The characteristics that set high-performers apart fascinate Drew Newkirk, a New York City psychotherapist who uses the Enneagram Theory of personality assessment to help people unlock the secret to achieving their goals. Drew focuses on elite performers’ ability to remain proactive and out front. Rather than being on the defense,  he coaches on strategies to push forward while never letting others bring them down. 

In this episode, Drew joins host Fran Racioppi to share his transition from client to the therapist and how he helps others find joy, happiness, freedom, and fulfillment through a quest to understand life’s purpose. An avid music lover, Drew uses music as a language to connect with his clients, as well as to inspire himself and others. He shares his new docuseries called “The Songs That Saved Your Life” where he explores music as inspiration to those who find solace in specific songs. He also debuts his new YouTube channel where he blends lessons from music and literature.  

Read the full episode transcription here and learn more on The Jedburgh Podcast Website.

Highlights:

-Drew describes how he was bullied as a child resulting in insecurity, which he shielded by developing a “fighter” spirit.

-Drew provides his theory of life as a table with four legs, each representing a different passion but each needing to remain in balance with each other to find completeness and fulfillment.

-Fran & Drew break down the Enneagram, it’s nine core personality types, and the primary and secondary wings.

-Fran describes himself as an “8,” while Drew is classified as a “sexual 4” bringing into the conversation the three centers of “instinct, feeling, and thinking.”

-The Enneagram “Instinctual Stack” is used to identify what character traits people display in times of safety and comfort vs times of stress and confusion.

-Fran questions Drew on the drivers behind his passion for music and the rationale behind the development of “Songs That Saved Your Life” in partnership with recording artist Darrell McDaniels from RunDMC.

-Envy is an emotion that Drew describes as his ‘dark passenger’ through which he professes his jealousy for Hugh Jackman.

Quotes:

-”Your ‘why’ is the root system. If the tree doesn’t come out of the root system, it is not authentic. If a company is doing it well, they’re putting the ‘why’ first.”

-”As a man...I resist the idea that I am a scrapper because I think that was about being defensive, feeling insecure, feeling small and weak.”

-”Your ‘why’ is different than the ‘how’ or ‘what’ you do.”

-”It’s not if, it’s when. And I have wrestled with that for six years.”

-”My way of dealing with envy is to get competitive...but envy also drives me.”

-”The idea behind the Enneagram is that you develop both sides of yourself.”

-”Most of life's problems are because man cannot sit in a room by themself.”

-”The purpose is the core, and the ‘what’ is going to follow that purpose if you are doing it right.”

-“You have this opportunity. Who cares what he says? You have to put this into the universe.”

Drew’s Three Daily Foundations of Success:

-Communicate with compassion

-Target your efforts

-Move and take action