#176 - Leaders: Your Nervous System Teaches the Room || Amar Dahll

#180 - Healing Trauma Bonds: Somatic Work and Healthier Relationships With Nima Rahmany

What if the ambition driving your success is also protecting a part of you that still feels unworthy, rejected, or afraid of being abandoned? In this episode of The Personal Success Podcast, Ryan Watts speaks with Nima Rahmany, a former chiropractor and the creator of the Trigger Proof methodology. Nima shares the personal breakdown that forced him to confront his anger, codependency, trauma bonds, and fear of abandonment. He explains why years of personal development did not change his deepest patterns…and how some forms of self improvement can become sophisticated ways of avoiding pain. Together, Ryan and Nima explore the relationship between the nervous system, emotional triggers, leadership, parenting, ambition, and secure connection. This conversation asks a difficult question: Are you leading from purpose…or is a frightened part of you still trying to prove that you are worthy? IN THIS EPISODE • Why Nima moved from treating physical symptoms to exploring their emotional roots • The moment that forced him to take responsibility for his anger and behavior • How personal development can become a form of self rejection • Why understanding a pattern intellectually may not change the body’s response • What your triggers may be trying to protect • How anger can protect shame, fear, rejection, and vulnerability • The difference between suppressing an emotion and learning to remain present with it • How unresolved attachment wounds can shape the partners we choose • Why criticism can activate an earlier version of ourselves • The relationship between ambition, validation, and the need to prove your worth • How fight, flight, freezing, and appeasing can appear in leadership • Why people pleasing prevents leaders from offering honest direction • How to recognize whether ambition feels driven by pressure or pulled by purpose • The three parts of the Trigger Proof process…regulate, integrate, and communicate • Why inner leadership shapes our ability to lead other people • What it means to become more capable of being misunderstood without abandoning yourself A CENTRAL QUESTION FROM THE CONVERSATION When something activates you, ask: “What am I making this mean about me?” The reaction may be connected to more than the present moment. It may be protecting a part of you that expects rejection, shame, abandonment, or the loss of belonging. Awareness creates space between the trigger and the response. That space gives you the opportunity to choose which part of you leads next. CONNECT WITH NIMA RAHMANY Trigger Proof website [https://becometriggerproof.com/] Free Attachment Style Quiz [https://becometriggerproof.com/attachment-style-assessment/] Trigger Proof methodology [https://becometriggerproof.com/methodology/] Free resources [https://becometriggerproof.com/resources/] Becoming Trigger Proof book information and free chapter [https://becometriggerproof.com/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/nimarahmanyofficial/] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/user/chironimz] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/drnima/] Trigger Proof Facebook community [https://www.facebook.com/groups/triggerproof/] Trigger Proof Transmissions on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/3usiig7I7enQKI8zd5TgzT] TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@nimarahmanyofficial] CONNECT WITH THE PERSONAL SUCCESS PODCAST Join the email list and explore more conversations about success, leadership, and becoming more fully yourself at thepersonalsuccesspodcast.com [https://thepersonalsuccesspodcast.com/]. ADVERTISEMENT Steve Lang’s Aura Marketing Agency: Connect with Steve Lang on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevelangauraaiagency/] LISTENER NOTE This episode includes candid discussion of intimate partner violence, childhood trauma, emotional distress, and relationship conflict. Please listen with care. The conversation reflects the personal experiences and perspectives of the participants. It is intended for educational purposes and is not a substitute for medical care, psychotherapy, diagnosis, or individualized mental health support.

#179 - Luxury Design and Family Legacy with Sebastian Saavedra

Most people think luxury is about price. Sebastian Saavedra says it is about the people behind the product. He grew up watching his parents build businesses between Ecuador and Canada, and today he leads Metaval Canada, a brand carrying fifty years of Latin American craftsmanship into the North American market. This conversation is about what heritage actually teaches you that business school cannot. Luxury design, family legacy, and Latin American craftsmanship: Sebastian Saavedra explains how Metaval Canada brings 50 years of heritage into the North American market. Sebastian Saavedra is the CEO and Director of Operations for Metaval Canada, a luxury kitchen, closet, and bathroom design company rooted in Latin American craftsmanship and founded fifty years ago. The point of this conversation is that identity and heritage are not soft backstory, they are operational strategy. Sebastian explains how growing up between Ecuador and Canada shaped the way he runs a business, why branding matters more than product specs in the luxury market, and what carrying a family name actually demands of you as a leader. He also talks about the tension between rebellion and alignment that every second-generation entrepreneur recognizes, and what he most wants to be known for when the titles are stripped away. Chapters: 0:00 Introduction and who Sebastian Saavedra is 2:13 Growing up between Ecuador and Canada 5:02 Being raised inside an entrepreneurial family 10:58 How to differentiate a luxury brand 12:16 The Metaval Toronto Showroom and what to expect 16:06 Carrying a 50-year family legacy 21:34 What craftsmanship teaches that business school cannot 25:55 The work Sebastian most wants to be known for Links: Metaval Canada Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/metavalcanada Metaval website: https://www.mataval.com The Personal Success Podcast: https://www.thepersonalsuccesspodcast.com Ryan Watts Coaching: https://www.ryanwattscoaching.com

#178 - What Men Need Now: Identity, Purpose and Real Direction

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 McCamley 6:01 Why the book was written 8:15 Confusion as the core problem for men 13:39 The Manosphere and why it is dangerous 20:30 The study: 70 percent of women want men to approach them 29:36 Competition, identity, and how men find purpose 52:29 Men and emotional expression 55:52 What men can do right now 1:01:55 The online disinhibition effect 1:06:39 The legacy of the book Links: Bill McCamley's book "Now What, My Dudes?": https://a.co/d/02dtoav5 [https://a.co/d/02dtoav5] ryanwattscoaching.com [http://ryanwattscoaching.com] thepersonalsuccesspodcast.com [http://thepersonalsuccesspodcast.com] Scott 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

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 LinkedIn https://uk.linkedin.com/in/dalejatkinson [https://uk.linkedin.com/in/dalejatkinson] The Life Organic https://thelifeorganic.com [https://thelifeorganic.com] Clear Signal Partners https://clearsignalpartners.co.uk [https://clearsignalpartners.co.uk] Peak Health & Fitness https://peakhealthandfitness.co.uk [https://peakhealthandfitness.co.uk] Pure Serenity Foundation https://www.pureserenityfoundation.co.uk [https://www.pureserenityfoundation.co.uk] Astron Health https://www.astron.health [https://www.astron.health] How to Starve Cancer by Jane McLelland https://www.howtostarvecancer.com [https://www.howtostarvecancer.com] HIMSS https://www.himss.org [https://www.himss.org] CONNECT WITH RYAN WATTS The Personal Success Podcast https://thepersonalsuccesspodcast.com [https://thepersonalsuccesspodcast.com] Ryan Watts Coaching https://ryanwattscoaching.com [https://ryanwattscoaching.com] The Private Leadership Reset Podcast https://privateleadershipreset.com [https://privateleadershipreset.com] Private Leadership Reset For leaders who are carrying responsibility well, but feel the internal cost rising. https://privateleadershipreset.com [https://privateleadershipreset.com] ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT: Steve Lang's Aura Marketing Agency: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevelangauraaiagency/ [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 [https://thepersonalsuccesspodcast.com]

#176 - Leaders: Your Nervous System Teaches the Room || Amar Dahll

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/ [https://www.amardhall.com/] Dr. Amar Dhall About Page: https://www.amardhall.com/aboutamar [https://www.amardhall.com/aboutamar] Dr. Amar Dhall Research and Insights: https://www.amardhall.com/research [https://www.amardhall.com/research] Neuro Somatic Leadership: https://www.amardhall.com/neuro-somaticleadership [https://www.amardhall.com/neuro-somaticleadership] Book a Complementary Leadership Strategy Call with Dr. Amar Dhall: https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/booking/dN3Vk8eLRHzFwO6jLhJx [https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/booking/dN3Vk8eLRHzFwO6jLhJx] Dr. Amar Dhall on LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/dramardhall [https://au.linkedin.com/in/dramardhall] Dr. Amar Dhall on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.amar_dhall/ [https://www.instagram.com/dr.amar_dhall/] The Personal Success Podcast: https://thepersonalsuccesspodcast.com [https://thepersonalsuccesspodcast.com] Ryan Watts Coaching: https://ryanwattscoaching.com [https://ryanwattscoaching.com] The Private Leadership Reset Podcast: https://privateleadershipreset.com [https://privateleadershipreset.com] ADVERTISEMENT: Steve Lang's Aura Marketing Agency: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevelangauraaiagency/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevelangauraaiagency/] Mentioned and Related Resources Flow Research Collective: https://www.flowresearchcollective.com/ [https://www.flowresearchcollective.com/] Steven Kotler: https://www.stevenkotler.com/ [https://www.stevenkotler.com/] Huberman Lab: https://www.hubermanlab.com/ [https://www.hubermanlab.com/] Huberman Lab at Stanford: https://hubermanlab.stanford.edu/ [https://hubermanlab.stanford.edu/] Harvard Study of Adult Development: https://www.adultdevelopmentstudy.org/ [https://www.adultdevelopmentstudy.org/] Rachel Yehuda Lab: https://labs.icahn.mssm.edu/yehudalab/ [https://labs.icahn.mssm.edu/yehudalab/] Dr. Rachel Yehuda Profile: https://profiles.icahn.mssm.edu/rachel-yehuda [https://profiles.icahn.mssm.edu/rachel-yehuda] Deb Dana: https://www.rhythmofregulation.com/ [https://www.rhythmofregulation.com/] Joel Solomon: https://joelsolomon.org/ [https://joelsolomon.org/] Rick and Morty: https://www.adultswim.com/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 [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.