Episode Description:

Success on paper doesn’t mean clarity in practice. In this episode of Mission Driven You, Will Samson continues the journey through the Resilience Stack by introducing Layer Two: Radical Self-Ownership—a mindset and practice that shifts you from reactivity to authorship, from control to clarity.

If you’ve ever felt like you were “in charge” but still living in constant reaction—this episode is for you. Will breaks down why so many high performers, executives, and entrepreneurs are silently outsourcing their agency, and how to reclaim a deeper sense of internal authorship without adding pressure or burnout.

This episode is about more than personal growth. It’s about learning to lead from the only place that’s truly yours—your inner state.

🧠 What You’ll Learn:

• What it means to suffer from “outsourced agency”
• How to shift from blame language (“They need to level up”) to ownership language
• Why emotional fatigue and constant waiting are symptoms of reactive leadership
• How to lead from clarity and calm—even in chaos
• Why reactivity often shows up as over-functioning, hyper-control, or shame
• The difference between control and authorship—and how to choose the latter
• How to practice radical self-ownership without adding more pressure

🔧 Practices & Frameworks Introduced:

• The Ownership Pause: A simple way to pause, notice the story you’re reacting to, and choose what’s truly yours to own
• Left/Right Column Exercise:
• Left = what’s in your control
• Right = what isn’t
• Ownership = focus on the left
• Three Reflective Questions:
• What part of this problem is mine?
• What would leadership look like if I trusted myself here?
• How can I respond from clarity, not control?

💬 Quotes to Remember:

“Agency isn’t about your org chart. It’s about your internal authorship.”

“You don’t need different circumstances. You need a different sense of ownership.”

“Leadership isn’t about control—it’s about clarity.”

“Radical self-ownership isn’t about doing more. It’s about creating space to breathe.”

✨ Reflection Questions for Listeners:

• Where am I waiting for something outside of me to change before I can move?
• What would shift if I trusted myself in this situation?
• What am I carrying that isn’t mine?

🔗 Next Steps & Resources:

• Subscribe to Mission Driven You on Apple Podcasts & Spotify
• Join the newsletter for deeper dives: drwillsamson.substack.com
• Follow Will on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/willsamson

💡 Final Takeaway:

You can’t lead others well if you haven’t taken back leadership of yourself. Radical self-ownership isn’t a personality trait—it’s a practiced way of being.

Episode Description:

What do we do when the frameworks we’ve used to make sense of life… stop working? When the stories we’ve told ourselves about success, identity, and healing begin to crack? In this powerful and raw episode of Mission Driven You, Will sits down with Alex Myers for an unflinching exploration of consciousness, healing, and what it means to be truly awake.

Alex shares his journey navigating the intersections of psychedelic experiences, trauma integration, AI, culture, and spirituality—and how so many of us are actually responding to the same quiet ache: the longing to come home to ourselves.

⚠️ Content Warning: This episode includes discussion of psychedelic use.

This is not medical advice. Always consult a healthcare provider before making decisions about your mental or physical health.

And as someone in long-term recovery, Will is not promoting anything that might endanger sobriety. This is a conversation—not a recommendation.

🧠 Key Topics Covered:

• Why the hunger for psychedelics is really a hunger for presence
• How trauma, ego, and the nervous system shape our stories
• Why peak experiences aren’t the answer—but they can open a doorway
• The danger of using spiritual tools to bypass emotional healing
• What to do when the "map" of your life no longer fits the terrain
• Why slowing down isn’t just an act of resistance—it’s an act of remembering
• The risks of optimization culture, and how psychedelics are being misused in it
• Navigating grief, masculinity, and emotional depth in a culture addicted to performance

🌀 Memorable Quotes:

“Psychedelics don’t fix anything. But they can show you where the work is.”

“So many people are chasing transcendence, but what they really need is integration.”

“The system we’re living in is sick. And healing often looks like stepping outside of it.”

“The ache you feel isn’t a flaw—it’s feedback. Pay attention.”

🔗 Resources Mentioned:

• The 500-Year Delta and The Fourth Turning (on cultural shifts)
• The concept of the “Hero’s Journey” as a framework for personal evolution
• Somatic experiencing and nervous system regulation
• Works of Charles Eisenstein, Gabor Maté, and other thinkers on healing and culture

✨ Reflection Questions:

• Where in your life are you chasing peak experiences instead of healing old stories?
• Are you using achievement or identity as a shield against discomfort?
• What if the “ache” you’re feeling is trying to guide you home?

📬 Stay Connected:

• Subscribe to Will’s Substack: drwillsamson.substack.com
• Connect with Will on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/willsamson
• Learn more about Alex Myers: [
• Share this episode with someone who’s been questioning everything—and needs to know they’re not alone

💡 Final Takeaway:

“You don’t have to destroy who you are to grow. But you might have to let go of the story you’ve been telling.”

Mentioned in this episode:

Recovery Coaching with Dr. Will Samson

Struggling with...

Episode Description:

You can’t lead well if you’re still running on outdated mental code. In this powerful solo episode of Mission Driven You, Will introduces the first layer of the Resilience Stack: the Mindset Reboot, or what he calls the code rewrite.

Most high-performing leaders are relying on internal scripts written during times of survival—scripts they’ve never questioned, but that are quietly sabotaging their clarity, capacity, and self-trust. This episode walks through how to identify those legacy beliefs, where they came from, and how to consciously replace them with a new, empowering internal operating system.

If your strategy looks great on paper but your soul is exhausted, this episode is your invitation to look beneath the surface—and begin again.

Key Topics Covered:

• Why outdated beliefs are like Y2K code—functional but fragile
• How unconscious stories create chronic burnout, control issues, and reactivity
• Common examples of “legacy code” running in high achievers
• The surprising cost of over-functioning, perfectionism, and people-pleasing
• Four coaching questions to surface hidden stories and rewire your mindset
• How to consciously write new internal scripts that support clarity and calm
• Why presence—not productivity—is your most valuable leadership asset

🔧 Code Rewrite Process (Step-by-Step):

Spot the Script

• Track when you’re over-functioning, reactive, or exhausted
• Ask: What belief is running this behavior?

Trace the Origin

• Whose voice are you hearing? Is it yours, or someone else’s?
• Recognize how family systems, past jobs, and cultural narratives shaped your inner code

Challenge the Logic

• Is this story still true? Is it helpful? What if the opposite were true?

Write New Code

• Examples:
• “I lead best when I am grounded.”
• “My presence is more valuable than my productivity.”
• “I don’t have to earn my right to rest.”

Reinforce the Rewrite

• Say it. Write it. Post it. Repeat it.
• Your nervous system needs repetition to trust the new story.

Quotes to Remember:

“What helped you survive at 25 will sabotage you at 45.”

“Your leadership isn’t failing because of bad strategy—it’s stuck because of bad code.”

“You cannot lead well if you are constantly trying to outrun your origin story.”

“Every new chapter starts with a rewritten line of code.”

Reflection Prompts:

• What do I believe about my worth when I’m not producing?
• Where did that belief come from?
• Who benefits when I keep believing it?
• What would shift if I didn’t?

🔗 Resources & Next Steps:

• Read the full series: drwillsamson.substack.com
• Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/willsamson
• Subscribe to Mission Driven You on Apple Podcasts & Spotify

💡 Final Takeaway:

“Real leadership transformation begins where most people never look: inside the story running within them.”

Episode Description:

We’ve been sold the lie that self-improvement is about doing more, achieving more, and fixing what’s broken. But what if real transformation isn’t about doing better—it’s about being better?

In this episode of Mission Driven You, Will sits down with Ryan Gottfredson, author of the powerful new book Becoming Better, to explore what it really means to grow. Ryan introduces the concept of vertical development, a framework for shifting our internal operating system—how we see ourselves, the world, and what's possible.

Together, they dive into:

• Why most personal growth stays stuck at the surface
• How trauma, fear, and control sabotage our leadership
• Why upgrading your “Being Side” is the key to deep transformation
• The four pillars of vertical development
• What it means to become a creator of value rather than a protector of self

Whether you’re a leader, a founder, or someone in the middle of a quiet personal revolution, this episode will change how you think about growth.

Key Topics:

• What vertical development is—and how it differs from typical self-improvement
• The role of trauma and early life wiring in shaping how we lead
• Why behavior change doesn’t stick without identity change
• The four “Being Needs” that support deep growth: safety, worth, connection, and progress
• How neurodivergence and mental health challenges intersect with leadership
• The dangers of reactive leadership and control
• Why mindset is not just a mental game—it’s a full-system orientation

Quotes to Remember:

“People don’t resist change—they resist being changed.”

“Your current internal operating system got you here. It won’t get you there.”

“We must stop protecting ourselves and start creating value.”

About the Guest: Ryan Gottfredson

• Author of Becoming Better and Success Mindsets
• Leadership and vertical development expert
• PhD in Organizational Behavior from Indiana University
• Works with Fortune 500 leaders to rewire how they think, feel, and show up
• Connect with Ryan at ryangottfredson.com

🔗 Resources Mentioned:

• Book: Becoming Better by Ryan Gottfredson
• Book: Immunity to Change by Kegan & Lahey
• Book: Success Mindsets by Ryan Gottfredson
• Will’s Substack: drwillsamson.substack.com

✨ Reflection Questions:

• Where in your life are you trying to change your actions without changing your identity?
• Are you leading from a place of control or creation?
• What old wiring might be holding you back from who you’re becoming?

🎧 Subscribe & Share:

• Follow Mission Driven You on Apple Podcasts &

Episode Description:

You don’t need another productivity hack—you need a new operating system. In this solo episode of Mission Driven You, Will introduces The Resilience Stack, a five-layer framework built to help high-pressure leaders move from burnout to clarity, from chaos to confidence.

Born out of personal recovery, executive coaching, and enterprise change management, the Resilience Stack isn’t about working harder. It’s about doing the inner work to lead with intention, build trust with yourself, and create systems that scale—not just your business, but your peace.

If you’re a founder, executive, nonprofit leader, or purpose-driven professional navigating complexity, this episode is your invitation to upgrade your internal system and lead from the inside out.

🧠 In This Episode:

• Why control is an illusion—and clarity is the new leadership superpower
• The surprising connection between mindset, software architecture, and transformation
• How to shift from unconscious survival stories to conscious self-leadership
• The five-layer Resilience Stack and how to apply it in your life today
• The power of minimum viable habits, Sunday check-ins, and building inner architecture

🔧 The 5 Layers of the Resilience Stack:

1.Mindset Reboot

Rewriting the unconscious survival stories that sabotage clarity

2.Radical Self-Ownership

Moving from reactivity to authorship over your life and choices

3.Interdependence

Replacing heroic independence with a life team and relational resilience

4.Growth Systems

Designing repeatable structures for measurement, momentum, and self-trust

5.Influence Amplifier

Cultivating presence so your leadership is felt—not forced

💬 Quotes to Remember:

“People don’t follow plans. They follow presence.”

“You don’t need to be louder. You need to be more steady.”

“Self-trust is built through measurement.”

“The edge of your control is not your weakness—it’s where your power begins.”

✨ Practical Applications:

• Try the Inner Critic Hash Mark exercise: Track false stories and replace them with truth
• Begin a weekly check-in ritual to build consistency and internal alignment
• Use the question: “What would someone who doesn’t believe this story do next?”
• Identify where you’re acting from control—and shift into clarity

🔗 Stay Connected:

• Subscribe to Will’s Substack: drwillsamson.substack.com
• Follow on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/willsamson
• Listen & Share: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Your favorite podcast app

💡 Final Takeaway:

“You don’t have to change everything overnight. But you do have to build the stack. Resilience isn’t a personality trait—it’s a system.”

Episode Description:

In this thought-provoking episode of Mission Driven You, Will sits down with Carlos Davidovich, executive coach and author of Five Brain Leadership, to explore the inner terrain of leadership. Together, they dive deep into how your internal dialogue, personality wiring, and neurological responses shape not only how you lead—but who you become in the process.

Carlos shares how modern leadership demands more than strategy or charisma—it requires deep self-awareness, the ability to regulate your internal team of voices, and the courage to lead from both empathy and clarity. This episode is a masterclass in neuro-leadership, emotional intelligence, and authentic influence.

Whether you’re leading a team or navigating a personal transformation, this conversation will challenge and expand how you think about power, communication, and what it means to lead from the inside out.

Key Topics Covered:

• The inner leadership team: How to recognize and manage the “multiple voices” in your head
• Why suppressing emotion doesn’t work—and what to do instead
• The “Five Brains” model and how each part of your brain influences your leadership
• Why psychological safety isn’t about being soft—it’s about being intentional
• Understanding personality DNA and how to speak your team’s “language”
• Why communication isn’t about clarity—it’s about connection
• The role of empathy vs. analysis in decision-making (and why they can’t coexist simultaneously)
• Why adaptability, not dominance, is the future of leadership in a rapidly changing world
• The myth of the all-knowing leader—and the power of vulnerability in complex systems
• Carlos’ vision for the next generation of leaders shaped by collaboration, curiosity, and conscious evolution

Quotes to Remember:

“We don’t see the world as it is. We see the world as we are.”

“Your rational brain is powerful—but it’s also the easiest to hijack.”

“Real leadership begins the moment you stop trying to be someone else.”

“We need to create environments where people aren’t just surviving—but thinking, innovating, contributing.”

“If I want to get the best out of someone, I have to create the space for their best brain to show up.”

🔗 Resources Mentioned:

• Book: Five Brain Leadership by Carlos Davidovich
• Carlos’ Work: CarlosDavidovich.com
• Will’s Substack: drwillsamson.substack.com
• Concepts: Platinum Rule of Communication, Karpman Drama Triangle, Adaptability Quotient (AQ)

Reflection Questions:

• What voice inside your head are you giving the most power to—and is it helping you lead well?
• How do you respond when you feel triggered or unsafe in a leadership role?
• Are you treating others the way you want to be treated—or the way they need to be treated?
• What’s one inner narrative you need to challenge this week?

Stay Connected:

• Follow Carlos Davidovich on LinkedIn
• Subscribe to Mission Driven You on Apple Podcasts & Spotify
• Join

Episode Description:

If you’ve ever felt like you’re constantly behind—no matter how organized, capable, or strategic you are—it may not be a time management problem. It may be your internal operating system.

In this solo episode of Mission Driven You, Will explores the real reason high-performing professionals feel overwhelmed and burned out—and it’s not what you think. He unpacks how outdated mental and emotional “code” written during past seasons of survival can silently run our lives, even at the top of our game.

This episode introduces a powerful, five-step framework to help you upgrade your internal OS so you can lead with clarity, confidence, and calm—even in the middle of chaos.

🧠 Key Topics Covered:

• Why time management and productivity hacks aren’t solving the root problem
• The hidden cost of outdated internal stories
• Why many leaders are operating with scripts written during survival seasons
• How to stop bouncing between control and collapse
• A five-step resilience framework to lead with clarity in a high-stakes world

🧩 The 5-Step Resilience Stack:

1.Rewrite Your Internal Code

- Identify the outdated stories driving your behavior

– Shift from “I’m falling behind” to “I’m building capacity”

– Replace survival scripts with conscious, strategic narratives

2.Activate Self-Ownership

– Shift from control to clarity

– Own your response to challenges instead of blaming circumstances

– Reclaim agency through intentional mindset choices

3.Enable Interdependence

– Build trust loops and mutual support systems

– Move from high-functioning isolation to relational leadership

– Understand that real strength includes asking for help

4.Install a Growth Loop

– Create regular rhythms of reflection, learning, and recalibration

– Treat your development like product design: iterate, test, adapt

– Build growth into your system—not just your intentions

5.Expand Strategic Influence

– Lead with clarity, calm, and internal alignment

– Model composure under pressure

– Shape culture by mastering your own nervous system first

🔍 Reflection Questions for Listeners:

• What internal stories are shaping how I show up right now?
• Where am I chasing control instead of creating clarity?
• Who helps me stay grounded when things get overwhelming?
• What growth loop do I need to install in my life right now?

🛠️ Resources Mentioned:

• Viktor Frankl’s quote: “The last of the human freedoms is to choose one’s attitude...”
• The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey (on interdependence)
• Will’s past solo episode: You Are the Chaos

🔗 Connect + Subscribe:

• Subscribe to Mission Driven You on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform
• Join Will’s Substack for deeper reflections: drwillsamson.substack.com
• Connect with Will on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/willsamson

💡 Final Takeaway:

The world...

Episode Description:

Success isn’t just about money—it’s about how you design your life. In this episode of Mission Driven You, I sit down with Neil Twa, a veteran entrepreneur and e-commerce expert, to talk about the fork-in-the-road moments that define every business owner’s journey. Neil shares how he went from bankruptcy to building multiple seven- and eight-figure businesses, all while prioritizing family, freedom, and long-term impact.

We dive into:

• The difference between being an entrepreneur and being a business owner
• Why passive income is a myth—and what to focus on instead
• How to break free from fear and actually take the leap into business ownership
• Why prioritizing family and values leads to better financial success
• How AI is already shaping the future of e-commerce and online business

If you’re ready to stop trading time for money and start thinking about business as a tool for impact and freedom, this episode will challenge the way you see success.

Show Notes:

Guest Information:

• Neil Twa – E-commerce entrepreneur, business strategist, and CEO of Voltage Digital Marketing
• Website: Voltage Digital Marketing
• Book: Almost Automated Income – Available on Amazon

Key Topics Discussed:

1. The Fork in the Road: How Failure Shapes Success

• Why bankruptcy was one of the best things that ever happened to Neil
• The myth of the "perfect moment"—why waiting for certainty is a trap
• How taking calculated risks separates business owners from "aspiring entrepreneurs"

2. The Mindset Shift from Employee to Business Owner

• Why being an entrepreneur isn’t the same as running a business
• The Kiyosaki Quadrant framework—where do you fall in the spectrum of ownership?
• How to shift from chasing opportunities to actually building something sustainable

3. The Illusion of Passive Income

• The reality behind "passive" income—why true wealth always requires effort
• The Almost Automated Income approach—how to reduce workload while maximizing control
• Why so many people fall for get-rich-quick schemes and how to spot them

4. Designing a Business That Aligns with Your Values

• How Neil built his business around family and homeschooling instead of making family fit around work
• The biggest mistakes people make when trying to balance entrepreneurship and personal life
• The one shift that made Neil’s business—and life—more fulfilling and sustainable

5. The Future of E-Commerce & AI

• How AI-driven data is changing the game for e-commerce entrepreneurs
• Why the first single-person billion-dollar business is closer than we think
• What you need to know about AI’s impact on product research, marketing, and business...