Beyond Success

It's easy to look at some of the biggest villains in history (both real and fictional) and assume that they were evil incarnate. It's easy because it frees you from the burden that you could become just like them. But pure evil doesn't exist. In fact, so much of the evil you see in the world is just pain that's been unexamined and unhealed, and then unleashed on others. That's why history is riddled with the oppressed overcoming the oppressors and then doing the exact things the oppressors did to them to others. This doesn't only happen in politics or wars. It happens in your personal and professional life too. Wounded parts left unintegrated dish out the same wounds to others that caused them. The solution isn't blind kindness nor hardened cynicism. The only solution is to integrate them, and let each sword sharper the other. Or, as I like to call it, learning how to become a Hawkish Dove. That's what you'll discover in this episode: How to become a Hawkish Dove, not so you can conquer evil, but so you can integrate what evil has taught you. Listen now. Show Highlights Include: For more about David Tian, go here: https://www.davidtianphd.com/about/ Feeling like success in one area of life has come at the expense of another? Maybe you've crushed it in your career, but your relationships feel strained. Or you've built the life you thought you wanted, yet there's still something important missing. I've put together a free 3-minute assessment to help you see what's really holding you back. Answer a few simple questions, and you'll get instant access to a personalized masterclass that speaks directly to where you are right now. It's fast. It's practical. And it could change the way you approach leadership, love, and fulfillment. Take the first step here → https://dtphd.com/quiz

Most people say they support sexual freedom. But when a woman—or man—actually lives it… they turn on them. Judgment. Outrage. Moral panic. So here's the real question: "Can you be sexually free and morally good?" And if you can, why does it trigger so much shame in others? In this episode, I trace the ancient roots of sexual repression—from the kings and empires that hoarded mating opportunities, to the purity codes that disguised control as virtue. We'll explore how sexual shame became moralized, why it still lingers even in our "modern" world, and what it means to live with integrity instead of fear. You'll also learn how honesty, consent, and autonomy aren't loopholes in morality—they're the very definition of it. And how the outrage against sexual freedom says more about the critic's inner shame than about virtue itself. This isn't a defense of indulgence. It's a call to moral clarity. Because true integrity isn't restraint for its own sake—it's honesty, compassion, and respect for freedom. Listen now! Show highlights include: For more about David Tian, go here: https://www.davidtianphd.com/about/ Feeling like success in one area of life has come at the expense of another? Maybe you've crushed it in your career, but your relationships feel strained. Or you've built the life you thought you wanted, yet there's still something important missing. I've put together a free 3-minute assessment to help you see what's really holding you back. Answer a few simple questions, and you'll get instant access to a personalized masterclass that speaks directly to where you are right now. It's fast. It's practical. And it could change the way you approach leadership, love, and fulfillment. Take the first step here → https://dtphd.com/quiz

Ambitious people fall into a trap: You've learned from a young age that achievement means love, and so, you chase achievement and other external markers of success only to realize the gnawing void is still there. Most think their childhood patterns will get dissolved by father time. But the truth is, these patterns adapt to your knowledge, and become masters of disguising themselves.Take, for example, the seductive idea of independence. For ambitious men, independence is really isolation in disguise, which leads to deep loneliness (even if you have an attractive wife, thousands of followers, or are the most popular person in any room). And no amount of external success can save you from this trap. But connection can. Connection isn't natural when you've spent your entire life building armor around you. But it is learnable. It is the antidote to loneliness. And it is something that can save a broken marriage. But first, you have to ask yourself (and be honest): Who knows the real you? The you behind all of your masks? In today's show, you'll discover why connection is the only solution to isolation and loneliness. And how to reconnect with yourself and others. Listen now. Show Highlights Include: For more about David Tian, go here: https://www.davidtianphd.com/about/ Feeling like success in one area of life has come at the expense of another? Maybe you've crushed it in your career, but your relationships feel strained. Or you've built the life you thought you wanted, yet there's still something important missing. I've put together a free 3-minute assessment to help you see what's really holding you back. Answer a few simple questions, and you'll get instant access to a personalized masterclass that speaks directly to where you are right now. It's fast. It's practical. And it could change the way you approach leadership, love, and fulfillment. Take the first step here → https://dtphd.com/quiz

Most people spend their lives performing. Pretending to be who they think they should be — polished, composed, and never too much. But underneath, they feel like frauds. Because the parts of themselves they’ve hidden — the anger, the neediness, the shame — are still alive, whispering, “If they really knew you, they’d leave.” That’s why being yourself feels unsafe. Every instinct screams that honesty will cost you love, success, and belonging. So you hide behind competence, humor, or charm. You keep the mask on. And maybe it even works — for a while. But here’s the problem: when you protect yourself from rejection, you also block true connection. You start confusing safety with isolation. True happiness requires the opposite of hiding. It demands exposure — showing your real thoughts, your real feelings, your real self — even when it feels terrifying. That’s why authenticity feels so frightening and triggers your inner resistance. It’s also why it’s the ONLY way forward if you want connection that actually lasts. In today’s show, we’ll dive deeper into the Authenticity Paradox. You’ll discover why hiding your shadow doesn’t’ actually keep you safe (even if it feels like it), why you must have the courage to face your own demons (or you’ll die sooner), and how to start integrating your shadow and showing up as your authentic self - even when it’s scary because it always will be scary. Listen now. Show Highlights Include: For more about David Tian, go here: https://www.davidtianphd.com/about/ Feeling like success in one area of life has come at the expense of another? Maybe you’ve crushed it in your career, but your relationships feel strained. Or you’ve built the life you thought you wanted, yet there’s still something important missing. I’ve put together a free 3-minute assessment to help you see what’s really holding you back. Answer a few simple questions, and you’ll get instant access to a personalized masterclass that speaks directly to where you are right now. It’s fast. It’s practical. And it could change the way you approach leadership, love, and fulfillment. Take the first step here → https://dtphd.com/quiz

There is a seductive and destructive lie many people fall into: Learn the best tricks and gimmicks and you can have complete control over your relationships - romantic and business. It’s so seductive because it promises control and success, but it’s even more destructive because it delivers fear instead of control and breeds insecurity instead of success. Worst part? These tricks and tactics work in the short-term, but they come with a mighty hidden cost: You slowly erode your self-confidence and self-respect - two necessary ingredients for happiness and fulfillment. But there’s a better way, and that’s what I share with you in today’s show. The solution is simple, but not easy. If you’re tired of living with a gnawing sense of anxiety, you’re tired of wearing masks because you feel like you’re not good enough on your own, and if you’re tired of hollow successes and relationships, listen now. Show Highlights Include: For more about David Tian, go here: https://www.davidtianphd.com/about/ Feeling like success in one area of life has come at the expense of another? Maybe you’ve crushed it in your career, but your relationships feel strained. Or you’ve built the life you thought you wanted, yet there’s still something important missing. I’ve put together a free 3-minute assessment to help you see what’s really holding you back. Answer a few simple questions, and you’ll get instant access to a personalized masterclass that speaks directly to where you are right now. It’s fast. It’s practical. And it could change the way you approach leadership, love, and fulfillment. Take the first step here → https://dtphd.com/quiz

In pickup artist culture, men see women’s natural defenses as tests and shields. Pass these “shit tests” and break through her “bitch shields,” and you win her love and affection. But women aren’t sitting around scheming elaborate tests or plotting shields. They're responding to lived experiences, not imagined battle plans. That’s why these pickup artist tricks, while they can work in the short-term, never result in lasting love and connection. They’re based on lies, drenched in sexual shame, and actively work against your goals of lasting connection. The solution is much harder - it means reframing her defenses as your projections. It means taking ownership of how shame makes you react. And it’s about seeing her defenses as invitations for patience, curiosity, and compassion. This path is much harder. But it’s the only path towards real connection. In today’s show, you’ll discover why pickup artist culture is consumed with shame, how to reframe her defenses as invitations, and how to choose a different, more effective response that’s not based in your neediness. Listen now. Show Highlights Include: For more about David Tian, go here: https://www.davidtianphd.com/about/ Feeling like success in one area of life has come at the expense of another? Maybe you’ve crushed it in your career, but your relationships feel strained. Or you’ve built the life you thought you wanted, yet there’s still something important missing. I’ve put together a free 3-minute assessment to help you see what’s really holding you back. Answer a few simple questions, and you’ll get instant access to a personalized masterclass that speaks directly to where you are right now. It’s fast. It’s practical. And it could change the way you approach leadership, love, and fulfillment. Take the first step here → https://dtphd.com/quiz

There are two strategies men deploy when they’re dating, but insecure. Either they try the “Nice Guy” approach or its opposite, the pickup artist approach. But even though these strategies are polar opposites, they suffer the same moral flaw of concealment. Whenever you put on a mask over yourself, you sever the possibility of authentic connection. The solution? Ethical seduction based on radical transparency. This way sounds harder because it is: It requires you to be honest with yourself and the person you’re attracting. It’s also scarier because you face the real risk of rejection. But you know what? It’s the only moral way to find your life partner. Plus, it’s not just about being honest to your partner, but also being honest with yourself - the first step towards designing a deeply fulfilling life. In today’s show, you’ll discover the moral case for ethical seduction, why concealment kills connection, and a few simple ways to incorporate more ethical seduction in your love life and even your career (with real life examples you can try). Listen now. Show Highlights Include: For more about David Tian, go here: https://www.davidtianphd.com/about/ Feeling like success in one area of life has come at the expense of another? Maybe you’ve crushed it in your career, but your relationships feel strained. Or you’ve built the life you thought you wanted, yet there’s still something important missing. I’ve put together a free 3-minute assessment to help you see what’s really holding you back. Answer a few simple questions, and you’ll get instant access to a personalized masterclass that speaks directly to where you are right now. It’s fast. It’s practical. And it could change the way you approach leadership, love, and fulfillment. Take the first step here → https://dtphd.com/quiz

What do you do after you fall short of your values? If you’re like most of us, you deflect, you hide, and you collapse into toxic shame that severs your self-trust and self-respect. But there’s another way to deal with your failures that can actually improve your relationship with yourself and others. This other way? Acknowledging healthy guilt without falling into the seductive trap of toxic shame. It’s not as easy as letting yourself wallow in self-pity - but it’s worth it in the long-term. In today’s show, you’ll discover the difference between healthy guilt and toxic shame, the Anatomy of a Healthy Apology, and how you can make amends with yourself and others after you fall short of your values (as all humans do). Listen now. Show Highlights Include: For more about David Tian, go here: https://www.davidtianphd.com/about/ Feeling like success in one area of life has come at the expense of another? Maybe you’ve crushed it in your career, but your relationships feel strained. Or you’ve built the life you thought you wanted, yet there’s still something important missing. I’ve put together a free 3-minute assessment to help you see what’s really holding you back. Answer a few simple questions, and you’ll get instant access to a personalized masterclass that speaks directly to where you are right now. It’s fast. It’s practical. And it could change the way you approach leadership, love, and fulfillment. Take the first step here → https://dtphd.com/quiz

Most people walk around fighting an invisible war inside themselves. On the outside, they play the part of the “good person.” But behind the mask lurk the emotions they’ve been told are unacceptable—envy, lust, anger, cruelty, shame. In families, in religions, in schools, the lesson was drilled in: don’t show that side of yourself. So those parts get buried. But buried parts don’t disappear. They fester. They leak out as addictions, compulsions, betrayals, and self-sabotage. And the harder you try to repress them, the more control they end up having over your life. Here’s the twist: those disowned parts aren’t your enemy. They hold the raw energy you need for growth, intimacy, and even leadership. For example: Your lust can fuel creativity and connection. Your anger can set the boundaries that finally keep you safe. Your envy can highlight the longings you’ve been too afraid to admit. The shadow only destroys when you disown it. But when you face it with compassion and courage, the same traits you once condemned become the source of your unique strength. In today’s episode, I’ll show you why the parts you’re most ashamed of are actually the key to becoming the person you’ve always wanted to be. Listen now. Show Highlights Include: For more about David Tian, go here: https://www.davidtianphd.com/about/ Feeling like success in one area of life has come at the expense of another? Maybe you’ve crushed it in your career, but your relationships feel strained. Or you’ve built the life you thought you wanted, yet there’s still something important missing. I’ve put together a free 3-minute assessment to help you see what’s really holding you back. Answer a few simple questions, and you’ll get instant access to a personalized masterclass that speaks directly to where you are right now. It’s fast. It’s practical. And it could change the way you approach leadership, love, and fulfillment. Take the first step here → https://dtphd.com/quiz

Most people, thanks to religious, cultural, or family baggage, carry around the unnecessary burden of toxic sexual shame. Sometimes this isn’t even your own shame, it’s been passed down through generations under the guise of virtue. Here’s the problem: Unchecked sexual shame seeps into your relationships, your leadership, and threatens your very fulfillment of life. Even if it was never yours to carry. That’s why it’s imperative to lift your burden of sexual shame. Not only will it keep your relationships shallow, but it will also shatter your sense of self-trust and corrode your confidence. Worst part? Sexual shame often manifests in the worst possible ways: in compulsions, addictions, secrecy, and self-sabotage. That’s the bad news. The good news? You don’t have to allow your shame to be your teacher any longer after you listen to this episode. In today’s show, you’ll discover how religious, cultural, and family baggage fill you with borrowed shame, how reframing sexual morality can lift your burden of sexual shame, and the consequences of continuing to repress your sexual shadow - and how to integrate it instead. Listen now. Show Highlights Include: For more about David Tian, go here: https://www.davidtianphd.com/about/ Feeling like success in one area of life has come at the expense of another? Maybe you’ve crushed it in your career, but your relationships feel strained. Or you’ve built the life you thought you wanted, yet there’s still something important missing. I’ve put together a free 3-minute assessment to help you see what’s really holding you back. Answer a few simple questions, and you’ll get instant access to a personalized masterclass that speaks directly to where you are right now. It’s fast. It’s practical. And it could change the way you approach leadership, love, and fulfillment. Take the first step here → https://dtphd.com/quiz

There’s one ingredient missing from many high achievers’ lives that drains all the fulfillment from their success, turns small failures into a life-or-death scenario, and slowly poisons your relationships at home and at work. Worst part? Most high achievers have conditioned themselves into believing that this missing ingredient is a weakness to be snuffed out at each step. So, they trap themselves in a toxic cycle that keeps repeating no matter how many of the variables they try to change. The missing ingredient? Compassion. Not only is compassion not a weakness, but it’s a strength that expresses your maturity. In today’s show, I’ll explain why compassion is the missing ingredient to your fulfillment, I’ll share the historical, religious, and evolutionary arguments for compassion, and you’ll discover simple ways to start practicing compassion so your compassion muscle and fulfillment grows. Listen now. Show Highlights Include: For more about David Tian, go here: https://www.davidtianphd.com/about/ Feeling like success in one area of life has come at the expense of another? Maybe you’ve crushed it in your career, but your relationships feel strained. Or you’ve built the life you thought you wanted, yet there’s still something important missing. I’ve put together a free 3-minute assessment to help you see what’s really holding you back. Answer a few simple questions, and you’ll get instant access to a personalized masterclass that speaks directly to where you are right now. It’s fast. It’s practical. And it could change the way you approach leadership, love, and fulfillment. Take the first step here → https://dtphd.com/quiz

Most people treat fear as the enemy. They avoid it, numb it, or try to silence it. But here’s the truth: fear isn’t the problem. Fear is the forge where courage is born. Every meaningful step in life requires it. Asking for the promotion. Saying what you actually want in a relationship. Telling the truth when it risks your reputation. Without courage, integrity collapses. Relationships stay shallow. Careers stall. And fulfillment slips further out of reach. In this new episode, David reveals why courage isn’t about being fearless, but about acting even while fear screams at you to run. You’ll hear how our deepest protective patterns—whether in love or leadership—form around fear, and why they keep us stuck until we summon the courage to face them. Drawing on ancient wisdom, modern psychology, and real-world client stories, David explains how courage creates the self-trust, stability, and intimacy that fulfillment demands. And he offers practical steps to start cultivating courage daily—through mapping your fears, practicing small acts of bravery, and surrounding yourself with peers who lift you higher. The life you’ve been chasing doesn’t require perfection. It requires courage. Because without it, you’re destined for mediocrity. With it, you finally open the door to growth, connection, and a life worth living. Listen now. Show Highlights Include: For more about David Tian, go here: https://www.davidtianphd.com/about/ Feeling like success in one area of life has come at the expense of another? Maybe you’ve crushed it in your career, but your relationships feel strained. Or you’ve built the life you thought you wanted, yet there’s still something important missing. I’ve put together a free 3-minute assessment to help you see what’s really holding you back. Answer a few simple questions, and you’ll get instant access to a personalized masterclass that speaks directly to where you are right now. It’s fast. It’s practical. And it could change the way you approach leadership, love, and fulfillment. Take the first step here → https://dtphd.com/quiz

If you constantly feel on edge, like a wave of anxiety is always crashing directly into your nervous system, then I have some tough news for you: The root of anxiety is almost always a lack of integrity in some aspect of your life. When you tell yourself one thing, but then do another thing, your body keeps score. It knows you’re lying to yourself (and to others). And this is where integrity fractures, causing insurmountable anxiety, agitation, and a complete loss of peace and fulfillment. But you know what? Even if your lack of integrity has caused mental distress, it’s possible to claw your way out of the hole you’ve built and rebuild your self-trust. It won’t be easy or pretty. But the deep sense of relief and peace you feel on the other side will be worth it. In today’s show, you’ll discover why integrity feeds happiness & fulfillment, how the consequences of broken integrity could literally land you in a federal prison like Elizabeth Holmes, and the 4-step process for cultivating your integrity and reclaiming your mental health. Listen now. Show Highlights Include: For more about David Tian, go here: https://www.davidtianphd.com/about/ Want more success in leadership, deeper connections, or a greater sense of fulfillment? Take this free assessment—it’s fast, easy, and tailored to your unique situation. Answer a few simple questions, and you’ll get instant access to a suite of masterclasses designed specifically for where you are right now. Whether you’re struggling or simply want more out of life, this is your next step. No guesswork. Just clarity. Click here and see what’s waiting for you: https://dtphd.com/quiz Emotional Mastery is David Tian's step-by-step system to transform, regulate, and control your emotions... so that you can master yourself, your interactions with others, and your relationships... and live a life worth living. Learn more here: https://www.davidtianphd.com/emotionalmastery

There’s a deep irony that happens to people who chase validation and power at all costs: They’re the ones who end up exhausted, paranoid, alone, burnt out, bitter, and resentful in the long-term. If it hasn't happened yet, it’s only a matter of time. The trouble is, many high achievers fall into this insidious trap of self-sabotage. You may have even noticed some of the signs starting to emerge in your life. There is a solution to this. A way where you build trust with your inner system, and get peace as the result. But it won’t be easy. The solution? Developing your sense of moral character and staying consistent to your values, even when (or perhaps especially when) it’s hard. In today’s show, you’ll discover why moral character is a prerequisite to living a long and happy life, the real world cost to your body and health when you don’t live in accordance to your values, and why your morality can give you a deeper meaning of success. Listen now. Show Highlights Include: For more about David Tian, go here: https://www.davidtianphd.com/about/ Want more success in leadership, deeper connections, or a greater sense of fulfillment? Take this free assessment—it’s fast, easy, and tailored to your unique situation. Answer a few simple questions, and you’ll get instant access to a suite of masterclasses designed specifically for where you are right now. Whether you’re struggling or simply want more out of life, this is your next step. No guesswork. Just clarity. Click here and see what’s waiting for you: https://dtphd.com/quiz Emotional Mastery is David Tian's step-by-step system to transform, regulate, and control your emotions... so that you can master yourself, your interactions with others, and your relationships... and live a life worth living. Learn more here: https://www.davidtianphd.com/emotionalmastery

There’s an ancient Western myth that’s been adopted by the masses and often without their consent. It can be found in movies like Star Wars and Finding Nemo. It’s in books like The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. It’s the secret theme included in your favorite TEDx Talk. And it’s something that’s taken for granted in almost every business podcast that exists. Worst part? This myth may be responsible for your success… but, if left unchecked, it’s responsible for the low-grade anxiety, under-the-surface numbness, and quiet sadness you feel but never talk about. The same story that got you this far - to win, to prove, to conquer - is the very thing keeping you stuck. It’s The Hero’s Journey and you can see its impact in nearly every kind of media you consume. But the problem is, stories never tell the full story - and after successfully going through The Hero’s Journey, life takes on a bleak and gray undertone that whispers, “You’re not enough and will never be enough.” That’s the bad news. The good news? The Sage’s Journey is the antidote to the dull ache of confusion inside you. But it’s not a tale of conquering dragons, so you may have never heard of it. And it’s definitely not as well known, even though it’s just as ancient. That’s because it’s a quieter journey. One that happens in your internal world instead of the external one. And it’s the only way to unlock joy and lasting fulfillment in your life. And that’s what you’ll discover when you tune into this week’s show. Listen now. Show Highlights Include: For more about David Tian, go here: https://www.davidtianphd.com/about/ Want more success in leadership, deeper connections, or a greater sense of fulfillment? Take this free assessment—it’s fast, easy, and tailored to your unique situation. Answer a few simple questions, and you’ll get instant access to a suite of masterclasses designed specifically for where you are right now. Whether you’re struggling or simply want more out of life, this is your next step. No guesswork. Just clarity. Click here and see what’s waiting for you: https://dtphd.com/quiz Emotional Mastery is David Tian's step-by-step system to transform, regulate, and control your emotions... so that you can master yourself, your interactions with others, and your relationships... and live a life worth living. Learn more here: https://www.davidtianphd.com/emotionalmastery

Most people I’ve coached have a similar story: They inherited the “Silent Blueprint” lie as a child that told them they must perform, impress, and achieve to feel like they’re enough. And yet, at a certain point, their wins feel like losses. No matter how much they achieve, they go to bed with a dull emptiness in their chest that they can’t explain, much less address. Why? Because no amount of winning fills the void in your internal system. Turns out, the “Silent Blueprint” wasn’t just a lie, but an insidious one that poisons your happiness and fulfillment from the inside out. That’s the bad news. The good news? In today’s show, I explain how to use my proven “Mirror Method” to address your unexplored past, unburden inner parts you’ve suppressed and exiled, and finally integrate your parts and step out of self-sabotaging cycles for good. Let me be clear: This deep work is not easy. But it’s the only thing that can fill the empty emotional crater in your chest. Listen now. Show Highlights Include: For more about David Tian, go here: https://www.davidtianphd.com/about/ Want more success in leadership, deeper connections, or a greater sense of fulfillment? Take this free assessment—it’s fast, easy, and tailored to your unique situation. Answer a few simple questions, and you’ll get instant access to a suite of masterclasses designed specifically for where you are right now. Whether you’re struggling or simply want more out of life, this is your next step. No guesswork. Just clarity. Click here and see what’s waiting for you: https://dtphd.com/quiz Emotional Mastery is David Tian's step-by-step system to transform, regulate, and control your emotions... so that you can master yourself, your interactions with others, and your relationships... and live a life worth living. Learn more here: https://www.davidtianphd.com/emotionalmastery

So many high achievers do the “right things.” They read the books. They practice breath work. They follow the morning routines. They “hack” their productivity. All of these things can make them feel calmer, more in control, and more focused. Until chaos erupts, and you find yourself back in your same-old destructive patterns and emotional loops. Why does this happen? Because most personal development is only surface level. And since it’s only surface level, as soon as your deeper parts get triggered, they act in the only way they know how. In other words, falling back into the same emotional loops is a sign that you haven’t deeply healed your inner system yet. That’s the bad news. The worse news?Doing more of the “right things” cannot fix these deeper wounds. In fact, they’ll only make them worse. But in today’s episode, you’ll discover how you can actually heal these deeper wounds and finally integrate all of your parts into a harmonious inner system. It’s the only proven way to permanently stop repeating the same destructive patterns. Listen now. Show Highlights Include: For more about David Tian, go here: https://www.davidtianphd.com/about/ Want more success in leadership, deeper connections, or a greater sense of fulfillment? Take this free assessment—it’s fast, easy, and tailored to your unique situation. Answer a few simple questions, and you’ll get instant access to a suite of masterclasses designed specifically for where you are right now. Whether you’re struggling or simply want more out of life, this is your next step. No guesswork. Just clarity. Click here and see what’s waiting for you: https://dtphd.com/quiz Emotional Mastery is David Tian's step-by-step system to transform, regulate, and control your emotions... so that you can master yourself, your interactions with others, and your relationships... and live a life worth living. Learn more here: https://www.davidtianphd.com/emotionalmastery

Most high achievers are being driven by the absolute worst source of fuel: Fear, guilt, shame, and insecurities. These traps are alluring because they’re actually effective routes to short-term success. And they disguise themselves as grit, discipline, and sheer determination. Problem is… the well eventually runs dry. And that’s the real reason why you feel stuck, uninspired, drained, and like you’re always playing catch up. Worst part? You might feel like you’re being lazy, undisciplined, or just aren’t hungry enough. That’s when most high achievers double down, hustle harder, and deprive themselves of the simple joy of being alive. And no amount of short-term success can prevent the inevitable long-term debt you’ll pay: Your relationships suffer. Your body suffers. You hit milestones that feel meaningless. You drift through your days numb, distracted, or secretly angry. And you lose yourself trying to win a race that never ends. But here’s the good news: This doesn’t have to be your life. You just need a different source of fuel. And in today’s show, you’ll discover what this different source of fuel is and how to build it. Listen now. Show Highlights Include: For more about David Tian, go here: https://www.davidtianphd.com/about/ Want more success in leadership, deeper connections, or a greater sense of fulfillment? Take this free assessment—it’s fast, easy, and tailored to your unique situation. Answer a few simple questions, and you’ll get instant access to a suite of masterclasses designed specifically for where you are right now. Whether you’re struggling or simply want more out of life, this is your next step. No guesswork. Just clarity. Click here and see what’s waiting for you: https://dtphd.com/quiz Emotional Mastery is David Tian's step-by-step system to transform, regulate, and control your emotions... so that you can master yourself, your interactions with others, and your relationships... and live a life worth living. Learn more here: https://www.davidtianphd.com/emotionalmastery

Many leaders are driven by an insidious fear that tells them their sense of self-worth depends on their ability to protect their mask. But your mask is just an outdated story your subconscious created, and protecting this mask can only drive a wedge between you and your spouse, your kids, and your team. This is why it feels like you’re constantly at war. You are. Feedback morphs into betrayal. Correction morphs into humiliation. Making a mistake makes you feel like you’re being erased. This is not a good way to live - and it’s an even worse way to lead. It leaves nothing but destruction and turmoil in your wake. Worst part? If you’re driven by fear, it’s not an easy fix. But it is possible. In today’s show, you’ll discover sneaky ways you’re letting your fear control you, understand the real world consequences that follow by continuing to live in fear, and learn the tough way to break out of fear’s grip before it shatters everything you love about your life. Listen now. Show Highlights Include: For more about David Tian, go here: https://www.davidtianphd.com/about/ Want more success in leadership, deeper connections, or a greater sense of fulfillment? Take this free assessment—it’s fast, easy, and tailored to your unique situation. Answer a few simple questions, and you’ll get instant access to a suite of masterclasses designed specifically for where you are right now. Whether you’re struggling or simply want more out of life, this is your next step. No guesswork. Just clarity. Click here and see what’s waiting for you: https://dtphd.com/quiz Emotional Mastery is David Tian's step-by-step system to transform, regulate, and control your emotions... so that you can master yourself, your interactions with others, and your relationships... and live a life worth living. Learn more here: https://www.davidtianphd.com/emotionalmastery

The “right to exist” is a common myth used to justify aggression, destruction, and death. But states aren’t people. Structures rise and fall all the time. And using this argument to justify the actions of a state is misleading at best, and downright evil at worst. And yet… people make a similar faulty argument in their own lives all the time. This is especially true if you have a leadership position: A founder clings to a vision that no longer works. A CEO resists a restructuring that could save the company. A parent refuses to see their child's independence as growth and not betrayal. Not only does this “right to exist” myth create suffering in your life, but it creates suffering in the lives of anyone else involved too. When you confuse your role with your value, your job title, your dating success, or anything else, you fall into this trap and everyone affected pays. In today’s show, we’ll dissect geopolitical propaganda and show you how this same “right to exist” myth may manifest in your life. Listen now. Show Highlights Include: For more about David Tian, go here: https://www.davidtianphd.com/about/ Want more success in leadership, deeper connections, or a greater sense of fulfillment? Take this free assessment—it’s fast, easy, and tailored to your unique situation. Answer a few simple questions, and you’ll get instant access to a suite of masterclasses designed specifically for where you are right now. Whether you’re struggling or simply want more out of life, this is your next step. No guesswork. Just clarity. Click here and see what’s waiting for you: https://dtphd.com/quiz Emotional Mastery is David Tian's step-by-step system to transform, regulate, and control your emotions... so that you can master yourself, your interactions with others, and your relationships... and live a life worth living. Learn more here: https://www.davidtianphd.com/emotionalmastery