“As I Was Thrusting a Knife Toward My Heart, Everything Changed” — Dr. Ron Stotts on Conscious Leadership, Inner Work, and Lasting Impact

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Cut The Tie Podcast with Dr. Ron Stotts

What happens when life forces you to confront everything you believe about success, control, and identity? In this episode of Cut The Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with Dr. Ron Stotts to explore the moment that permanently altered his path and became the foundation for his work with leaders around the world.

Ron shares the near-death experience that stopped him in his tracks and set him on a journey of deep inner work, healing, and self-awareness. Together, they unpack why many high-achieving executives eventually feel stuck, burned out, or disconnected despite outward success, and how fear-driven leadership quietly undermines both performance and fulfillment.

This conversation is especially relevant for leaders who have accomplished much, yet feel called toward something deeper, more meaningful, and more aligned.

About Dr. Ron Stotts

Dr. Ron Stotts is the founder of Ron Stotts International, where he works with senior executives and high-impact leaders to help them evolve into conscious, authentic leaders. With a PhD in psychology and decades of experience guiding top leaders across industries, Ron specializes in helping clients move beyond fear-based leadership into clarity, compassion, and whole-brain thinking.

His work has supported leaders overseeing organizations worth millions and billions of dollars, creating lasting impact not only inside companies but across families, communities, and society.

In this episode, Thomas and Ron discuss:

• The defining moment that forced Ron to choose life and a new path
• Why traditional success eventually stops working for high performers
• How unresolved fear shapes leadership behavior and decision-making
• The hidden cost of control-based leadership
• Whole-brain thinking and conscious awareness in leadership
• Healing the past to unlock present clarity and performance
• Why purpose and service create lasting impact beyond business

Key Takeaways

• Transformation begins when avoidance ends
  Real change starts by facing what we fear most.
• Fear-driven leadership has a ceiling
  What once fuels success eventually becomes the constraint.
• Inner clarity drives outer performance
  Self-awareness replaces force, burnout, and constant effort.
• Whole-brain thinking creates better leaders
  Logic without emotional awareness limits growth and connection.
• Purpose does not retire
  Impact continues as long as curiosity and service remain alive.

Connect with Dr. Ron Stotts

🌐 Website: https://www.ronstotts.com
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-ron-stotts/

Connect with Thomas Helfrich

🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/thelfrich
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomashelfrich
🌐 Website: https://cutthetie.com
📧 Email: [e-mail]
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