Don't just do something interesting, do something important with guest expert Ruth Gotian, PhD.

Ruth Gotian, author of The Success Factor: Developing the mindset and skill set for peak performance

Bill Ringle and Ruth Gotian discuss the four pillars of the success formula (intrinsic motivation, perseverance, a strong foundation, and ongoing learning) and how to apply them for small business leaders.

>>> Visit MyQuestforTheBest.com  for complete show notes and more expert advice and inspiring stories to propel your small business growth. My Quest for the Best is a top-rated small business podcast with over 300 episodes of thought-provoking and insightful interviews with today’s top thought leaders and business experts. Host Bill Ringle’s mission with this show is to provide the strategies, insights, and resources that will unlock the growth potential of your business through these powerful conversations.

Interview Insights

Top 3 Takeaways

High achievers always strive for peak performance, not just fulfilling the bare minimum. They work on excelling, not just fulfilling.

Make your success a part of your life, not your entire life. Always create a new aim and a new venture in which to succeed.

Knowing the key factors of success does not make us successful. Having the discipline to implement them into our daily lives will.

Read the Show Notes from this Episode

Ruth's Grandma Esther — a woman who filled the room with her presence disproportionate to her physical size — was a bold trailblazer in her own academic and professional career who always encouraged Ruth to have her voice heard. [01:27]Ruth shares how her grandmother's appreciation of her writing fueled Ruth's courage and determination to pursue her doctorate degree in her 40s and write her first book in her 50s. [03:09]Ruth talks about her responsibilities as Chief Learning Officer at Weill Cornell Medicine. [04:46]The four pillars of The Success Factor: Intrinsic motivation, perseverance, building a strong foundation, ongoing learning, and growth. [08:10]Ruth describes her qualitative study on the common denominators of success by interviewing Olympians. [09:22]While knowing the key ingredients of success is essential, Ruth knows that taking actionable steps to implement them into our daily lives, is what results in success. [11:54]How to spot the early markers of a high achiever and a high-performing team. [15:16]The common denominator of all high achievers. [17:59]Saying 'no' helps keep us stay laser-focused on our goals. [19:54]Having a mentor gives us an edge. [22:05]Why high achievers have mentors and how they in turn become mentors. [23:34]Ruth gives her advice to people who want a mentor's perspective. [24:56]My Quest for the Best lightning round begins. [25:39]

Expert Bio

Ruth Gotian is the Chief Learning Officer and Assistant Professor of Education in Anesthesiology and former Assistant Dean of Mentoring and Executive Director of the Mentoring Academy at Weill Cornell Medicine. She has been hailed by the Journal Nature and Columbia University as an expert in mentorship and leadership development.

In 2021, she was selected as one of 30 people worldwide to be named to the Thinkers50 Radar List, dubbed the Oscars of management thinking. Recently, she won the Thinkers50 Distinguished Achievement - Radar Award given to a “thinker with the potential to change the world of theory and practice” and cemented her place as the #1 emerging management thinker in the world. She is also a semi-finalist for the Forbes 50 Over 50 list.

In addition to publishing in academic journals, she is a contributor to Forbes and Psychology Today where she writes about ‘optimizing success’. Her research is about the mindset and skill set of peak performers, including Nobel Prize winners, astronauts, and Olympic champions. Her forthcoming book, The Success Factor, will be out in January and now available for pre-sale.

Contact Info and Social Media for Ruth Gotian

Primary website

Travels from: New Rochelle, NY