The Personal Success Podcast with Ryan Watts

Jaksot

• #178 - What Men Need Now: Identity, Purpose and Real Direction 06.07.2026 1t 9min

  Men's mental health and identity crisis explained. Bill McCamley breaks down why so many men feel confused, isolated, and stuck, and what actually helps. This episode covers the core argument of Bill McCamley's book "Now What, My Dudes?", out August 4th. The conversation works through male loneliness, the confusion driving men toward figures like Andrew Tate, why barbershops and other informal male spaces have declined, the online disinhibition effect and how it pushes men toward conflict, and what practical steps men can take to find direction. Every claim is grounded in a specific situation or number from Bill's research and experience as a coach, legislator, and punk band member who has spent years working with men across backgrounds. Chapters:0:00 Who is Bill McCamley6:01 Why the book was written8:15 Confusion as the core problem for men13:39 The Manosphere and why it is dangerous20:30 The study: 70 percent of women want men to approach them29:36 Competition, identity, and how men find purpose52:29 Men and emotional expression55:52 What men can do right now1:01:55 The online disinhibition effect1:06:39 The legacy of the book Links:Bill McCamley's book "Now What, My Dudes?": https://a.co/d/02dtoav5ryanwattscoaching.comthepersonalsuccesspodcast.comScott Galloway: https://www.instagram.com/profgalloway  
• #177 - From Stage 4 Cancer to No Evidence of Disease: Dale Atkinson on Self Advocacy, Patient Trust, and Fighting for More Time 01.07.2026 1t 4min

  In this powerful episode of The Personal Success Podcast, Ryan sits down with Dale Atkinson for a conversation about cancer, self advocacy, patient trust, fatherhood, and what happens when life strips away the illusion of unlimited time. Dale’s story is almost impossible to hold lightly. After building a successful career in finance, compliance, governance, and fraud prevention, Dale’s life changed in 2024 when his partner was diagnosed with lung cancer. Soon after, on his youngest son’s first birthday, Dale underwent an endoscopy and was told he had cancer. Days later, his mother passed away. Then Dale was told his cancer was stage 4, inoperable, incurable, and terminal. But this conversation is not only about diagnosis. It is about what Dale chose next. Rather than becoming passive inside the system, Dale became an active participant in his own care. He read thousands of research papers. He pursued deeper testing. He built a multidisciplinary support team. He combined conventional treatment with carefully researched adjunct approaches. He asked better questions. He pushed for more complete answers. Today, Dale is using his lived experience as a stage 4 cancer patient, his professional background in trust and governance, and his deep belief in patient advocacy to help others navigate healthcare with more clarity, courage, and agency. This episode explores what it means to fight for your life without losing your life in the process. It is a conversation about grief, fatherhood, data, faith, healthcare systems, and the quiet force of refusing to disappear. In this episode, Ryan and Dale discuss: • Dale’s background in financial crime, compliance, governance, and regulated trust • The moment Dale was told he had cancer after years of unresolved symptoms • Receiving a stage 4 terminal diagnosis while raising two young children • Why Dale’s first goal was not a cure, but more quality time with his family • How self advocacy became central to his health journey • Why Dale read thousands of research papers after diagnosis • The role of next generation sequencing and personalized data in his treatment decisions • Building a care team instead of outsourcing responsibility • The difference between trusting doctors and blindly surrendering authority • Why patient experience is often invisible inside healthcare systems • How patients silently disappear when trust breaks down • Dale’s work with Clear Signal Partners and patient trust audits • Why healthcare organizations often miss what patients actually see, feel, and decide • The deeper meaning of success after a terminal diagnosis • How Dale turned despair into purpose • The Life Organic, Peak Health & Fitness, Beyond the Standard, and Pure Serenity Foundation • What Dale wants every patient to understand about self advocacy Key themes Self advocacy changes the experience of healthcare Dale makes a clear distinction between rejecting medical care and becoming an active participant in it. His message is not to ignore doctors. His message is to ask questions, seek understanding, build the right team, and remember that the person most invested in your life is you. Trust is not a soft metric Dale’s work shows how trust is built or broken long before a patient reaches the clinician. Websites, booking systems, follow up, reviews, communication, tone, and clarity all shape whether a patient feels safe enough to continue. The patient experience is often the missing record Healthcare systems record clinical actions, operational costs, and regulatory requirements. But Dale argues that many systems fail to record what patients actually experience, search for, feel, fear, and decide outside the formal pathway. Purpose can emerge from devastation Dale does not romanticize cancer. He does not make suffering sound beautiful. But he does show how crisis can clarify what matters. For him, that meant family, impact, patient support, and helping others see that there may be more options than they first believed. Powerful quotes from the conversation “I made a very conscious choice at the beginning of this process not to roll over and die.” “I needed them to see that I was fighting with everything I had to be with them.” “It was never about curing myself. It was about getting myself to a position where my kids could look back and go, my daddy really tried.” “I was the collection point. I was the person coordinating, pulling it all together and overseeing it all.” “The system has a protocol and the protocol doesn’t flex.” “Who else is going to stick up for your health and who else is going to fight for you in the same way that you would yourself?” “The best thing you can do for yourself, be it in a cancer journey or any form of health journey, and generally in life, is to self advocate.” Medical note This episode is shared for education, personal reflection, and inspiration. It is not medical advice. Dale’s story reflects his personal experience and decisions made with his care team. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals before making medical decisions or changing treatment plans. Connect with Dale Atkinson Dale Atkinson on LinkedInhttps://uk.linkedin.com/in/dalejatkinson The Life Organichttps://thelifeorganic.com Clear Signal Partnershttps://clearsignalpartners.co.uk Peak Health & Fitnesshttps://peakhealthandfitness.co.uk Pure Serenity Foundationhttps://www.pureserenityfoundation.co.uk Astron Healthhttps://www.astron.health How to Starve Cancer by Jane McLellandhttps://www.howtostarvecancer.com HIMSShttps://www.himss.org Connect with Ryan Watts The Personal Success Podcasthttps://thepersonalsuccesspodcast.com Ryan Watts Coachinghttps://ryanwattscoaching.com The Private Leadership Reset Podcasthttps://privateleadershipreset.com Private Leadership ResetFor leaders who are carrying responsibility well, but feel the internal cost rising.https://privateleadershipreset.com Advertisement ADVERTISEMENT: Steve Lang's Aura Marketing Agency:https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevelangauraaiagency/ Listen to more episodes For more conversations on success, purpose, leadership, resilience, identity, and becoming who you are here to be, visit: https://thepersonalsuccesspodcast.com
• #176 - Leaders: Your Nervous System Teaches the Room || Amar Dahll 29.06.2026 1t 5min

  In this episode of The Personal Success Podcast, Ryan Watts sits down with Dr. Amar Dhall for a deep conversation on leadership, coherence, nervous system regulation, power, authenticity, and meaning. Dr. Dhall’s mission is simple, but not small… To support powerful people in becoming good humans. Together, Ryan and Dr. Dhall explore what happens when leaders operate from pressure, stress, survival, and unconscious patterning. They unpack why leadership is never just about strategy or productivity, but about the state a leader brings into the room. This conversation moves through law, psychoanalysis, nervous system science, trauma, flow, coherence, music, and the difference between generative power and extractive power. At the center is one essential question… How do humans and systems stay connected under pressure? This episode is for leaders, coaches, founders, executives, and anyone carrying responsibility who wants to lead with more presence, clarity, and humanity. About Dr. Amar Dhall Dr. Amar Dhall works at the intersection of law, psychoanalysis, neuroscience, somatic psychology, leadership, and systems thinking. A former lawyer and law lecturer, Dr. Dhall now helps leaders and organizations develop greater coherence under pressure. His work focuses on nervous system regulation, trauma wise leadership, psychosocial safety, emotional intelligence, and the human systems that shape culture. His mission is to help powerful people become good humans. What We Discuss • Why leadership begins in the nervous system • How pressure distorts perception • The difference between healthy pressure and dysregulated pressure • What coherence feels like in the body • Why flow and coherence are related, but not the same • How trauma can shape leadership behavior • Why leaders often confuse stress responses with personality • The difference between power over and power with • Why authentic leadership is not simply saying whatever is on your mind • How leaders create either safety or distortion in the room • Why internal negotiation drains so much energy • The difference between generative and extractive leadership • Why music, silence, and art reveal something important about leadership • How Dr. Dhall defines a successful life Key Takeaways Your inner state is not private. The way a leader enters a room affects the system around them. Stress, reactivity, calm, coherence, presence, and fear all communicate before words do. Pressure changes perception. When a nervous system feels unsafe, the leader may feel more certain while actually seeing less clearly. Coherence is not passivity. Coherence is a regulated, connected state where body, mind, emotion, and meaning are working together. Leadership is relational. The point is not just to accomplish more. The point is to hold power in a way that supports the people and systems touched by that power. Generative leadership feels different. A generative leader builds capacity. An extractive leader consumes capacity. The difference eventually shows up in culture, relationships, and results. Authenticity requires depth. Authentic leadership is not unfiltered expression. It is the ongoing practice of knowing what is meaningful, becoming more congruent, and taking responsibility for impact. Success is meaningful living. For Dr. Dhall, success is about living a meaningful life, honoring the mystery of being alive, building good relationships, doing good, and not taking it all too seriously. Memorable Quotes “Your nervous system teaches the room.” “Power is not the problem. Unexamined power is.” “Pressure is not the problem. Unregulated pressure is.” “The nervous system of an organization mirrors the nervous system of its leaders.” “Am I being generative or extractive?” “Success is living a meaningful life.” Key Moments 00:00 Who is Dr. Amar Dhall? 01:00 Why law alone could not answer the deeper question 02:41 Horizontal doing versus vertical meaning 06:06 How humans and systems stay connected under pressure 08:17 How pressure distorts perception 10:29 Healthy pressure versus dysregulated pressure 12:38 What coherence really means 14:03 What coherence feels like in the body 19:30 Flow, coherence, and the body 26:28 Psychological entropy and internal inefficiency 30:58 Why “higher self” language can become hierarchical 35:04 What happens when a dysregulated leader enters the room 39:05 The cost of unrecognized trauma in the workplace 44:00 What leaders miss when they push through instead of settle first 45:35 Generative versus extractive leadership 51:07 Why investing in people creates better systems 54:25 Internal negotiation from a nervous system perspective 59:35 Power over versus power with cultures 01:02:18 What authenticity really requires 01:05:34 What music teaches about leadership 01:10:20 How Dr. Dhall defines success 01:11:44 Dr. Dhall’s final invitation to the audience Links and Resources Dr. Amar Dhall Website:https://www.amardhall.com/ Dr. Amar Dhall About Page:https://www.amardhall.com/aboutamar Dr. Amar Dhall Research and Insights:https://www.amardhall.com/research Neuro Somatic Leadership:https://www.amardhall.com/neuro-somaticleadership Book a Complementary Leadership Strategy Call with Dr. Amar Dhall:https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/booking/dN3Vk8eLRHzFwO6jLhJx Dr. Amar Dhall on LinkedIn:https://au.linkedin.com/in/dramardhall Dr. Amar Dhall on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/dr.amar_dhall/ The Personal Success Podcast:https://thepersonalsuccesspodcast.com Ryan Watts Coaching:https://ryanwattscoaching.com The Private Leadership Reset Podcast:https://privateleadershipreset.com ADVERTISEMENT:Steve Lang's Aura Marketing Agency:https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevelangauraaiagency/ Mentioned and Related Resources Flow Research Collective:https://www.flowresearchcollective.com/ Steven Kotler:https://www.stevenkotler.com/ Huberman Lab:https://www.hubermanlab.com/ Huberman Lab at Stanford:https://hubermanlab.stanford.edu/ Harvard Study of Adult Development:https://www.adultdevelopmentstudy.org/ Rachel Yehuda Lab:https://labs.icahn.mssm.edu/yehudalab/ Dr. Rachel Yehuda Profile:https://profiles.icahn.mssm.edu/rachel-yehuda Deb Dana:https://www.rhythmofregulation.com/ Joel Solomon:https://joelsolomon.org/ Rick and Morty:https://www.adultswim.com/rick-and-morty The Private Leadership Reset If you are a leader who looks steady on the outside but feels the cost of internal negotiation on the inside, listen to The Private Leadership Reset Podcast. It is for leaders who want calm authority, cleaner decisions, and momentum without force. Listen here:https://privateleadershipreset.com Closing Reflection This episode invites a different kind of leadership question. Not just… What am I building? But… What state am I building it from? Because leadership is not only what you say, decide, or produce. It is what your nervous system teaches the room.
• #175 - The Three Headed Dragon of Transformation With Misha Saidov 24.06.2026 1t 6min

  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/mishasaidov_official Twitter: https://x.com/MikhailSaidovLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mishasaidov/Website: https://imcp.org 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/
• #174 - When Success Still Feels Unsafe: Dr. Maria Elena Lukeides on Fear, Flow, and Self Love 22.06.2026 1t 14min

  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.
• #173 - Retire, Refire, Rewire: George Jerjian on Purpose After Retirement 17.06.2026 54min

  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
• #172 - Mental Toughness Is a Skill: 10 Reps to Train Your Mind with Jeff Jones 15.06.2026 1t 10min

  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.
• #171 - Mental Health Is Solvable: Data, AI, and the Future of Care with Nawal Roy 10.06.2026 50min

  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.
• #170 - Spiritual Bodybuilding: Healing Trauma, Masculinity, and the Body with Nahum Vizakis 08.06.2026 1t 5min

  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.
• #169 - Leadership Begins in the Body with Croft Edwards 03.06.2026 1t 5min

  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  
• #168 - Externalizing Executive Function: How Organization Frees Your Time, Energy, and Self Trust with Lisa Woodruff 01.06.2026 1t 9min

  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
• You Might Like: The Private Leadership Reset Podcast || Achievement vs. Aliveness 28.05.2026 26min

  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.
• #167 - Reset Your Life: Burning Bright with Mikael Avatar 27.05.2026 1t 9min

  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: mikaelavatar@gmail.comInstagram: 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/
• #166 - How TRE Helps the Body Release Stress, Trauma, and Burnout with Richmond Heath 25.05.2026 1t 7min

  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  
• #165 - How to Engineer Belonging in a Disconnected World With Matt Kaufman 20.05.2026 1t 5min

  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/
• #164 - The Laptop Life Is Real (But It Takes Reps) | Matt Raad on Escaping the Corporate Grind 18.05.2026 1t 17min

  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/
• #163 - Turning the Ship: David Schnurman on Moving from Stuck to Living 13.05.2026 58min

  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/
• #162 - Todd Graves on Moe Norman, Simplicity, and the Intelligent Golf Swing 11.05.2026 58min

  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   
• #161 - Why Successful People Still Feel Lost | Julian Lighton on Navigating Your Next 06.05.2026 1t 14min

  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/  
• #160 - How to Build a Life Plan That Actually Changes Your Future || with David Howe 04.05.2026 1t 3min

  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 HoweDHowe@KenRusk.com 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