Heart First Leadership
Welcome to Heart First Leadership, the podcast dedicated to raising consciousness through the principles of Heart First Leadership.
In a world that often teaches us to lead from pressure, fear, and external validation, we offer a different path—one rooted in awareness, alignment, and leading from within.
Join your hosts, Ryan and Heidi Sawyer, as they share powerful conversations, practical tools, and real-life insights designed to help leaders, parents, coaches, and athletes build true mental strength and live with intention. Through the lens of Heart First, you’ll learn how to shift from reaction to creation, from doubt to clarity, and from survival to purpose-driven leadership.
If you’re ready to elevate how you think, lead, and live, this is where it begins.
Episodes
99 episodes
Building Resilience: Helping Kids Overcome Bullying with Vickie Stolle
Join us for an inspiring episode featuring Vickie Stolle, an engaging speaker, writer, and dedicated resilience advocate. Vickie is renowned for empowering individuals to uncover their innate resilience skills through her work at Dragonfly Para...
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27:47
Rising Above and Beyond Through Sheer Will and Determination will Nolan Ulm
Every new beginning comes with challenges; for Nolan, it was about turning adversity into his most significant advantage. Embark on a journey with us as we sit down with this inspiring individual who shares a remarkable story of resilience and ...
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1:04:19
Breaking Free with Bill Tierney: A Story of Rediscovery
Embark on a transformative journey with Bill Tierney, a beacon of change who ventured from addiction to emerge as a leader in heartfelt guidance. His captivating narrative unveils the essence of personal revolution, illustrating how reshaping o...
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55:25
Transforming Emotional Dips into Growth and Resilience
Have you ever felt like life is a rollercoaster of emotional highs and lows? We've all been there, and in our latest Heart First podcast episode, we reunite with the remarkable Heidi to explore the valleys of life and how they can lead to power...
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44:00
Building Champions Through Heart First Leadership
Heidi and I invite you to discover the transformative potential of leading with heart, not just in sports but in all areas of life. Together, we unravel over ten years of research connecting emotional well-being and peak performance, proving th...
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57:03
Mastering the Long Game
Description: Join us in this episode as we delve into the art of playing the long game in life. In a world where instant gratification often takes precedence, we explore the profound benefits of embracing patience, setting meaningful goals, and...
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35:20
Get Back to the Basics
Have you ever been adrift in the sea of uncertainty following a significant life milestone? Heidi joins me as we share the untold stories behind our experiences navigating personal growth's unpredictable tides. Together, we examine the uncomfor...
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23:59
3 Simple Steps to Recreate Your Life
I walk you through the critical steps of rebuilding from the ground up, sharing key insights from my own experiences and the consequences of tackling these steps out of order. The traps of strategizing from a place of stagnation are real,...
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11:19
Using Anxiety as an Invitation
Battling anxiety can feel like an endless war within, and it's a struggle I've faced alongside countless others. But what if we could find strength in our most anxious moments? A story of a young athlete I coach shines a light on how anxiety no...
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19:25
Motivation is Not the Problem
This episode is a heartfelt call to embrace the internal game over the external spectacle of success, urging listeners to detach self-worth from outcomes. Life's trials become less about the score and more about growth and introspection. By...
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14:01
Shaping Your Success and Reality Through Dialogue
Discover the transformative power of the company you keep as we unveil the striking findings from a Harvard study showing just how much our social circles can make or break our success. You're invited to engage with us on a journey through the ...
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15:40
Evan Cook's Voyage from Sports to Mentorship and Poetry
Navigating the complex tangle of self-identity, especially for athletes, is no easy feat. Evan delves into the critical work of his program "More Than Athletes," designed to help young sports enthusiasts chart a course for their future that...
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42:15
#1 Skill for Mental and Emotional Wellbeing and Performance
Embark on a transformative journey with Heidi and me as we unlock the mental mastery of self-detachment, an indispensable tool for navigating the turbulent waters of our thoughts and emotions. Through engaging conversation, we reveal how steppi...
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23:41
Football Dreams to MMA Triumphs: Anthony "Freight Train" Hamilton's Journey of Grit and Resilience
Have you ever faced a crossroads that completely shifted the trajectory of your life? That's exactly what happened to Anthony "Freight Train" Hamilton, whose football dreams derailed, only to steer him toward the high-octane world of MMA fighti...
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31:45
What is Your NO MATTER WHAT Goal?
This conversation is an exploration into the art of fully committing to life's endeavors without the shadow of regret, advocating for 'no matter what' goals that prioritize the essence of our experiences. We'll share how radical responsibil...
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13:27
From Military Service to Heart-Led Coaching: Dr. Tyler Simmet's Inspiring Journey Through Cancer and Transformation
When Dr. Tyler Simmet swapped his military boots to be a coach, little did he know that his story would touch so many lives. Now a beacon of hope and transformation, Tyler's journey from a U.S. Army physical therapist to an online health ...
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39:53
Navigating a Purpose-Driven Life: The Power of Leading with Your Heart
Have you ever felt the magnetic pull to something greater than yourself, to lead a life rich with purpose and devoid of the hunger for external accolades? That's what we're unpacking today, as we journey through the philosophy of leading with y...
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19:07
Choosing Growth: Embracing Worthy Challenges and Living with Intention with Heidi Sawyer
Heidi and I have always believed that life's most significant growth stems from challenges we choose, not those that simply find us. This episode takes you through our family's journey of identifying and conquering these worthy challenges, star...
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42:17
The Unbreakable Spirit of a Gridiron Titan: Interview with Samson Ebukam
Introducing Samson Ebukam. He is from Portland WA, and played at EWU where he excelled and reached All-American honors. He was drafted in the 4th round by the Rams in 2017 and now plays Defensive End for the Colts. He had a breakout year ...
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30:05
Harnessing the Evolutionary Pulse of Desire and Doubt
Do you ever grapple with the nagging sense that you're just not doing enough, even when you're pouring your heart into your endeavors? Join us as we unpack this all-too-common sensation and explore the continuous cycle of self-improvement and t...
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8:23
The Process is the Art of Becoming
By redefining the process as the art of becoming, we uncover how true belief in oneself is forged and how it can catapult you beyond the confines of your initial ambitions. You'll be encouraged to shift your focus to who you are becoming, nurtu...
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7:01
Mental Health and the Competitive Spirit
Have you ever felt the crushing weight of expectations on the playing field or in your daily grind? I know I have, and that's why this episode is close to my heart as we tackle the silent opponent many athletes face in mental health. We're peel...
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16:58
Motivation is Not the Problem
This episode is a heartfelt call to embrace the internal game over the external spectacle of success, urging listeners to detach self-worth from outcomes. Life's trials become less about the score and more about growth and introspection. By emp...
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15:07