In the 1970s, a teenage Anne Montgomery declared she wanted to be a sportscaster — and was told, again and again, that women simply didn't do that. She did it anyway, working her way through sports officiating (football, hockey, baseball, basketball, and soccer) and into broadcasting, eventually anchoring SportsCenter at ESPN. But at 40, she was let go — deemed no longer "pretty enough" for TV — a loss that was abrupt and confusing.

In this episode, Anne opens up about what it was really like being one of the only women in sportscasting and officiating, the "stubborn resilience" she traces back to a bullied, dyslexic childhood, and why she now says getting fired was the best thing that ever happened to her. From there, Anne rebuilt an entirely new life — becoming a teacher, a foster mom, and eventually a published author of six books.  It's a conversation about reinvention, resilience, and choosing to embrace the next chapter — even when it wasn't the one you planned.

Feeling stuck in life?  Ready to rewrite the future you really want?
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In this mid-year review, Ryan gets honest about the fears he's faced head-on this year.  He unpacks a simple but powerful truth: fear keeps people stuck, and regret is what happens when we let fear win the day. 

From there, Ryan shines a spotlight on real people who've been guests on the show who looked fear in the eye and chose action anyway — entrepreneurs who left stable careers, individuals who had their world turned upside down, and decided to make the most of it. The throughline: the better story starts the moment you stop making excuses and start moving. Big dreams don't wait forever, and wasted time has a way of turning into regret.

Are your fears winning the day?  Need help taking action?
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After 24 years climbing the ladder at UPS, running 11 different centers across Northern California, Brandon Carter lost his job — and it turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to him. In this episode, Brandon opens up about leadership roles in corporate America, and a shift that eventually led him to entrepreneurship, business coaching, and a life he actually wants to live. He and Ryan dig into why so many people build businesses that become prisons instead of vehicles for freedom, and why "busy" is often just a cop-out for avoiding what really needs to change.

Brandon shares the leadership lesson that took him years to learn — that it's not what you say, it's what people hear — and gets candid about how his own intensity was mistaken for anger during his career. Now living the lake-house life he used to think was a retirement dream, Brandon makes the case that time freedom doesn't have to wait until you're 65. If you've ever felt stuck in the comfort of a predictable job, or wondered whether you're building a business or just working a job in disguise, this conversation is the wake-up call you didn't know you needed.

Tired of settling? Feeling stuck?  
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What if the story of your future doesn't have to be a default one? In this episode, executive coach and Novus Global Chief Expansion Officer David Miller joins Ryan to unpack what it means to choose your own adventure. David opens up about navigating a progressive neuromuscular condition and how it's reshaped his relationship with performance and identity, the real difference between coaching, consulting, and counseling, and why the leaders who get the biggest results are the ones willing to be brutally honest about what they actually want.

Along the way, David shares why commitment — not talent — separates clients who transform from those who don't, why growth always requires mourning the loss of something you love, and why "there's never a good time" is the biggest lie holding people back. As David reminds us — no one is coming to find you. You choose.

Tired of settling? Feeling stuck?  
Book a FREE vision call with Coach Ryan Wright using the link below.

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On September 17, 2019, Matthew and Hannah Efird were told their son had Trisomy 13 — and that ending the pregnancy was the reasonable choice. They chose to carry him anyway. Noah was born on March 7 and lived for 57.5 hours. In this episode, Matthew shares the raw, unfiltered truth of that decision: what it cost, what it gave back, and how a choice the world called foolish became the foundation for everything that followed — his marriage, his career, and his mission.

Matthew is the author of Even Though, We Will: Finding Rest in the Waves of Child Loss and the Practical Arks That Carry Us Through, and founder of the Even Though, We Will Foundation, which sends "Noah's Arks" — care packages of hope — to families facing terminal prenatal diagnoses. This conversation goes beyond the headlines into the NICU, the fear that almost stole the most important season of his life, and what it actually looks like to grieve without numbing. If you've ever had to choose between the story handed to you and the one you know is true, this episode is for you. https://eventhoughwewill.com

Lacking CLARITY?  Book a FREE vision call with Coach Ryan Wright using the link below.

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He's dove two miles underwater, surfed the big waves of Hawaii's North Shore for 42 years, and built survival gear trusted by SpaceX and the military. But his biggest challenge was 19 years as a full-time caregiver to his paralyzed wife.

In this episode, Dr. Ron Yonover (Scientist/Inventor/Adventurer) shares what extreme survival taught him about everyday life — and what it really takes to thrive, not just endure.

Connect with Dr. Rob Yonover: www.seeRescueStreamer.com. Instagram:  @robyonover

Books: Caregiver's Survival Guide, Hardcore Inventing, Hardcore Health, Brainstorm Islands

Feeling Stuck?  Book a FREE vision call with Coach Ryan Wright using the link below.

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What do star thistles, a old 1977 Datsun pickup, and a Goodyear franchise owner have in common?

Teenage hustle that turned into opportunity.  In this episode, Ryan tells the story about "The Avocado" — his first truck, named for its questionable green paint job — and the deal that changed everything: pull an acre of star thistle off a tire store owner's property, and walk away with a brand-new set of tires.

One acre of backbreaking weed-pulling later, that deal opened the door to more work, more trust, and eventually a job offer out of the blue.  This is a story about grit, and what's possible when you're willing to do the unglamorous work nobody else wants.

Feeling Stuck?  Book a FREE vision call with Coach Ryan Wright using the link below.

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Real coach. Real Results. Real Impact.

In 2018, the Camp Fire destroyed the town of Paradise, California and changed thousands of lives forever.  Sydney Robinson was just one of thousands of lives impacted by the fire.  

After experiencing tremendous loss, Sydney chose not to remain a victim of her circumstances. Today, she volunteers countless hours advocating for Camp Fire survivors, attending hearings, engaging with lawmakers, and fighting to ensure victims are treated fairly and compensated in a timely manner.

In this powerful conversation, Sydney shares her personal story of loss, resilience, and purpose, while offering a firsthand look at the ongoing efforts to support fire survivors, hold utiltiy companies accountable, and the hope surrounding AB 2700. This is a story about tragedy, perseverance, service, and what it looks like to choose a better story when life doesn’t go as planned.

Go to www.hektikoptics.com to score a pair of premium shades for the summer.  Use discount code CTBS20 for a 20% discount offered to all Choose The Better Story Podcast listeners.

On this Father's Day episode, Ryan reflects on the influence fathers have on our lives--through their presence, their sacrifice, their wisdom, and sometimes even through their absence.

Whether you're celebrating a dad, missing a dad, forgiving a dad, becoming a dad, or striving to be a better dad yourself, this episode is an invitation to honor what is good, heal what is broken, and intentionallly choose the legacy you pass on to others.  While we don't always to get to choose the story we inherit, we do get to choose the story we leave behind.

Go to www.hektikoptics.com and score a slick pair of shades for yourself, or get a pair for your dad.  Lots of options to choose from.  Use discount code:  CTBS20 when checking out for a 20% discount.

Feeling stuck?  Lacking clarity?  Tired of drifting?  Got a wild vision for your life, but don't know how to make it happen?  Click the link below for a FREE vision call with Coach Ryan Wright.   I help people gain clarity, shatter limiting beliefs, and achieve a level they never thought possible.  https://calendar.app.google/WgntoZad3hwYWfq96

At just 17 years old, Garrett Verrilli lost his mother to leukemia--a loss that left him searching for a way to cope. What followed was a years-long battle with alcohol, an attempt to numb the pain and fill the void.

In this powerful conversation, Garrett shares his journey through grief, addiction, recovery, and ultimately purpose. Today he's a husband, father, and thriving entrepreneur who has discovered that even life's deepest losses can become the foundation for a meaningful future. His story is a reminder that hope and transformation are possible no matter where you've been.

Book a FREE vision call with Coach Ryan Wright: https://calendar.app.google/WgntoZad3hwYWfq96

Real coach. Real Results. Real Impact.