{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Lead Yourself First: How Your Childhood Shapes Your Leadership (and How to Rewrite It) with Dr. Kevin Mays","description":"What if the way you lead today was shaped long before your first job, team, or business? In this episode of the Story Engine Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Kevin Mays to explore how early childhood roles\u2014whether you were the oldest, youngest, or an only child\u2014quietly influence your leadership style, decision-making, and even the types of people you attract into your life and work. Dr. Kevin breaks down how these deeply ingrained patterns can either limit or amplify your impact\u2014and more importantly, how to break free from them. This conversation is a powerful invitation to lead yourself first, so you can show up more authentically for your team, your clients, and your mission. Plus, you\u2019ll get a behind-the-scenes look at how Kevin is shaping his message and story for an upcoming book\u2014revealing what it really takes to step into your full leadership potential. Highlights: (00:25) \u2013 Kevin\u2019s origin story: getting kicked out of college and discovering the power of choosing what you want vs. what you should (01:40) \u2013 From psychologist to leadership expert: helping high achievers become \u201cinspired executives\u201d (02:45) \u2013 The breaking point: realizing a traditional career path wasn\u2019t the right fit after a near-dangerous flying experience (03:20) \u2013 A radical decision: selling everything, hitting the road, and designing life on his own terms (04:10) \u2013 \u201cMy age doubled overnight\u201d: the moment Kevin stepped into adulthood, leadership, and responsibility (05:00) \u2013 Leading through crisis: helping a bank grow during the 2006\u20132008 financial collapse using conscious leadership (07:18) \u2013 The deeper mission: mastering consciousness and applying ancient wisdom (like teachings of the Buddha) to modern leadership (09:10) \u2013 What\u2019s really leading you: the \u201cinvisible patterns\u201d formed in early childhood that drive your behavior (10:00) \u2013 The neuroscience of identity: how your brain wires your beliefs, habits, and self-concept before age 3 (10:45) \u2013 The \u201c8-lane highway\u201d effect: why most people repeat the same patterns for life without realizing it (11:30) \u2013 Birth order explained: how being oldest, youngest, or an only child shapes your leadership style (12:30) \u2013 The trap of success: how the traits that made you successful become your biggest limitation (13:20) \u2013 The turning point: awareness as the gateway to breaking unconscious patterns (14:44) \u2013 Why entrepreneurs struggle to scale: when \u201cdoing everything yourself\u201d becomes the bottleneck (16:47) \u2013 Leadership ripple effect: how your internal patterns create chaos\u2014or clarity\u2014throughout your entire organization (17:30) \u2013 \u201cI work with a bunch of idiots\u201d: the hard truth about leadership and taking responsibility for your team (18:39) \u2013 The real work: shifting from mastering the external world to mastering your internal one (19:48) \u2013 Kyle\u2019s breakthrough: how being an only child shaped conflict avoidance and over-responsibility (21:31) \u2013 The realization: what got you here won\u2019t get you to the next level (23:06) \u2013 The process: building awareness as a mental discipline to interrupt and rewrite old patterns (25:27) \u2013 A painful lesson: staying too long with a misaligned client and the toll it took on Kevin\u2019s life (26:00) \u2013 The cost of misalignment: anxiety, stress, and how it impacts your family and well-being (27:27) \u2013 The breaking point: finally letting go of what wasn\u2019t working (28:17) \u2013 The shift: what happens when you create space by removing what drains you (29:00) \u2013 Alignment in action: attracting better clients, better opportunities, and more fulfilling work (29:45) \u2013 Case study: a high-level executive transforms confidence and lands a better-aligned role (30:20) \u2013 Organizational transformation: how one leader\u2019s internal shift improved communication, culture, and profitability (31:00) \u2013 A powerful story: Kyle reflects Kevin\u2019s journey into a compelling narrative of transformation (35:58) \u2013 Final insight: you are always writing your story\u2014whether you realize it or not (36:18) \u2013 Where to go next: Dr. Kevin shares his book launch and how to begin upgrading your leadership ","author_name":"The Story Engine Podcast","author_url":"https:\/\/podcast.thestoryengine.co\/","html":"