contraction in response to the world. Every leader has a body. Every conversation happens through a body. And often, the body knows what is happening before the mind has words for it. This episode is especially useful for coaches, leaders, executives, and anyone interested in the connection between leadership presence, emotional regulation, trust, and embodied awareness. In this episode, we discuss • Why leadership is granted by followers, not claimed by title • The difference between management authority and leadership authority • How Croft’s early life shaped his lifelong study of leadership • What the military taught him about command, presence, and trust • Why the body is central to coaching and leadership • What somatic coaching actually means • Why leaders often disconnect from their bodies • How anger, tension, shutdown, and openness live in the body • Why breath is foundational to regulation and leadership presence • How teams move from cordial hypocrisy to authentic candor • Why high performing teams need practice, not just strategy • How the body can reveal what language hides • Why our biggest leadership challenge is often ourselves Memorable ideas from the conversation “Management is the authority granted by the organization. Leadership is the authority granted by the follower.” “The body is the holy grail.” “If I want to be open in a conversation, but my body is closed, the conversation cannot fully open.” “We are this liquid accordion, expanding and contracting to navigate the world.” “Our biggest leadership challenge is ourselves.” About Croft Edwards Croft Edwards, MCC, is a leadership and change coach, retired military officer, author, and President of CROFT + Company. He works with leaders, teams, coaches, and organizations to help them create more effective conversations, stronger trust, deeper presence, and higher performing cultures. Croft is the author of The Liquid Accordion: A Somatic and Embodiment Primer for Coaching In, With, and Through the Body for Coaches and Leaders. Connect with Croft Edwards Croft Edwards website:https://croftandcompany.com/ The Liquid Accordion:https://liquidaccordion.com/ Croft Edwards on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/croftedwards Croft Edwards on X:https://x.com/CroftEdwards The Liquid Accordion on Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Liquid-Accordion-Somatic-Embodiment-Coaching/dp/1968127151 Listen to The Personal Success Podcast Website:https://thepersonalsuccesspodcast.com Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-personal-success-podcast-with-ryan-watts/id1699785392 Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/0poXmaxpjA6ViNDy1KOh9c YouTube:https://youtube.com/@thepersonalsuccesspodcast ADVERTISEMENT Steve Lang's Aura Marketing Agency:https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevelangauraaiagency/ Work with Ryan Watts Ryan Watts Life Coaching:https://www.ryanwattslifecoaching.com Free LeaderShift Scorecard:https://www.ryanwattslifecoaching.com/scorecard Private Leadership Reset:https://www.ryanwattslifecoaching.com/application  

In this episode of The Personal Success Podcast, Ryan Watts sits down with Lisa Woodruff, founder and CEO of Organize 365, creator of the Sunday Basket, host of the Organize 365 Podcast, and author of Escaping Quicksand. This conversation explores the hidden weight of modern life…the paper, decisions, household management, invisible work, interrupted attention, and emotional load that many people carry without language for it. Lisa shares her personal story of becoming a stay at home mom, navigating infertility, adoption, caregiving, entrepreneurship, ADHD, and the realization that organization is not about having a prettier home. It is about creating enough time and capacity to do what you are uniquely gifted and created to do. Ryan and Lisa also discuss ADHD, executive function, the power of external systems, the female mental load, why paper still matters, and how the Sunday Basket helps people move from reactive living to proactive leadership inside their own home. In This Episode Ryan and Lisa discuss: • Why organization is a learnable skill • How ADHD impacts executive function, planning, working memory, and task switching • Why many adults need systems that externalize executive function • The difference between visible housework and invisible household management • Why the head of household often becomes “Google” for the family • How paper reduces emotional friction and helps transfer information clearly • Why productivity only matters when it is connected to meaning • How women can reclaim permission to invest in themselves • Why home management deserves to be treated like business management • How Lisa’s Sunday Basket helps people stop reacting to life and start leading it • The story behind Lisa’s new book, Escaping Quicksand The core thread of the episode is that organization is not really about clutter. It is about capacity. Lisa repeatedly names how unseen household management, paper, caregiving, ADHD, and decision load can quietly drain energy when there is no system to hold it. Key Takeaway The invisible load becomes heavier when it stays invisible. When tasks, papers, decisions, and responsibilities live only in your head, your brain has to keep carrying them. Lisa’s work helps people move that weight into a system so they can recover time, attention, clarity, and self trust. Featured Guest Lisa Woodruff is the founder and CEO of Organize 365, creator of the Sunday Basket, and host of the Organize 365 Podcast. Her work helps people organize their homes, paper, and household management systems so they can free up time and capacity for what matters most. Her book Escaping Quicksand offers practical steps for women who feel buried by the mental load of modern home life. The book is positioned as a psychology driven roadmap for women ready to rise above overwhelm and run their households with more confidence and clarity.   Resources Mentioned Organize 365 https://organize365.com The Sunday Basket https://organize365.com/sunday-basket/ The Sunday Basket is Lisa’s system for organizing household papers, to dos, bills, planning, and active projects. Organize 365 describes it as a system for processing mail, kitchen counter papers, and household projects that clutter both your counter and your mind.   Escaping Quicksand https://organize365.com/escapingquicksand/ Lisa’s book focuses on overcoming the overwhelm of modern home life.   Escaping Quicksand on Simon & Schuster https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Escaping-Quicksand/Lisa-Woodruff/9781637635643 Organize 365 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/organize365/ Organize 365 Podcast https://organize365.com/podcast/ Also available on major podcast platforms. The Personal Success Podcast https://www.ryanwattslifecoaching.com/thepersonalsuccesspodcast About The Personal Success Podcast The Personal Success Podcast exists to help you define success for yourself and build a life that reflects your values, goals, relationships, and deeper sense of purpose. Hosted by Ryan Watts, the show explores personal growth, leadership, self trust, healing, mindset, and the practical inner work required to create a meaningful life. Advertisement ADVERTISEMENT: Steve Lang's Aura Marketing Agency: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevelangauraaiagency/ Closing CTA Listen to more episodes of The Personal Success Podcast here: https://www.ryanwattslifecoaching.com/thepersonalsuccesspodcast

Subscribe For FREE: ryanwattscoaching.com/leadershippodcast The Hidden Cost of Being Able to Handle Anything In this episode of The Private Leadership Reset Podcast, Ryan Watts explores a quiet but powerful leadership tension inspired by a clip from Misha Saidov, founder of the Metacognitive Programming Institute. The tension is simple: What happens when the same emotional suppression that helped a leader succeed starts making leadership feel heavy, disconnected, and internally expensive? Many capable leaders are praised for being able to handle anything. They stay composed. They absorb pressure. They carry responsibility. They keep going. But over time, that capacity can come with a cost. When leaders learn to suppress discomfort, they may also lose access to joy, desire, intuition, clarity, and inner guidance. The result is not always visible burnout. Sometimes it is something quieter. More second guessing.More internal negotiation.More effort behind clean decisions.More performance with less inner contact. This episode explores the difference between true calm authority and emotional numbness…and why leadership becomes clearer when achievement no longer requires self abandonment.   Ryan explores: • Why many successful leaders learn to disconnect from what they feel• The difference between resilience and emotional inhibition• How emotional numbness creates decision drag• Why a leader can still perform while feeling disconnected internally• The hidden cost of always being the person who can handle anything• Why emotions are not interruptions, but information• How internal friction often begins when a leader cannot clearly sense what is true• The difference between performing calm and actually being settled• Why leadership requires contact, not just competence• How to begin reconnecting with your emotional system without becoming emotionally reactive Core Leadership Tension “I can handle anything” vs. “I can actually feel my life.” This episode names the internal cost many leaders carry quietly. They are not failing.They are not weak.They are not incapable. They may simply have become better at enduring than feeling. And when endurance becomes identity, leadership can begin to feel heavier than it should. Key Insight A leader who cannot feel may stay efficient. But a leader who can feel without being ruled by feeling becomes more precise, more human, more trustworthy, and often more decisive. Decision making gets cleaner when the leader is no longer divided from themselves. Reflection Practice From The Episode Before one decision, meeting, or conversation this week, pause for sixty seconds and ask: What am I feeling?Use one word.What is this feeling pointing toward?A boundary? A desire? A truth? A fear? A need? A conversation?What would change if I trusted this signal as information, not as a problem? Take the LeaderShift Scorecard:https://www.ryanwattslifecoaching.com/scorecard Take the Leadership Friction Assessment:https://www.ryanwattslifecoaching.com/friction Learn more about Ryan Watts Life Coaching:https://www.ryanwattslifecoaching.com Closing Thought The goal is not to become someone who cannot handle difficulty. The goal is to become someone who can handle difficulty without abandoning yourself. That is a different kind of strength. And sometimes, that is where leadership begins again.

In this episode of The Personal Success Podcast, Ryan sits down with Mikael Avatar…Inner Freedom Architect, artist, coach, creator of The Mikael Avatar Method, and author of Life Reset: Practical Guide to Resetting Your Life. Mikael’s story begins in a way few stories do. He was born clinically dead for 45 minutes. He was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. He was told what would be difficult, what might not be possible, and what life could look like inside other people’s limitations. But Mikael did not build his life around someone else’s prognosis. Instead, he chose to burn bright. This conversation explores what it means to reset your life without forcing it. Ryan and Mikael talk about pain, presence, humor, awareness, cerebral palsy, Thailand, identity, leadership, laughter, and the small shifts that can quietly change everything. Mikael shares how moving to Thailand helped him experience life without pain for the first time, why reflection is essential for true resilience, and how tiny moments…like five seconds of eye contact with your child or one breath before reacting…can create a chain reaction across your whole life. This is not a conversation about becoming someone else. It is a conversation about removing the mask, noticing what is real, and choosing the next honest step. In this episode, Ryan and Mikael discuss • What it means to be “born dead” and still choose to burn bright• Living with cerebral palsy without letting it define your identity• Why humor can interrupt autopilot and help us let go• The difference between forcing life and creating space• How Thailand helped Mikael become pain free and discover a deeper version of himself• Why many high performers misunderstand resilience• The power of silence, reflection, and presence• Mikael’s “1% shift” philosophy• How small awareness practices can reset your life• Why successful people often lose connection with joy• The role of laughter in healing and perspective• How old emotional patterns keep showing up in the present• What it means to find the “mask free me” Featured guest Mikael AvatarInner Freedom Architect | Creator of The Mikael Avatar Method Mikael Avatar is a coach, artist, speaker, author, and creator of The Mikael Avatar Method. His work helps people see life from a wider perspective, reconnect with inner freedom, and move from impossible beginnings toward authentic living. Born dead for 45 minutes and diagnosed with cerebral palsy, Mikael has lived a life shaped by resilience, humor, reinvention, and deep awareness. He is also the author of Life Reset: Practical Guide to Resetting Your Life and has been featured in Authority Magazine, including The New Portrait of Leadership and Happiness and Joy During Turbulent Times. His message is simple and powerful: Born dead. Chose to burn bright. Now helping others do the same. Guest links Website: https://mikaelavatar.comEmail: [email protected]: https://instagram.com/mikaelavatarLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/mikaelavatarTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mikaelavatarYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MikaelAvatarStjernvallFacebook: https://facebook.com/mikaelavatarstjernvall Book Life Reset: Practical Guide to Resetting Your LifeAvailable on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0g2Cyl3S Listen if you are exploring • Life reset• Personal transformation• Inner freedom• Resilience• Cerebral palsy and possibility• Presence and awareness• Coaching and self discovery• Authentic leadership• Humor and healing• How to stop forcing your life• How small changes create major transformation About The Personal Success Podcast The Personal Success Podcast explores what it really means to create a successful life from the inside out. Through honest conversations with coaches, authors, leaders, healers, entrepreneurs, and everyday people doing meaningful inner work, Ryan Watts invites listeners to redefine success, deepen self trust, and build a life that actually feels like their own. Host: Ryan WattsLife Coach | Host of The Personal Success PodcastWebsite: https://www.ryanwattslifecoaching.com Advertisement ADVERTISEMENT: Steve Lang's Aura Marketing Agency:https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevelangauraaiagency/

In this episode of The Personal Success Podcast, Ryan Watts sits down with Richmond Heath, an Australian physiotherapist, TRE Certification Trainer, and National Coordinator of TRE in Australia. Richmond shares how chronic pain, high functioning anxiety, and the inability to switch off led him into a deeper understanding of the body’s natural recovery systems. The conversation explores TRE, formerly known as Trauma Release Exercises and now often described as Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises. Richmond explains how spontaneous shaking and tremoring can be understood not as weakness, anxiety, or loss of control, but as the body’s natural way of releasing stress, tension, and protective activation. Together, Ryan and Richmond discuss burnout, nervous system regulation, flow states, somatic awareness, trauma, physical expression, recovery, and why true performance depends on the ability to come back down. This episode is a deep look at what happens when success is no longer just mental, strategic, or motivational, but physical, embodied, and regulated. Topics Covered • Richmond Heath’s journey from physiotherapy and chronic pain into TRE • Why burnout often begins with the inability to switch off • The difference between feeling activated and being sustainably regulated • How shaking and tremoring may help the body discharge stress • Why the body holds tension we are not consciously aware of • The distinction between controlling the nervous system and allowing it to regulate itself • How TRE uses spontaneous movement rather than forced movement • Why recovery is essential for performance, leadership, parenting, and wellbeing • The relationship between trauma, suppression, authenticity, and connection • Why flow states require surrender rather than more control • How Western culture often pathologizes natural recovery responses • Why TRE should be approached with safety, self regulation, and appropriate support Guest Bio Richmond Heath is a physiotherapist, TRE Certification Trainer, and the National Coordinator of TRE in Australia. His work focuses on helping people reconnect with the body’s natural ability to release stress, reduce tension, and restore nervous system balance. TRE Australia identifies Richmond as a physiotherapist and TRE trainer with a background in Pilates, Bowen Therapy, mental health, Aboriginal studies, and youth suicide prevention.   Key Ideas From the Episode 1. Burnout does not always begin with exhaustion. Richmond explains that the first stage of burnout can feel like the opposite of burnout. It can feel like being alive, productive, activated, and “on.” The real warning sign is not always fatigue. Sometimes it is the inability to slow down. 2. Shaking is not always a problem. TRE reframes spontaneous shaking and tremoring as a natural recovery response. TRE Global describes TRE as a body led modality developed by Dr. David Berceli that aims to release tension and restore calm.   3. Regulation is not just calming down. True nervous system regulation includes the ability to activate when needed and recover when needed. Richmond emphasizes that many people can turn on, perform, and push, but struggle to return to rest. 4. The body often knows what the mind cannot access. Richmond points out that we consciously control only a small portion of our movement system. TRE works by allowing the body’s own spontaneous movement patterns to emerge, rather than trying to manage everything through thought. 5. Recovery is not optional for sustainable success. The episode draws a clear line between recovery and performance. Whether in sport, leadership, parenting, or work, the ability to recover deeply affects the ability to show up well. Important Note TRE can be powerful, but it should be approached carefully. Richmond notes that people with significant trauma history, chronic anxiety, medical conditions, or mental health conditions may benefit from guided support rather than experimenting alone. TRE Global offers a provider search for finding certified TRE providers worldwide.   Links Mentioned Richmond Heath and TRE Australia https://www.treaustralia.com Richmond Heath’s Introductory TRE Course https://content.trecourse.com/p/tre-course Find a TRE Provider Worldwide https://treglobal.org/tre-provider-list/ TRE Global https://treglobal.org David Berceli’s Official Website https://david-berceli.com The Personal Success Podcasthttps://thepersonalsuccesspodcast.com Ryan Watts Life Coaching https://www.ryanwattslifecoaching.com Additional Relevant Resources CDC Information on Adverse Childhood Experiences https://www.cdc.gov/aces/about/index.html Original ACE Study Publication https://www.ajpmonline.org/article/S0749-3797(98)00017-8/fulltext The CDC describes adverse childhood experiences as potentially traumatic events occurring before age 18, including abuse, neglect, exposure to violence, and household instability.   The original ACE Study connected childhood adversity with increased risk for later physical and mental health challenges.   Advertisement ADVERTISEMENT: Steve Lang's Aura Marketing Agency: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevelangauraaiagency/ Listen and Subscribe Subscribe to The Personal Success Podcast for conversations on personal growth, leadership, healing, success, purpose, and the inner work required to live with greater clarity. Listen here:https://thepersonalsuccesspodcast.com  

In this episode of The Personal Success Podcast, Ryan sits down with Matt Kaufman, summer camp director and author of The Campfire Effect: How to Engineer Belonging in a Disconnected World. Matt explains why summer camp is more than fun. It is a designed environment for belonging, trust, challenge, confidence, and human development. Together, Ryan and Matt explore how the same principles that help children grow at camp can be applied to leadership teams, workplaces, schools, families, and communities. In This Episode Ryan and Matt discuss: • Why summer camp creates lasting confidence and belonging • The neuroscience of trust, stress, and growth • Why “stress + support = growth” • The Wire Mother experiment and what it teaches us about leadership • Why many workplaces provide structure but not connection • How leaders can create psychological safety • Why laughter, rituals, and shared experiences matter • How AI may increase the value of human skills • Why empathy, trust, and belonging are leadership skills • What it means to “leave it better than you found it” Key Ideas Belonging is not accidental. Matt argues that high quality camp environments create belonging through intentional design. Safety, challenge, dignity, shared joy, and clear goals all work together to help people grow. Leadership is not just about performance. It is about creating an environment where people feel safe enough to try, supported enough to stretch, and connected enough to stay engaged. Guest Matt Kaufman Author of The Campfire Effect: How to Engineer Belonging in a Disconnected World and The Campfire MBA. Links Get Matt Kaufman’s book: https://a.co/d/09pRPtlB Connect with Matt Kaufman: https://www.ilove.camp Subscribe to The Personal Success Podcast: https://youtube.com/@thepersonalsuccesspodcast Explore Ryan Watts Life Coaching: https://www.ryanwattslifecoaching.com Take the LeaderShift Scorecard: https://www.ryanwattslifecoaching.com/leadershift ADVERTISEMENT: Steve Lang's Aura Marketing Agency: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevelangauraaiagency/

Featuring Matt Raad In this episode, Ryan sits down with Matt Raad, entrepreneur, website investor, educator, and co founder of eBusiness Institute. Matt and his wife, Liz Raad, have spent decades buying, building, renovating, and selling businesses, eventually moving into digital assets and online businesses. Today, they help professionals build income streams outside the traditional corporate path. This conversation explores why relying only on a job may no longer feel as secure as it once did, how digital assets can create new options, and why the path to online income is real…but not effortless. Matt explains how professionals can start small, build practical digital skills, and create low risk pathways toward more freedom, flexibility, and ownership. In this episode, Ryan and Matt discuss Why the traditional corporate ladder feels less reliable for many professionals. What a digital asset actually is, including websites, blogs, email lists, social audiences, and niche online communities. Why simple websites can become valuable assets when they attract targeted traffic and generate income. How AI is changing the online business world without replacing the need for human judgment, trust, and consultative skill. Why Matt does not recommend e commerce as the first path for many beginners. How building websites for small businesses can become both a skill building path and a real income stream. Why the “laptop lifestyle” is possible, but only after consistent reps, learning, and patience. How to start safely with small steps instead of taking on unnecessary debt or quitting your job too early. Why networking, partnerships, referrals, and human connection still matter in the age of AI. How to think about a 12 to 24 month transition from corporate work into digital income. Key takeaways A job may provide income, but it is not the same as owning an asset. Digital assets can include websites, blogs, newsletters, social media channels, affiliate sites, sponsorship based platforms, and online service businesses. The easiest place to begin is often not buying a large website or launching a complex business. It may be building a simple site, learning how traffic works, and understanding how businesses generate leads online. AI can help build websites faster, but it does not replace the deeper skill of understanding a business owner’s needs, positioning their value, and helping them generate real leads. Matt’s strongest advice is to start small, start safe, and put in the reps. Memorable ideas from the conversation “Your boss doesn’t even need to know what you’re doing.” “Why wouldn’t you be building a little asset on the side?” “The laptop life is real…but it takes reps.” “If you have a phone, you can start a business now.” “People see the lifestyle, but they do not always see the hard reps behind it.” About Matt Raad Matt Raad is an entrepreneur, investor, educator, and co founder of eBusiness Institute. Alongside his wife and business partner, Liz Raad, Matt teaches people how to buy, build, renovate, and sell websites and online businesses. Their work focuses on digital skills, website investing, digital marketing, and creating alternative income streams through online assets.   Connect with Matt Raad Matt Raad on LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/matt-raad    eBusiness Institute: https://www.ebusinessinstitute.com.au/    Matt and Liz Raad: https://www.mattandlizraad.com/    Digital Investors Podcast: https://www.digitalinvestors.com/podcast/    Digital Investors Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/digital-investors/id1654642750    Digital Investor Show on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DigitalInvestorShow    Resources mentioned Flippa: https://flippa.com/  Empire Flippers: https://empireflippers.com/    Learn more from Ryan Watts Ryan Watts Life Coaching: https://www.ryanwattslifecoaching.com/  LeaderShift Scorecard: https://www.ryanwattslifecoaching.com/leadershift  The Personal Success Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thepersonalsuccesspodcast  Advertisement Steve Lang’s Aura Marketing Agency: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevelangauraaiagency/

In this episode of The Personal Success Podcast, Ryan sits down with David Schnurman, CEO of Lawline, author, speaker, podcast host, and father, for a powerful conversation about purpose, family, success, freedom, and what it really takes to stop thinking about the life you want and start living it. David shares the story behind his book Eleven Suitcases, which follows his family’s decision to leave Brooklyn and move to Barcelona. What began as a family exercise about values, travel, and creating something to look forward to eventually became a life changing move across the world. The conversation moves through imposter syndrome, ADHD, entrepreneurship, intentional parenting, family memories, writing, and the tension between external success and internal clarity. At the heart of the episode is one clear question… What if you are not as stuck as you think? In This Episode Ryan and David explore: How David redefined his purpose around helping driven people move from thinking to actually living Why imposter syndrome often appears right after we step outside our comfort zone The family exercise that eventually led to moving to Barcelona Why the book is called Eleven Suitcases What COVID lockdown in Spain taught David and his family Why travel became a core family value How to create meaningful memories with your children before time moves too quickly The connection between The Fast Forward Mindset and Eleven Suitcases How David discovered ADHD later in life and began understanding his own drive, overwhelm, and dopamine seeking patterns Why podcast conversations can create clarity, connection, and fulfillment How Lawline was built around freedom, structure, and lifelong learning The importance of turning your ship, even when life feels like it is already set on a fixed course Key Takeaways David’s purpose has evolved into helping driven people who feel stuck move from thinking about what they want to actually living it. His family’s move to Barcelona did not begin with a massive life plan. It began with one practical problem…getting the kids to sleep…and a family values exercise that opened the door to a bigger vision. The move was not clean, easy, or perfectly Instagram ready. It included fear, mess, family tension, lockdown, uncertainty, and moments of doubt. Success and freedom require structure. David did not step away from his business by accident. He built the systems, team, culture, and leadership structure that allowed him to move himself from the center of the business to the edge. One of the strongest themes of the episode is intentional family memory. David reminds Ryan that with twins, it becomes especially important to create individual experiences with each child as they grow. The episode closes with a simple but powerful reminder… You can still turn your ship. Memorable Quotes “I figured out a way to move from being stuck…to actually living it.” “My one word was conviction. Not because I always have it, but because I’m always searching for it.” “We gift in travel, not in items.” “Eleven Suitcases is a family self improvement book.” “I wrote the book for me. You write the book you were meant to read.” “I am striving to be above the surface in as many areas as possible.” “Freedom of my time has always been the most important thing for me.” “You can turn your ship.” Links and Resources David’s book, Eleven Suitcases: https://a.co/d/00hru59R  Eleven Suitcases website: https://elevensuitcases.com/  Connect with David Schnurman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidschnurman/  Lawline: https://www.lawline.com/  Lawyers Who Learn Podcast: https://www.lawline.com/podcast/lawyers-who-learn  David’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidschnurman/  The Personal Success Podcast YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@thepersonalsuccesspodcast  Ryan Watts Life Coaching: https://www.ryanwattslifecoaching.com  Advertisement ADVERTISEMENT: Steve Lang's Aura Marketing Agency: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevelangauraaiagency/

In this episode of The Personal Success Podcast, Ryan speaks with Todd Graves, founder of Graves Golf and one of the leading voices in teaching Moe Norman’s Single Plane Golf Swing. Todd’s mission is simple…to teach people an easier way to play golf. But this conversation goes far beyond golf. Ryan and Todd explore mastery, simplicity, frustration, failure, self discipline, flow state, and what it actually takes to learn something deeply. Todd shares how discovering Moe Norman’s swing changed his life, why most golf instruction is taught backwards, and how simplicity often outperforms complexity when it comes to growth. The conversation also touches on the deeper pursuit behind golf…the individual struggle, the willingness to fail, and the steady discipline required to keep improving. Source transcript provided by Ryan Watts. In This Episode Ryan and Todd discuss… • Why Todd Graves built his work around Moe Norman’s Single Plane Golf Swing • The problem with complicated instruction • Why better structure beats more information • How frustration reveals a lack of clarity • Why failure is useful data • What golf teaches about self discipline and self mastery • The connection between repetition, protected time, and flow • Why mastery is not perfection • Why successful people learn to use discomfort instead of avoid it • Todd’s new book, The Intelligent Golf Swing • The deeper reason people may be drawn to golf…the individual struggle Key Themes Simplicity wins when complexity gets in the way Todd explains that many golfers collect more and more information, hoping knowledge will create progress. But the swing improves through structure, repetition, and embodied learning. Mastery is not perfection One of the strongest ideas in the episode is that mastery is not about becoming flawless. It is the consistent pursuit of improvement. Frustration is a signal Todd reframes frustration as a sign that clarity is missing. Instead of seeing frustration as a reason to quit, he treats it as a place to look more closely. Learning requires protected attention Ryan connects Todd’s process to flow state, deep work, and the need for uninterrupted time. Whether someone is learning golf, writing a book, building a business, or developing themselves, deep progress requires protected focus. Golf as self mastery Todd suggests that golf may attract people because no one can hit the ball for you. It is an individual struggle. That struggle becomes part of the appeal. Memorable Ideas “People who go the slowest learn the fastest.” “Love every shot you hit. You can learn from it.” “When you’re frustrated, you lack clarity on how to solve it.” “Mastery is the consistent pursuit of improvement.” “Be willing to struggle.” ADVERTISEMENT: Steve Lang's Aura Marketing Agency: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevelangauraaiagency/ Links Mentioned and Relevant Links Todd Graves and Graves Golf: The Intelligent Golf Swing https://theintelligentgolfswing.com/  The Intelligent Golfer https://theintelligentgolfer.ai/  Graves Golf https://gravesgolf.com/  Graves Golf on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@GravesGolf  The Feeling of Greatness with Todd Graves Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-feeling-of-greatness-with-todd-graves/id1661707071  Moe Norman information from Graves Golf https://gravesgolf.com/moe-norman/  Ryan Watts and The Personal Success Podcast: The Personal Success Podcast https://thepersonalsuccesspodcast.com Ryan Watts Life Coaching http://www.ryanwattslifecoaching.com  LeaderShift Scorecard http://www.ryanwattslifecoaching.com/scorecard Leadership Friction Assessment http://www.ryanwattslifecoaching.com/friction  Ryan Watts on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/@thepersonalsuccesspodcast   

In this episode of The Personal Success Podcast, Ryan Watts sits down with Julian Lighton, Silicon Valley strategy executive, board advisor, former McKinsey partner, executive coach, and author of Navigating Your Next: How to Decide What You Want and Get There on Purpose. Julian brings more than 30 years of experience helping leaders, teams, and organizations make better decisions. His career has moved through four major chapters… advisor, operator, strategist, and coach. Across each stage, one question has remained central: What do you actually want next? This conversation explores why so many successful professionals feel confused, stuck, or privately unfulfilled, even when life looks impressive from the outside. Julian explains why confusion increases emotional volatility and lowers rational capacity, why focus requires saying no, and why success without self awareness can lead people into outcomes they never truly wanted. Ryan and Julian also discuss Silicon Valley, AI, ambition, leadership, the future of work, the arrival fallacy, and why leadership is learned rather than innate. Julian offers a grounded framework for thinking about career transitions, decision making, personal success, and the cost of getting what you say you want. In This Episode Ryan and Julian discuss: • Why people feel confused when they do not know what they want next• Julian’s four career chapters… advisor, operator, convener, and coach• The five things teams need in order to make better strategic decisions• Why focus means saying no far more often than saying yes• The role of luck, context, competence, and culture in career success• Why some highly successful people are deeply unhappy• The question people should ask before chasing their next goal• How Silicon Valley thinks about ambition, AI, individualism, and success• Why AI may force professionals to renegotiate their relationship with work• Why leadership is not innate… it is learned• How leaders can create shared meaning around the “why” behind decisions• Why the journey matters more than the destination• How to think about personal success across different life stages Key Takeaways 1. Confusion is not failure. It is a signal.Julian explains that many people arrive at coaching in a state of confusion. They are not broken. They are facing a new reality without enough clarity to make a clean decision. 2. Focus requires subtraction.Success is not only about choosing what matters. It is also about saying no to almost everything else. 3. Getting what you want can still cost too much.Julian warns that some people achieve the external version of success, then realize the price was higher than they understood. 4. Leadership is learned.Many brilliant professionals are promoted into leadership without ever being taught how to lead. Technical competence does not automatically create relational competence. 5. Do not navigate your next alone.Julian’s clearest advice is to involve trusted people in the process. Career decisions are not just logical. They affect identity, relationships, family, health, and meaning. Powerful Quotes “Human beings are very bad at confusion.” “You have to know what you want.” “Successful people are great at saying no.” “If you aren’t careful, you may end up getting what you want.” “Leadership is learned. It is not innate.” “Don’t do it alone.” “What is the conversation that should never happen without you in the room?” Guest Bio Julian Lighton is a coach, strategist, board advisor, and author of Navigating Your Next: How to Decide What You Want and Get There on Purpose. Over the course of his career, Julian has served as a partner at McKinsey, led large scale technology businesses, worked as a public company head of strategy and corporate development, helped take companies public and private, and advised executives and boards on leadership, strategy, and decision making. Today, Julian helps professionals and leaders understand what they want, why they are suited for it, and how to move toward it with clarity, focus, and intention. Links and Resources Buy Julian Lighton’s book, Navigating Your Next, on Amazon:https://a.co/d/06fiJwIO Learn more about Julian Lighton:https://www.julianlighton.com Listen to The Personal Success Podcast:https://thepersonalsuccesspodcast.com Subscribe on YouTube:https://youtube.com/@thepersonalsuccesspodcast Connect with Ryan Watts on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanwattsmba Learn more about Ryan Watts Life Coaching:https://www.ryanwattslifecoaching.com Take the LeaderShift Scorecard:http://ryanwattslifecoaching.com/scorecard ADVERTISEMENT: Steve Lang's Aura Marketing Agency:https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevelangauraaiagency/  

What if the difference between drifting through life and living with clarity is not effort…but a plan? In this episode, Ryan talks with Dave Howe…retired Army colonel, former consulting executive, and leader working with the Comfort Peace and Freedom Foundation. Together, they explore what it means to live and lead intentionally, why so few people ever create a real life plan, and how success can quietly become misaligned when it is built without reflection. Dave shares the turning points that shaped his path through military leadership, corporate life, coaching, and service. The conversation moves into the deeper meaning of life planning…not just career advancement or financial gain, but relationships, health, purpose, meaning, and the kind of life you do not regret when you look back. Ryan and Dave also discuss why written plans matter, why most people never make one, how grief can disrupt someone’s sense of future, and why organizations perform better when they help people connect their work to a more meaningful life vision. This episode is for anyone who has achieved a lot on paper…but knows something more intentional is required. In this episode, we cover • Dave Howe’s path from the Army to executive consulting to service based impact work • The moment he realized career success alone was not enough • Why life planning should be holistic rather than purely financial • How to plan backward from your last day • Why most people never write down a real plan for their lives • The relationship between hope, grief, and future vision • What companies miss when employees are only building someone else’s vision • How meaning…not just culture…drives deeper commitment at work • Why purposeful planning may matter more now than ever A few standout ideas from the conversation “Life planning really needs to be a holistic approach to life.” “Go to your last day…what are the things that you would be recriminating over that you did not do?” “If you’re failing to plan, you’re planning to fail.” Resources and links Dave mentioned the following resources during the episode, including places listeners can learn more:   Comfort Peace and Freedom Foundation / Veterans Successhttps://veteranssuccess.orgKen Ruskhttps://kenrusk.comDave [email protected] ADVERTISEMENT: Steve Lang's Aura Marketing Agency: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevelangauraaiagency/  Book mentioned:  Blue Collar Cash by Ken Ruskhttps://kenrusk.com     Ryan Watts Life Coachinghttp://www.ryanwattslifecoaching.comThe Personal Success Podcasthttps://www.ryanwattslifecoaching.com/podcasts/the-personal-success-podcastYouTubehttps://youtube.com/@thepersonalsuccesspodcast

What if the next level of leadership is not about more force, more strategy, or more control? In this episode of The Personal Success Podcast, Ryan sits down with Dr. Ron Stotts for a deep conversation on consciousness, healing, emotional intelligence, authenticity, and the inner work of leadership. Dr. Stotts shares how self awareness becomes the doorway to greater consciousness, why so many high performers eventually hit a wall with logic and effort alone, and how presence can open access to deeper wisdom, better decisions, and more sustainable success. Together, Ryan and Dr. Stotts explore the shift from external achievement to internal alignment, the role of healing in leadership development, and why many leaders unknowingly operate from old patterns formed in childhood. They also discuss the paradox of letting go, the relationship between peace and performance, the meaning of conscious leadership, and how meditation, breath, and curiosity can change the way power is held and used. This is a conversation about leadership, but it is also a conversation about being human. If you have ever felt successful on paper but disconnected internally, this episode will give language to that experience and point toward a different way of leading and living. In this episode, we cover …why your level of consciousness shapes your life experience …the difference between awareness and consciousness …the hidden cost of forcing, over controlling, and over relying on logic …how presence and breathing create access to higher levels of thinking …why healing matters for leaders at every level …what authenticity really means for high performers …how emotional intelligence changes the way power is expressed …the connection between self acceptance, trust, and conscious leadership …why many leaders hit a ceiling that external success cannot solve …how meditation can support leadership clarity, peace, and decision making …what Dr. Stotts means by “big mind” and integrated whole brain thinking …the deeper purpose behind leadership and personal growth Key takeaways Dr. Stotts argues that many leaders succeed early by relying on intelligence, control, and relentless effort, but those same patterns eventually become limiting. He suggests that greater success comes not from pushing harder, but from becoming more self aware, more present, and more internally integrated. A major theme of the conversation is that healing is not separate from leadership. It is part of leadership. According to Dr. Stotts, unhealed emotional patterns can quietly shape how leaders react, relate, and make decisions. As those patterns are brought into awareness and healed, leaders often become more grounded, collaborative, effective, and authentic. The episode also explores the idea that real power is not domination or control. It is openness, trust, and the capacity to respond rather than react. That shift changes relationships, organizations, and results. About Dr. Ron Stotts Dr. Ron Stotts is a teacher and guide whose work focuses on consciousness, healing, emotional intelligence, and leadership development. In this conversation, he shares insights from decades of inner work and coaching, along with stories about his mentors, including Joseph Campbell and Buckminster Fuller. Relevant Links Dr. Ron Stottshttp://ronstotts.comThe Personal Success Podcast on YouTubehttp://youtube.com/@thepersonalsuccesspodcastRyan Watts Life Coachinghttp://www.ryanwattslifecoaching.com ADVERTISEMENT: Steve Lang's Aura Marketing Agency: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevelangauraaiagency/

What does success really mean when your life does not fit neatly into one label? In this episode, Ryan sits down with Lisa Parda for a rich and wide ranging conversation about ambition, reinvention, food, grief, curiosity, and what it means to build a life that actually feels like your own. Lisa has worn many hats across her life and career, including aviation professional, real estate broker, radio host, and cookbook author. In this conversation, she shares how a deeply held dream of becoming an air traffic controller came to an end, how she found her way into real estate, and how her love of food became a path toward healing, self expression, and connection. Together, Ryan and Lisa explore the emotional meaning of food, the stories we inherit about success, the importance of asking better questions, and why fulfillment often has less to do with status and more to do with pride, presence, and authenticity. They also discuss Lisa’s radio show, Lisa and Robin on the Mic, and how open conversation helped her process grief, family pain, and forgiveness in a completely new way. This is a conversation about living fully, loving deeply, and defining success on your own terms. In this episode, we discuss: • Lisa’s path from aviation to real estate to radio and publishing • What it feels like to grieve a dream that never came true • Why food became her love language • Healing a difficult relationship with food and body image • The emotional and relational power of sharing meals • Why food can be both nourishment and medicine • How conversation brings hidden pain into the light • What success means when it is no longer based on money, image, or outside approval • Why pride, fulfillment, and connection may be better markers of success than status Connect with Lisa Parda: Get Her Cook Book, My Love Language is Food: The Everyday Edition: https://a.co/d/0iUj0QTF  Stars at Night Publishing starsatnightpublishing.com  Lisa and Robin on the Mic You can find Lisa and Robyn on the Mic on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@LisaandRobynOnthemic About Lisa: Lisa Parda is a real estate broker, radio show host, and cookbook author whose work blends curiosity, connection, and lived experience. Her journey has moved through aviation, communications, real estate, and media, all shaped by a deep interest in people, meaning, and the many ways a life can evolve over time. Her cookbook, My Love Language Is Food, grew out of her personal relationship with cooking, nourishment, and the way food can communicate care, memory, and love. ADVERTISEMENT: Steve Lang's Aura Marketing Agency: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevelangauraaiagency/ If Leadership is heavier than it needs to be, visit ryanwattslifecoaching.com/reset. 

In this episode of The Personal Success Podcast with Ryan Watts, Ryan sits down with Mirav Ozeri, journalist, storyteller, and host of How Much Can I Make? for a wide ranging conversation about work, success, money, meaning, AI, and the courage it takes to follow what feels true. Mirav shares how a shelved television concept eventually came back to life as a podcast, why she believes every person has a story, and what she has learned from speaking with people across wildly different professions.   Mirav reflects on her path from Israel to New York, her background in journalism and documentary work, and the deeper mission behind her show. What began as curiosity about jobs and earnings became something more human: a search into how people actually live, what fulfillment means, and why so many of us are trying to separate success from prestige alone. She also shares that her audience has broadened well beyond young adults and now includes many listeners navigating reinvention, change, and the desire for a different kind of life.   Ryan and Mirav explore some of the biggest tensions people carry around work today. They talk about the lie that success is only about money, how fulfillment often matters more than status, why self trust keeps showing up in the lives of people who build meaningful careers, and how luck and opportunity interact with courage and persistence. They also discuss AI, isolation, community, and the importance of staying human in a rapidly shifting world.   In This Episode Ryan and Mirav talk about: Mirav’s early life in Jerusalem and the resilience it built in her.   How she came to New York for three weeks and never left.   Her work in journalism, documentary storytelling, and CBS.   Why How Much Can I Make? became a podcast after living first as an unrealized TV concept.   Why listeners come for the money question but stay for the human story.   What her interviews have revealed about self trust, fulfillment, luck, opportunity, and the real shape of success.   Why community may become even more valuable as AI reshapes work and identity.   Memorable Ideas from the Conversation “Success” may have less to do with prestige and more to do with whether you actually love what you do.   Many people are not looking only for a better job. They are looking for a more honest life.   Self trust matters because the world often tells people not to pursue what feels most true to them.   Opportunity does not always arrive loudly. Sometimes it whispers.   Failure is not the end of the story. It is often the doorway to the next version of it. About Mirav Ozeri Mirav Ozeri is a journalist and storyteller whose career has included fashion photography, documentary filmmaking for nonprofits and advocacy organizations, and work at CBS, where she helped start CBS MarketWatch. Today she hosts How Much Can I Make?, a podcast focused on real jobs, real stories, and real earnings. According to the show listing, the podcast explores what different careers are actually like, how people break into them, what challenges they face, and what they can earn.     Links Listen to How Much Can I Make? on Apple Podcasts: Apple Podcasts    Visit the How Much Can I Make? website: howmuchcanimake.info    Learn more about Mirav on the show’s About page: About Mirav Ozeri    Contact Mirav and the show: [email protected]    Explore Ryan Watts Life Coaching: ryanwattslifecoaching.com  Subscribe to The Personal Success Podcast on YouTube: youtube.com/@thepersonalsuccesspodcast     

What does it really take for more women to lead boldly in today’s world? In this episode of The Personal Success Podcast, Ryan Watts sits down with Nancy Lynn Griffin, founder of Women, Worth & Wellness, to explore the deeper issues that shape women’s leadership, self worth, financial confidence, and legacy. Together, they unpack why many women still hesitate to step fully into leadership, how caution often overrides self trust, and why the world benefits when more women lead with clarity, courage, and conviction.   Nancy shares insights from decades of work supporting women around wealth, wellness, and meaningful contribution. The conversation moves through powerful themes like worthiness, financial independence, legacy planning, mentorship, and what it means to help build a better world by helping others rise. Ryan and Nancy also reflect on the legacy of Canada’s Famous Five, the importance of teaching boys that “no means no,” and the quiet internal barriers that keep many women from stepping forward even when they are deeply capable.   This is a conversation about leadership, but it is also a conversation about responsibility, agency, courage, and what becomes possible when women stop negotiating with their own worth.   In This Episode, You’ll Hear: More women leaders in the world is Nancy’s core mission, and why she believes leadership is ultimately about helping other people become leaders.   Why many women still choose caution over being perceived as selfish, and how that affects visibility, leadership, and self trust.   Why “worth” is the word Nancy believes women struggle with most, and how that shapes both health and wealth decisions.   How financial independence is not just about numbers, but about confidence, clarity, and understanding what you own and why.   The legacy of the Famous Five and why their fight to have women recognized as persons still matters today.   A practical message for raising boys with respect for boundaries: no means no.   How legacy becomes meaningful when you begin asking what you want to be when you are gone.   Why Nancy defines success as giving more than you take.   About Nancy Lynn Griffin Nancy Lynn Griffin is the founder of Women, Worth & Wellness, an initiative she established in 1994 to inspire and inform women around personal well being, independent economic power, and positive impact. Her public mission is to help create more women leaders in the world   Watch and follow The Personal Success Podcast:http://www.ryanwattslifecoaching.com/podcasts/the-personal-success-podcast-with-ryan-wattshttp://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-personal-success-podcast-with-ryan-watts/id1699785392http://youtube.com/@thepersonalsuccesspodcast Connect with Ryan Watts:http://www.ryanwattslifecoaching.com/ Connect with Nancy Lynn Griffin:http://womenworthwellness.com/http://womenworthwellness.com/about-us/[email protected]://ca.linkedin.com/in/nancygriffincfpepchttp://www.instagram.com/womenworthandwellness/http://www.facebook.com/womenworthandwellness/http://ca.linkedin.com/company/womenworthandwellness Steve Lang’s Aura Agency on LinkedIn:http://www.linkedin.com/in/stevelangauraaiagency/

In this episode of The Personal Success Podcast, Ryan Watts sits down with Jim Effner for a wide ranging conversation on mindset, conviction, performance, adversity, and what it really takes to bridge the gap between potential and execution. Jim shares the philosophy behind his work with financial professionals, the role of emotional intelligence in performance, and the difference between sales ideas and true systems. He also opens up about one of the most difficult seasons of his life, including the sudden loss of his hearing, the death of his father, and the lesson that carried him through…when there is hope in the future, there is power in the present.   This conversation explores how self trust is built, why conviction matters more than fear, and how sustainable growth comes from both internal belief and disciplined implementation. Jim also unpacks the four Cs that shape high performance…competence, confidence, courage, and conviction…and explains why so many capable people stay stuck not because they lack ability, but because they are carrying too much “head trash.”   What You’ll Hear in This Episode • Why mindset is often the most underestimated gap in performance • Jim’s four Cs of high performance…competence, confidence, courage, and conviction • The role of emotional barriers in decision making and sales • Why people do not make major decisions logically • How great advisors stop selling products and start solving problems • What Jim learned from being fired despite elite performance • The story of losing his hearing suddenly and rebuilding with hope • Why implementation, repetition, and accountability matter more than inspiration alone • How Jim’s definition of success has evolved from survival…to ego…to freedom…to impact   Memorable Ideas from the Conversation • “When there is hope in the future, there is power in the present.” • Performance is deeply emotional • Trust is not always explained…sometimes it is simply felt • Conviction can quiet fear when it is rooted deeply enough • Real growth requires both desire and disciplined action   About Jim Effner Jim Effner is a speaker, trainer, consultant, and author focused on helping financial professionals turn true potential into real performance. In the conversation, he explains that his mission now is to help people in the financial services industry experience more abundance, expand what they believe is possible, and close the gap between where they are and what they are capable of. He also describes the P2P model as a systems based training approach built around mindset, implementation, coaching, and repetition.   Resources and Links  Jim Effner Websitehttps://jimeffner.comJim Effner Book…Bridge Your Gaphttps://jimeffner.com/book-bridge-gap/The Personal Success Podcast with Ryan Wattshttps://www.ryanwattslifecoaching.com/podcasts/the-personal-success-podcast-with-ryan-wattsRyan Watts Life Coachinghttps://www.ryanwattslifecoaching.comApple Podcasts…The Personal Success Podcasthttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-personal-success-podcast-with-ryan-watts/id1699785392Aura AIhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/stevelangauraaiagency/

What if your home is affecting your stress, sleep, focus, and sense of success more than you realize? In this episode of The Personal Success Podcast, Ryan Watts sits down with Lisa Morton, holistic interior designer, feng shui master teacher, author of Aligned at Home, and host of the Feng Shui Living podcast. Lisa shares her journey from designing luxury private aircraft interiors to experiencing severe anxiety, burnout, perfectionism, and panic attacks, and how that difficult season became the doorway into the work she now does helping people create spaces that support healing, energy, clarity, and well being. Lisa’s site describes her work as feng shui and intuitive design that helps homes support health, momentum, and joy.   Together, Ryan and Lisa explore how your home mirrors your inner world, why clutter can feel emotionally heavy, and how intentional shifts in your environment can support better sleep, lower stress, clearer thinking, and deeper alignment. They also discuss feng shui in a grounded and practical way, including the front door, bedroom energy, under bed storage, color psychology, workspace routines, and how simple changes can create meaningful emotional relief. In this episode, Ryan and Lisa discuss How Lisa went from luxury jet design to holistic interior design Why burnout and perfectionism pushed her into a major life reset What feng shui really is and why it is often misunderstood Why clutter can feel tied to fear, self care, and unresolved decisions How your front door affects the energy entering your life Why your bedroom setup can influence sleep and nervous system regulation How color affects mood, focus, and productivity Why intentional changes in your home can support wellness and personal success How your environment may reflect what is happening internally Why slowing down is essential if you want your space to truly support you Key ideas from this conversation Your home is not just where you crash at the end of the day Clutter can hold emotional weight Your environment can support or drain your nervous system Alignment at home begins with attention and intention Simple shifts can create real change Connect with Lisa Morton Website: purelivingwithlisamorton.com    Book, Aligned at Home: purelivingwithlisamorton.com/book.html    Work with Lisa: purelivingwithlisamorton.com/work-with-me.html    Podcast on Apple Podcasts: Feng Shui Living: Tips for Busy Women Looking to Destress, Relieve Anxiety, and Live with More Intention    Podcast on Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4N6pGTU3l1jGW5F2xdWygt    Instagram: instagram.com/purelivingwithlisamorton    Facebook: facebook.com/purelivingwithlisamorton    LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/purelivingwithlisamorton   Mentioned in the episode: Steve Lang and Aura: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevelangauraaiagency/ Connect with Ryan Watts Website: ryanwattslifecoaching.com  Podcast YouTube: youtube.com/@thepersonalsuccesspodcast

In this episode of The Personal Success Podcast, Ryan sits down with Dr. Alfredo Borodowski for a timely conversation on positive psychology, character strengths, leadership, purpose, and the human future in the age of AI. Dr. Borodowski shares why the real crisis inside organizations is not a lack of talent… but a lack of loyalty, motivation, resilience, and purpose. He explains the difference between talent based assessments and character strengths, why strengths should be the starting point for leadership development, and how organizations can create healthier cultures by moving from fixing people to nourishing them. The conversation also goes deep into AI, uncertainty, psychological safety, meaning, and why humanity itself may become the greatest competitive advantage in the years ahead. If you are a leader, coach, entrepreneur, or thoughtful human trying to navigate rapid change without losing what is most real… this episode is worth your time. In this episode, we discuss …why character strengths matter more than talent alone …the difference between talent assessments and positive psychology strengths …how leaders can create clarity in a world filled with uncertainty …why purpose should be placed at the beginning…not the end …how toxic cultures can shift through better understanding of strengths …what psychological safety really changes inside teams …why the future of leadership will require more humanity…not less …how AI may force us to define what it truly means to be human …why organizations must invest in both technology and the human dimension …Dr. Borodowski’s upcoming book The Human Upgrade Key takeaways Dr. Borodowski describes himself as an “optometrist of corporations” because his mission is to help organizations and the people inside them see their top character strengths more clearly. He explains that character strengths are different from talent. Talent is about what you do well. Character strengths are about who you are at your best. He argues that most organizations overinvest in talent and underinvest in the human issues that actually affect culture… motivation… trust… resilience… and purpose. He shares that one of the biggest shifts leaders need to make is moving from prediction to guidance. In a rapidly changing world, leaders are less able to predict the future and more responsible for helping people stay oriented through uncertainty. He also makes a powerful distinction between purpose and mission. Mission is the objective. Purpose is the reason. Where a leader places purpose changes the entire culture of the organization. One of the strongest ideas in this conversation is that as AI becomes more capable, humanity becomes more valuable. The leaders and companies that thrive will not be the ones that only optimize for efficiency. They will be the ones that preserve and strengthen the human experience. About Dr. Alfredo Borodowski Dr. Alfredo Borodowski is a consultant, speaker, and thought leader whose work brings together positive psychology, purpose, leadership, and organizational transformation. He helps leaders and teams identify their character strengths, clarify purpose, and build healthier, more resilient cultures. His upcoming book, The Human Upgrade, explores how leaders and organizations can respond to the AI era by investing more deeply in the human side of work. Resources mentioned in this episode Dr. Alfredo Borodowski’s website positiveab.com Free character strengths resource Text positive to 33777 This gives listeners access to a chart of the 24 character strengths of positive psychology, support in identifying their top five strengths, and exercises to help apply them. Upcoming book The Human Upgrade Available through positiveab.com Mentioned in the episode: Steve Lang and Aura: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevelangauraaiagency/ Memorable ideas from this episode “Humanity is going to become a higher value.” “The worst thing we can do is compete with AI on AI’s terms.” “What people are looking for now is humanity…not efficiency.” “We need to transition from fixing to nourishing.” Subscribe to the podcast If this episode resonated with you, subscribe to The Personal Success Podcast on YouTube: youtube.com/@thepersonalsuccesspodcast

Episode summary Career transitions can feel like identity loss…not just job loss.In this conversation, Michelle Schaefer shares a grounded way to move from shock…to structure…to momentum. You will hear why restructures are business decisions…not personal verdicts…and how small systems rebuild confidence when the job market feels brutal.  About Michelle Michelle Schaefer is a certified coach based in Ottawa, Ontario. She specializes in career transition and leadership coaching…supporting clients with career clarity, personal brand, networking, and interview readiness.  What we covered Internal narrative after a restructure, performance shame and how to reframe it.Why job loss often carries real grief and why support is usually thinner than it should be.Structure over willpower, tiny steps that restart motion.Networking without self-betrayal using a clear ask and a repeatable system.Identity beyond job title and how to talk about yourself when you are between roles. Connect with Michelle…links and contact info Website https://mschafercoaching.ca/ Email [email protected] LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/michelleschafercoaching Free chapter of Michelle’s book https://mschafercoaching.ca/cultivatingcareergrowth/ Book: Cultivating Career Growth…Navigate Career Transitions with Purpose:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/1998393194   Mentioned in the episode: Steve Lang and Aura: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevelangauraaiagency/    

This is a conversation that does not try to fit you into a box…it breaks the box…then hands you the tools to build your own world on purpose. Jordan Alexandra Blizzard Planit joins Ryan to explore Planit Butter…a playful, immersive world made out of peanut butter…built to normalize non conventionality through her philosophy…intucentricism. This episode is part philosophy…part creativity…part identity work…with a recurring invitation that lands hard… If Planit Butter is her world…what is your world made of? In This Episode, You’ll Hear What “Planit Butter” actually is…and why it is not meant to be “understood” like a normal brand The peanut butter dimension…as metaphor, as art world, and as an invitation to self definition Intucentricism…a philosophy of collaboration between ego and intuition The 3 core methods Jordan uses to operationalize the philosophy Boundaries…Confidence…Alignment Self-friendship…defined as a commitment to embracing, understanding, and enjoying yourself The Planit Butter Jet Ring of Consciousness…a nonlinear decision cycle Intuition…Sensations…Action…Sensations again Why Jordan intentionally bends language…and creates words…to keep your mind awake Presitude…being present through thankfulness A real conversation about structure vs surrender…and trusting your no so your yes can find you How societal conditioning can be leveraged…not fought…to move closer to your ideal self Why the outcome is not a neat answer…it is “in the best interest of all” Quotes and Moments Worth Replaying …“You are here to think when you’re visiting Planit Butter.”…“Your into centric way is your path to your ideal self.”…“It’s not easy…but we can choose to make it fun.”…“Presitude is being present through thankfulness.” Mentioned People and Projects Jordan Alexandra Blizzard PlanitCreator of Planit Butter and the philosophy of intucentricism BlissyPlanit Butter’s mascot…a disco ball of self reflection Steve Lang's Marketing Agency LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevelangauraaiagency/ Jordan’s website…Planit Butter: https://planitbutter.com Jordan’s book…iNtucentric: https://a.co/d/0iaHoJDz Listener Invitation If you felt yourself pause during this episode…good. Sit with this question for a day… If her world is made out of peanut butter…what is your world made of? And if you have a name suggestion for Ryan’s world…drop it in a comment or message it to him.

In this episode, Jay Conner breaks down the private money system that changed everything after his bank closed his line of credit in January 2009…with zero notice. Instead of chasing banks or pitching deals, Jay learned how to raise private money by teaching ordinary people how to earn strong returns backed by real estate. This is a conversation about funding…yes…but it is also a conversation about response, responsibility, trust, and building relationships that create freedom. Links Mentioned in the Episode Jay Conner’s free private money scripts…including the Curiosity Opener https://www.jayconner.com/scripts   Get Jay Conner’s book…Where to Get the Money Now…free plus shipping https://www.jayconner.com/book-details    Jay Conner’s main website https://www.jayconner.com    Jack Canfield’s E plus R equals O explanation https://jackcanfield.com/blog/the-formula-that-puts-you-in-control-of-success/    People and Books Referenced Jack Canfield…The Success Principles Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy…Who Not How Dr. Benjamin Hardy…Be Your Future Self Now Quotable Moments Enough is never enough when it’s not about you The private lenders need us more than we need them We never pitch deals…we separate teaching from funding Time kills deals Own the real estate between your ears   About Jay Conner Jay Conner is a real estate investor, educator, and private money teacher who built his funding system after being cut off by the bank in 2009. Since then, he has helped thousands of investors learn how to fund deals without chasing banks or pitching investors.  

Why do we avoid discomfort…even when it’s the very thing that leads to growth? In Part 2 of this conversation, Ryan, Jessica, and David go deeper into one of the most misunderstood ideas in personal development and relationships…the difference between emotional safety and emotional comfort. This episode explores how nervous system regulation, shame, and internalized survival strategies shrink our sense of choice…and how building capacity rather than chasing comfort restores agency, connection, and self-trust. You’ll learn why discomfort is not danger, why reactivity isn’t failure, and how cultivating Self-energy allows people to navigate conflict, parenting, leadership, and intimacy without collapsing into shame or control. What You’ll Learn in This Episode • Why emotional safety does not mean emotional comfort • How dysregulation reduces choice…and increases conflict • The role of the nervous system in shame responses • Why “fixing yourself” doesn’t work…and what does • How to transform the Shame Triangle into the Self-Love Triangle • Inner critic → inner coach • Escapers → inner nurturers • Shame → raw experience without storyline • How self-energy becomes the foundation for healing and growth Key Concepts Discussed • Self-energy and embodied awareness • Capacity vs avoidance • Emotional regulation vs emotional suppression • Parenting, leadership, and relational repair without shame • Restorative vs adversarial frameworks Mentioned in This Episode • Transforming the Shame Triangle • The Self-Love Triangle • Legacy burdens and inherited shame • Restorative justice principles applied to relationships 🔗 Resources & Links • Courses and immersive learning:  https://www.theazuriteway.com  https://the-azurite-way.mykajabi.com/transforming-the-shame-triangle-feb-2026  • Jessica Fern’s work and writing: https://www.jessicafern.com  • David Cooley’s restorative relationship model: https://www.restorativerelationship.com   

What if shame isn’t something to eliminate…fix…or outgrow? What if shame is actually information…a map pointing toward what matters most? In Part 1 of this powerful two-part conversation, Ryan sits down with therapist and author Jessica Fern and restorative relationship facilitator David Cooley to explore how shame operates inside us, why it becomes invisible, and how it quietly shapes our relationships, productivity, self-worth, and sense of agency. This episode introduces their groundbreaking framework, The Shame Triangle, a parts-based model rooted in Internal Family Systems (IFS) that reveals how the inner critic, shame, and escapist strategies work together to keep people stuck…even after years of personal growth work. Rather than pathologizing shame, this conversation reframes it as a signal, one that becomes transformative once it’s understood rather than avoided. What You’ll Learn in This Episode • Why shame is not the enemy…but avoidance is • The difference between shame as an emotion and shame as a system of parts • How the inner critic develops…and what it’s actually trying to protect • Why high-achievers often hide shame behind productivity, perfectionism, or over-functioning • How early relational moments become lifelong internalized voices • Why awareness alone doesn’t dissolve shame…and what does • How relationships become the primary medium for raising consciousness Key Concepts Discussed • The Shame Triangle…inner critic, shame, and escapers • Internal Family Systems (IFS) and parts-based awareness • Identity vs behavior…and why confusing the two fuels shame • Social conditioning, attachment, and internalized voices • Agency as the antidote to reactivity Mentioned in This Episode • Transforming the Shame Triangle • Internal Family Systems (IFS) • Restorative Relationship Conversations • Attachment theory and relational development 🔗 Resources & Links https://www.theazuriteway.com  https://the-azurite-way.mykajabi.com/transforming-the-shame-triangle-feb-2026  • Learn more about Jessica Fern: https://www.jessicafern.com  • Learn more about David Cooley: https://www.restorativerelationship.com  • Explore upcoming courses via:  

Part 2 takes the conversation deeper…and more personal. Fred Joyal shares the moments that taught him boldness isn’t about bravado…it’s about emotional resilience. From missed opportunities to painful regrets, and from speaking when it mattered to staying silent when it didn’t, this episode explores what actually haunts people later in life…and how to prevent it. Ryan and Fred unpack the hidden cost of playing small, the neuroscience behind hesitation, and why boldness practiced when the stakes are low prepares you for the moments that define who you become. This episode isn’t motivational. It’s clarifying. What You’ll Learn in Part 2 • Why regret hurts more than failure • How emotional resilience makes boldness sustainable • The difference between discomfort and danger • Why embarrassment is often a choice • How to train boldness like a muscle • The PRIDE Method…Fred’s framework for everyday bravery Key Quote “The boldest moment is when trying and failing feels better than not trying at all.” Framework Discussed • PRIDE Method…Preparation, Relaxation, Insights, Dosage, Everyday Action • Boldness spectrum…starting where you are, not where others are Connect with Fred Joyal • Website… https://www.fredjoyal.com  • Free Audiobook via the SuperBold App… https://www.fredjoyal.com/app  Your Next Step If you are tired of negotiating with yourself… If you feel successful on paper but restless underneath… If you know there’s more in you and you’re done waiting… 👉 Free 30 Minute Coaching Session https://www.ryanwattslifecoaching.com/schedule   

In Part 1 of this powerful conversation, Ryan sits down with legendary entrepreneur and author Fred Joyal, co founder of 1-800-DENTIST, to dismantle one of the most common myths about success…that confidence comes first. Fred shares how boldness, not confidence, became the skill that shaped his career, his relationships, and ultimately his philosophy on living without regret. From launching a business he was wildly unprepared for, to redefining failure as a training ground rather than a verdict, this episode reframes boldness as something learnable, trainable, and available to anyone. This is not about being fearless. It is about acting before certainty…and discovering who you become on the other side. What You’ll Learn in Part 1 • Why confidence is a result of action, not a prerequisite • The early bold moves behind building 1-800-DENTIST • Why waiting to feel ready quietly erodes momentum • How boldness expands your comfort zone without burning you out • The difference between playing it safe and living aligned Key Quote “When you’re confident, boldness isn’t required. Boldness is taking action when you don’t know how it’s going to go.” Mentioned in This Episode • SuperBold by Fred Joyal • The idea of boldness as a life skill, not a personality trait Connect with Fred Joyal • Website… https://www.fredjoyal.com  • Free Audiobook via the SuperBold App… https://www.fredjoyal.com/app  Next Episode In Part 2, we go deeper…into regret, emotional resilience, and the moments that shape a life when boldness actually matters most. Your Next Step If this episode stirred something in you…don’t ignore it. 👉 Free 30 Minute Coaching Session https://www.ryanwattslifecoaching.com/schedule

In Part 2, the conversation deepens.We explore what becomes possible when we stop trying to fit… and start listening inward. Ryan and Victoria move from diagnosis to discernment… examining how personal power is reclaimed not through force… but through alignment… nervous system safety… and self trust. This episode is about agency… not rebellion. About choice… not opposition. About learning how to bend… instead of break. In this episode, we explore: • What healthy power actually feels like in the body • Why control often masks fear… not leadership • How nervous system regulation changes decision making • The difference between resilience and self abandonment • Parenting… leadership… and identity beyond performance • Choosing curiosity where resistance once lived This is the continuation of a single conversation split intentionally… allowing space for integration rather than overload. We invite you to move differently. 👉 Subscribe on YouTube for conversations that slow you down enough to tell the truth: youtube.com/@thepersonalsuccesspodcast Victoria’s Links Website: https://geminidirections.co.uk/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-lenormand-2129227b/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geminidirections.co.uk/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/geminidirections 

In Part 1 of this conversation on The Personal Success Podcast, Ryan sits down with Victoria Lenormand to explore what happens when human complexity collides with rigid systems. This episode is an honest inquiry into power… compliance… parenting… education… leadership… and what it means to raise and lead humans who do not fit neatly into predefined boxes. Rather than rushing toward answers, this conversation slows down. It asks better questions. Together, Ryan and Victoria explore how systems are often designed for efficiency… not humanity… and why so many high performing adults quietly feel like they failed at something they were never meant to succeed in. In this episode, we explore: • Why not fitting in is often a sign of health… not failure • How systems reward compliance over curiosity • The hidden cost of forcing humans to harden instead of adapt • Parenting and leadership as acts of listening… not control • Why softness is not weakness… but intelligence • The early formation of identity inside systems that cannot pivot This is Part 1 of a two part conversation. Part 1 lays the groundwork… naming the problem… and surfacing the tension many people feel but cannot yet articulate. 👉 Subscribe on YouTube to continue the journey and support the show:youtube.com/@thepersonalsuccesspodcast Victoria’s Links Website: https://geminidirections.co.uk/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-lenormand-2129227b/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geminidirections.co.uk/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/geminidirections

Part 2 goes deeper into the lived experience behind the work…Anthony’s illness…what surrender really means…how the first seven years shape the rest of life…and why breathwork is powerful enough to demand discernment. You will also hear the origin story of ASHA…a real world healing campus in Tuscany built to regenerate community…not just host retreats. Key ideas worth sitting with Surrender is not weakness…it is wisdom under pressure Breathwork is not a hack…it is work that gives you more of you back Healing is often repair…not release A whole person makes better decisions…and leads better Guest links and resources Alchemy of Breath…https://alchemyofbreath.com  Free breathwork every Sunday…access via the Alchemy of Breath site ASHA…Alchemy School of Healing Arts…retreat center in Tuscany: https://asher.global  Book: Outer Chaos, Inner Calm…available wherever books are sold Free one to one breathwork session offer…Buy the physical book…take a photo with the book…and email it to Anna Email…[email protected]  Show CTAs Subscribe on YouTube for full episodes and clips…youtube.com/@thepersonalsuccesspodcast If Part 2 hit you…do not just “think about it”…take a small step: Free 30 Minute Coaching Session…ryanwattslifecoaching.com/schedule

What happens when you hit the peak…and it still does not feel like it was supposed to In Part 1, Anthony Abbagnano and Ryan unpack the shift from chasing success to living from presence…using the Hero’s Journey as a map for why overwhelm is not a dead end…it is often the doorway.   Key ideas worth sitting with: Overwhelm can be a signal…not a sentence Resistance is not the enemy…it is part of the training You do not need the next peak to feel whole Your inner state shapes what life sends back Guest links and resources Alchemy of Breath…https://alchemyofbreath.com  Free breathwork every Sunday…found via the Alchemy of Breath site ASHA…Alchemy School of Healing Arts in Tuscany…https://asher.global  Book…Outer Chaos, Inner Calm…available wherever books are sold Show CTAs Subscribe on YouTube for full episodes and clips…youtube.com/@thepersonalsuccesspodcast Want to stop living someone else’s version of success…Book a Free 30 Minute Coaching Session…ryanwattslifecoaching.com/schedule Ready to up your leadership game? Run your LeaderShift Scorecard at ryanwattslifecoaching.com/leadershift  

We go deeper into the inner game of leadership...self doubt, imposter syndrome, conflict, and the pressure that comes with senior roles. Chris breaks down how coaching works when it’s done well...why the real work happens outside the session...and why sustainability beats intensity every time. We also talk about AI...not as a shortcut to replace human depth...but as a mirror that amplifies what’s already inside you...including your leadership voice, your blind spots, and your values.   What you’ll learn ...Why high level leaders still feel imposter syndrome...and what to do about it ...How to build habits and structures that last...not just “new year motivation” ...How to use AI as a reflective tool without losing your voice ...Why uncertainty is increasing...and how proactive leaders respond Conversation highlights ...Chris’s pivot from senior leadership in travel to coaching during the pandemic ...ICF credentialing...and why it’s harder than most people think ...The myth that coaching is only for wealthy people or celebrities ...A practical mindset shift...you should charge for the problem you solve ...Why authenticity is the differentiator as AI accelerates content volume Resources mentioned Chris March Coaching website...https://chrismarchcoaching.com    A Chris March article example on leadership burnout...https://chrismarchcoaching.com/coaching-prevent-leadership-burnout    Chris on LinkedIn... find his profile fast...https://www.linkedin.com/posts/christopherrmarch_most-leaders-manage-tasks-great-ones-coach-activity-7317492239704772610-j-th    Take Action Subscribe on YouTube...youtube.com/@thepersonalsuccesspodcast   If you’re a leader who looks successful on paper but feels misaligned underneath...book a Free 30 Minute Coaching Session...ryanwattslifecoaching.com/schedule Want to upgrade your leadership game? Run your LeaderShift Scorecard at ryanwattslifecoaching.com/leadershift

Chris March shares a refreshingly human definition of leadership...one built on service, psychological safety, and personal integrity. We talk about why leadership is not a title...why kindness is not weakness...and how the best leaders create trust through actions, not slogans. We also connect leadership to “unreasonable hospitality”...the idea that people remember how you made them feel...and that this is the real leverage in any high performing environment.   What you’ll learn: ...Why leadership is accessible to anyone...not just people with authority ...How “leadership as hospitality” changes the way you lead at work and at home ...Why psychological safety is the foundation for innovation and honest feedback ...How authenticity becomes a competitive advantage in a world flooded with content Conversation highlights ...Chris’s leadership origin story...and the influence of his grandmother ...Leadership vs management...and why both matter without ego ...The danger of “copycat leadership”...and why the world needs more of you ...A simple leadership filter...actions must match words or trust collapses Resources mentioned Chris March Coaching website...https://chrismarchcoaching.com    Connect with Chris on LinkedIn...https://www.linkedin.com/company/chris-march-coaching    CTAs Subscribe on YouTube...youtube.com/@thepersonalsuccesspodcast   Want help defining the kind of leader you actually want to be...book a Free 30 Minute Coaching Session...ryanwattslifecoaching.com/scheduleEnhance your leadership with the LeaderShift Scorecard: ryanwattslifecoaching.com/leadershift

What happens when the life you were supposed to want slowly empties you out? In this episode of the Personal Success Podcast, Ryan Watts sits down with Jake Rieke, co-author of A More Brilliant Life, to explore what it really looks like to wake up from inherited expectations, constant distraction, and the illusion of security. Jake shares the deeply personal story of walking away from a 150 year Midwestern family farming legacy…running thousands of acres and livestock…while quietly losing his health, presence, and marriage. What followed was not a reckless escape…but a deliberate awakening. Together, Ryan and Jake unpack: The “American Trance”…and why most people cannot see the water they are swimming in How distraction keeps high performers numb instead of fulfilled • Why extreme ownership is the first real step toward change The cost of inherited roles and unexamined beliefs What it actually takes to slow down enough to hear yourself again How Jake and his wife Kylie rebuilt their marriage, health, and family life The six step framework that helped them move from stuck to aligned Why growth is not a phase…but a lifelong practice This is a conversation for anyone who feels successful on paper…but hollow underneath. Not a hype episode. A grounding one.  Midlife crisis vs midlife awakening The myth of safety and security People pleasing and inherited identity Extreme ownership and personal responsibility The role of slowing down in real transformation Leaving behind what “should” be true Redefining success from the inside out Living, parenting, and working with intention. Jake Rieke is the co creator of The Brilliant Life Journey and co author of A More Brilliant Life, written alongside his wife Kylie. After decades in a high pressure farming operation and community leadership roles, Jake and his family chose a radically different path…relocating internationally, rebuilding their lives, and helping others navigate major transitions with clarity, courage, and ownership.  Check out the book A More Brilliant Life by Jake and Kylie Rieke Available on Amazon https://www.amazon.com 🌍 Learn more about their work The Brilliant Life Journey https://brilliantlifejourney.com 🎧 Listen to Jake’s podcast A More Brilliant Life Podcast available on YouTube and major podcast platforms ▶️ Subscribe to the Personal Success Podcast https://youtube.com/@thepersonalsuccesspodcast

Part 2 goes deeper...into faith without performance, parenting in real time and how to live with conviction while still offering grace. JB unpacks why people deconstruct faith because of followers… not Jesus… and why he believes your faith has to be tethered to the resurrection rather than personalities, denominations, or loud voices. Ryan and JB also connect on ADHD… presence… creativity… and the tension of being fully alive in your mind while still wanting to stay fully present with the people you love. Key topics Keeping faith intact in a divided… reactive culture Grace without compromise… “preach often… use words when necessary” How to be around different opinions without needing to defend everything Maintenance counseling… why couples should go before things break Parenting realities… redos… repair… and giving yourself grace ADHD and creativity… hyperfocus… distraction… and being pulled by unfinished ideas. The power question for family conversations: "Do you want advice… or do you want me to listen?” Bragging on your spouse… the hug vs the hammer… and leadership grounded at home Here's what captures Part 2 ...“You don’t have to wear the t shirt… wear the example.” JB’s YouTube: What the Hell Do I Know w JB https://www.youtube.com/@Whatthehelldoiknowjb JB’s podcast home https://whatthehelldoiknow.podbean.com/ The Personal Success Podcast on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@ThePersonalSuccessPodcast Ryan Watts Life Coaching on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@RyanWattsLifeCoaching

In part 1 of this two part series, Ryan sits down with JB for a grounded… funny… and real conversation about what it means to live on purpose in a world that rewards negativity. JB shares how his show started in his living room. Why he cares so deeply about the next generation and how “moments that define you” are less about the event and more about how you show up inside it. Key topics Putting good into the world when outrage gets more attention Why stories and testimony help people survive hard seasons The idea that life decisions stack over time… one small choice at a time Regret… ownership… and mining wisdom from the road not taken Self awareness… humility… and leadership that thinks about others Parenting and shaping character early… without a perfect playbook Notable moments to listen for JB’s “three stages of life” framing… in a problem… coming out… or heading in The “unsolicited compliment” parenting idea… rewarding character when no one is watching Ryan’s reflection on music… quitting right before the breakthrough… and taking ownership without self punishment Links and resources JB’s YouTube… What the Hell Do I Know w JB   https://youtube.com/@Whatthehelldoiknowjb  JB’s podcast home   https://whatthehelldoiknow.podbean.com/  The Personal Success Podcast on YouTube  https://www.youtube.com/@ThePersonalSuccessPodcast

Nick breaks down how to make change stick when the “old you” keeps trying to come back. You will get practical tools…identity anchors…environment resets…and a simple tactic to rebuild confidence and community fast. We cover... The Reset Button framework overview…audit…honor and release…build the new version The “burning ceremony” concept…releasing the old identity so the new one can lead How to make the reset stick Private “uniforms” as identity anchors…watch…bracelet…necklace…   Curating your environment…small changes that signal the new chapter The 3 Class Rule to build a new social identity fast Dance class…Cooking class…Language class Why…you cannot hide…you practice being the new you…with people who do not know the old you How to introduce yourself without titles…introduce by what you are working on The Dignity Scan…proof you are worth rebuilding before you try to rebuild Failure reframed…make it a story…use experiments…document what works Why “crossroads” is bigger than retirement…divorce…major life transition…or the quiet realization that nothing is changing and it needs to Links mentioned and relevant Subscribe to The Personal Success Podcast on YouTube…youtube.com/@thepersonalsuccesspodcast Nick Shelton’s website…The Reset Button…https://resettheman.com/    Connect with Nick on LinkedIn…https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholasleonshelton    Nick’s book…An Introvert’s Guide to World Domination…Amazon…https://www.amazon.com/Introverts-Guide-World-Domination-Networker/dp/1544515677    Nick’s TEDx talk…A creative solution to social anxiety…https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAXFC2w-WiA      If you got value here, subscribe and share this with the friend who keeps saying “something needs to change”…youtube.com/@thepersonalsuccesspodcast

If you have built a life that looks successful but feels empty, Nick Shelton lays out a practical reset framework rooted in one thing…structure. You will hear how a retired Air Force veteran used simple processes to rebuild purpose, identity, and connection after early retirement. Who Nick Shelton is…Air Force veteran…20 years in oil and gas…retired at 49…traveled to 40 plus countries Why “freedom” can quietly turn into drift…and how lack of structure can create depression The shift from achievement based identity to relationship based meaning The core principle…show up…then find the next doable step How to neutralize imposter syndrome by asking “How does this work”…and letting people teach you “Normal guy…deluxe”…healthy self esteem without peacocking Micro miracles…how Nick creates meaning by making someone else’s day The yacht story…why shared experiences rewire purpose faster than solo success Key sound bites worth pulling for clips “Just show up…you can walk in and leave…but be in the room.” “Structure is where I thrive.” “Achievement fades…relationship based meaning stays.” Links mentioned and relevant Subscribe to The Personal Success Podcast on YouTube…youtube.com/@thepersonalsuccesspodcast Nick Shelton’s website…The Reset Button…https://resettheman.com/    Connect with Nick on LinkedIn…https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholasleonshelton    Nick’s book…An Introvert’s Guide to World Domination…Amazon…https://www.amazon.com/Introverts-Guide-World-Domination-Networker/dp/1544515677   Nick’s TEDx talk…A creative solution to social anxiety…https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAXFC2w-WiA 

In this part 2 of Ryan's conversation with Hannah Bauer, the CEO and founder of Heartnomics, they discuss the intersection of leadership and heart. The conversations continues exploring how personal experiences shape leadership styles. Hannah shares her journey from facing health challenges to creating a coaching program that emphasizes the importance of emotional intelligence, psychological safety, and the need for alignment between personal values and organizational goals. The conversation highlights the significance of kindness, communication, and the role of service in effective leadership, as well as the challenges faced by the next generation of leaders. The real reason “communication” is often a symptom…not the root problem How leaders rebuild trust after missteps…earning the right to lead change Psychological safety…what it looks like when it is real…questions, honesty, engagement…and healthy conflict Getting buy in across levels…sponsor…champion…ownership…project charter thinking Leadership myths Hannah dismantles…one leadership style…fear of “being too close” to the team The next generation gives her hope because of boldness…and the responsibility of mentorship Key moments and themes “Everything is awesome” culture as a red flag…when leaders cannot tell the truth upward Roundtables as a practical intervention…not a feel good exercise Tool belt leadership…different leadership behaviors for different moments “Know your people”…not once a year…but by walking the room Links mentioned…and closely related resources Assessments and development tools mentioned in the conversation Everything DiSC…https://www.everythingdisc.com/    Burnout reference Ryan makes near the end World Health Organization…burn out as an occupational phenomenon in ICD 11…https://www.who.int/standards/classifications/frequently-asked-questions/burn-out-an-occupational-phenomenon    Guest and brand links again for convenience Heartnomics…https://heartnomics.com    If this conversation stirred something in you…if leadership feels heavier than it used to…or you know you are capable of more alignment…more clarity…more impact… I am opening a limited Personal Success Scholarship. The scholarship is for leaders who are high functioning…deeply committed…and quietly stretched thin. People who want to lead with heart and integrity…without burning themselves down in the process. If you are selected…you will receive one on one coaching focused on clarity…alignment…self leadership…and sustainable performance. The cost is not money… The cost is commitment. You can apply right now atryanwattslifecoaching.com/apply Not everyone will be accepted. But if this episode felt personal…this may be your invitation.  

Ryan interviews Hannah Bauer, the CEO and founder of Heartnomics. They discuss the intersection of leadership and heart, exploring how personal experiences shape leadership styles. Hannah shares her journey from facing health challenges to creating a coaching program that emphasizes the importance of emotional intelligence, psychological safety, and the need for alignment between personal values and organizational goals. The conversation highlights the significance of kindness, communication, and the role of service in effective leadership, as well as the challenges faced by the next generation of leaders. Hannah Bauer’s origin story…childhood heart crisis…years in cardiac care…learning the “language of love” beyond words The real meaning of Heartnomics…love and excellence…people and process…internal alignment and external execution Why leaders lose the heart of their work…then burn out trying to fix it with more metrics KPIs as milestones…not identity…why “who you become” matters as much as the goalAlignment as the antidote to burnout…values, culture, and the cost of misalignment Key moments and themes • Leadership as service…service as leadership • Hope without being fake…how to tell the truth with empathy • Pattern recognition…how Hannah’s hospital years became a leadership skill • Heartnomics definition in one line…transformation through love and excellence Links mentioned…and closely related resources Guest…Hannah Bauer and Heartnomics Heartnomics website…https://heartnomics.com    About Hanna D. Bauer…https://heartnomics.com/about/    Keynote referenced in spirit of the conversation…HEARTnomics…Leading Change Through Love and Excellence…https://heartnomics.com/keynotes/    Heart Leadership Profile page…https://heartnomics.com/discover-your-heart-leadership-profile/  Story reference in the episode Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta…https://www.choa.org/    Background story that closely matches the episode’s “first child ablation…documentary” thread…Atlanta Journal Constitution feature…https://www.ajc.com/lifestyles/health/documentary-website-help-children-healthcare-celebrate-100-years/93zHA6cdhJWxRHkDqdeH9I/    Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta history page…useful context for the “100 years” mention…https://www.choa.org/about-us/history     

In this episode of The Personal Success Podcast, Ryan Watts sits down with Borja Cuan, co founder of Four15 Digital, to explore what actually drives sustainable business growth. Borja shares lessons from working in digital marketing since 1998… from the early days of paid search to today’s AI driven landscape. Together, they unpack why lead quality matters more than lead volume… why marketing fundamentals have not changed… and how authenticity, resilience, and clarity separate high performing companies from the rest. This is a grounded, experience based conversation for founders, leaders, and marketers who want results… not noise. What You’ll Learn in This Episode • Why marketing fundamentals have stayed consistent for over 25 years • How to define and validate your Ideal Customer Profile • The difference between vanity metrics and revenue driving metrics • Why guaranteed leads are a red flag • How to close the loop between marketing and sales • How AI can help… and where it quietly harms trust • What Borja learned working with unicorn companies • Why health, family, and perspective directly impact leadership performance Key Concepts Discussed • Lead quality vs lead quantity • Direct response marketing • ICP definition and targeting • Offer clarity and differentiation • Tracking, attribution, and CRM feedback loops • AI as an additive tool, not a replacement • Leadership under pressure • Perspective, gratitude, and resilience Full Links Mentioned in the Episode Borja Cuan LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/borjacuan/  Four15 Digital Website https://www.four15digital.com/  LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/four15-digital/  Companies and Platforms Referenced Flexport https://www.flexport.com/  Listener Takeaway If your marketing isnt driving revenue… the problem usually isnt the platform. Its clarity… ICP… offer… tracking… and feedback. Fix the fundamentals… then scale. Ryan’s Invitation If this conversation stirred something for you… and you want clarity around your own definition of success…Apply for the RWLC Personal Success coaching Scholarship at ryanwatttslifecoaching.com/apply. 

Ryan sits down with Pia Leichter…creative director, writer, and creative partner…to unpack what creativity really is…not just art, but how you respond to life. They explore how slowing down creates clarity, why novelty sparks insight, how community shapes genius, and how self awareness turns everyday moments…even a ripe avocado…into a doorway back to agency. Pia Leichter Author of Welcome to the Creative Club…Make Your Life Your Biggest Art Project Creative partner blending coaching with creative direction, strategy, and storytelling. Big ideas you will hear You do not have to create alone A book does not require the “lone genius in a cabin” myth…creativity is collaboration…editors, partners, community. Creativity is not what you produce…it is how you live Pia reframes creativity as a way of being…a constant creative response to life’s challenges. Authenticity is the engine of novelty The closer you get to who you are…the more unique your creative expression becomes…in work, relationships, even grocery store energy. Slow down to hear what you actually want Stopping creates space…space reveals desire…desire reveals direction. Pia names the fear underneath slowing down…because slowing down makes you feel. Novelty creates perspective Travel, movement, and new people disrupt autopilot…helping you question inherited scripts and reconnect to choice. Self awareness is the real access point The “save the ripe avocado for tomorrow” story becomes a masterclass…notice the thought…get curious…trace the belief…choose a new pattern. Coaching is a creative partnership Pia explains how she blends tools…coaching, strategy, storytelling, creative direction…turning the volume up based on what the person needs.  

In Part Two of this conversation, Ryan Watts and Steven Puri move from story to application…from insight to lived experience. Steven shares how years in Hollywood, tech, and failed startups led him to a deeper question…why do so many capable people struggle to do the work they know they’re here to do? This episode dives into flow states…what they are, how they work, and why they may be one of the most misunderstood and underutilized tools for human potential. Steven explains how distraction has become the real battleground of modern life…and why it isn’t a personal flaw, but a systemic problem. That question eventually led Steven to create The Sukha Company…a productivity and focus platform designed to help people reclaim attention, enter flow states, and do meaningful work without burning out. Rather than adding more noise, Sukha brings together music, timers, and distraction blockers into a single, intentional work experience. The conversation also explores remote work, leadership, and the future of productivity, drawing on lessons from filmmaking, psychology, and startup culture. Steven offers a grounded, non sensational take on AI…what it will replace, what it cannot replace, and why human judgment, creativity, and meaning still matter more than ever. This episode is not about hustling harder. It’s about creating the conditions where your best work can emerge. In this episode, you’ll hear • What flow states actually are and how to access them • Why distraction is an existential issue, not just a productivity problem • The hidden cost of constant notifications and fragmented attention • Lessons from Hollywood on remote work and collaboration • How great leaders create conditions for greatness instead of control • Steven’s perspective on AI, creativity, and human relevance • Why protecting attention is essential for meaningful work 🔗 Learn more about Steven’s work at 👉 https://thesukha.co  🎥 Watch Part Two and future episodes on YouTube 👉 youtube.com/@thepersonalsuccesspodcast

In this first release of 2026, Ryan Watts sits down with Steven Puri…former Hollywood studio executive, startup founder, and creator of The Sukha Company…for a wide ranging conversation about story, success, failure, and the human drive to reclaim what matters most. Steven has spent decades inside some of the most influential creative environments in the world, working across major studios, blockbuster films, venture backed startups, and high pressure executive roles. In this episode, he pulls back the curtain on what actually makes great stories work…and why those same organizing principles quietly shape our personal and professional lives. This is not a surface level Hollywood conversation. Together, Ryan and Steven explore how films like Die Hard, Taken, Star Trek, and Transformers all share a deeper organizing principle rooted in family, belonging, loss, and reconciliation. Steven explains why spectacle never carries a story on its own…and how meaning emerges when human truth sits at the center. The conversation also moves into Steven’s personal journey…early success, major opportunities, painful failures, and the humbling lessons that forced him to slow down, listen, and rethink how he approached leadership, creativity, and work. This episode is about more than movies. It’s about recognizing the invisible structures shaping your life…and deciding whether you want to live them consciously. In this episode, you’ll hear • Why the greatest movies are really about family and belonging • How story structure mirrors human growth and identity • Steven’s journey from early success to failure and humility • Lessons from Hollywood about leadership, pressure, and meaning • Why luck only matters if you’re willing to rise to meet it • How failure became the doorway to deeper wisdom Part One sets the foundation. In Part Two, the conversation turns toward focus, flow, distraction, remote work, AI, and how Steven’s work eventually led to the creation of The Sukha Company …a platform designed to help people do their best work in a distracted world. Check it out at TheSukha.co  🎧 Watch the full conversation on YouTube 👉 youtube.com/@thepersonalsuccesspodcast

What if the most important parenting tool is not discipline, rules, or techniques…but relationship? In this rereleased and deeply relevant conversation, Ryan Watts sits down with psychotherapist, parenting coach, and author Todd Sarner, MFT to explore the unseen foundations of healthy families…attachment, leadership, and connection. Todd shares how his own childhood experience in therapy shaped his life’s work, why becoming a father revealed the limits of traditional parenting advice, and how attachment science became the missing glue that brought everything together. This episode goes beyond managing behavior. It invites parents to reclaim their role as calm, confident leaders…and to understand why children thrive when they feel deeply connected, not controlled. With technology, screens, and AI now woven into daily life, this conversation feels more timely than ever. Sign up for Todd's Parenting course here: https://go.transformativeparenting.com/launch-page?am_id=ryanwatts1757   In This Episode, You’ll Explore • Why attachment is the gateway to cooperation, emotional regulation, and resilience • The difference between reactive parenting and relational leadership • What it really means to be in the “alpha” position as a parent • Why children do not need perfect parents…they need calm, connected ones • How peer orientation and technology fill the vacuum when parents step out of leadership • The hidden cost of parents trying to be their child’s best friend • Why parenting can be one of the most powerful pathways for adult healing and growth • How screens, AI, and low vulnerability connection impact child development • What kids are actually seeking when they turn to devices instead of people • How connection, not control, prepares children to thrive in an uncertain future Key Themes • Attachment as the foundation of emotional health • Parenting as a transformational journey • Calm leadership over control • Connection before correction • Raising children in the age of AI and digital distraction About Todd Sarner, MFT Todd Sarner is a licensed psychotherapist, parenting coach, and couples counselor who works exclusively with parents. His work is deeply influenced by attachment theory and his mentorship under developmental psychologist Gordon Neufeld, author of Hold On To Your Kids. Todd is the founder of Transformative Parenting, where he helps parents become the steady, connected leaders their children need. He is also the author of The Calm and Connected Parent, a guide for raising children with confidence, clarity, and care in a rapidly changing world.   Continue the Journey If this conversation resonated, you may also enjoy exploring how clarity, connection, and leadership shape personal success beyond parenting. You are invited to explore either • A Free 30 Minute Coaching Session at ryanwattslifecoaching.com/schedule • Or the Free Sacred Shifts Fillable PDF Workbook at ryanwattslifecoaching.com/sacredshifts Both offers are available for a limited time.  

This is a time capsule episode in an older solo format…no interviews…no fluff…just a deep dive. Ryan shares how being diagnosed with ADHD at 39 became a doorway, not a finish line…a doorway into understanding how a dopamine hungry brain can shape your work, your habits, your self talk, and especially your relationships. If you overbook your calendar, wait until the last minute to feel alive, run on urgency, then crash when the noise fades…this episode names the system you may be living inside of…without shame…and offers a way out through awareness, design, and clarity. In This Episode • Why “ADHD” often isn’t a focus problem…it’s a regulation problem • The Pressure Loop…when chaos becomes fuel and urgency becomes identity • The Dopamine Loop pattern…procrastination…dopamine surge…crash…shame…repeat • Four lesser known patterns Ryan sees in high achievers • Why stillness can feel threatening…and peace can feel unsafe • The shift from hustle and discipline to self awareness and habit design • A practical path forward…structure, micro wins, and intentional stillness Timestamps 00:00…A time capsule solo episode…why this matters 00:24…Diagnosis as doorway…not finish line 00:54…The Pressure Loop…when peace feels unsafe 02:13…The “lights on” realization…ADHD in relationships 03:15…The Dopamine Loop cycle explained 04:36…Messy perfectionism 05:21…All or nothing energy management 05:41…Overcommitting and time blindness 06:11…Hyperfocus…hard to stop, not hard to start 07:36…Why the fire you feed burns your joy 08:04…Overachievers quietly falling apart 09:13…Why chaos can feel regulating 10:55…The real solution…design your environment for clarity 11:23…Personal Success Planner…clarity before motivation 12:01…Three small but mighty shifts 13:24…Success IQ Assessment…illumination without labels 14:23…The takeaway…better design, not more discipline 15:05…Two ways to get support for the next 90 days Resources  Schedule your free session with Ryan: ryanwattslifecoaching.com/schedule Free 7 Day Personal Success Planner: personalsuccessplanner.com