What if everything you thought would make you happy—the corner office, the awards, the successful marriage—suddenly disappeared? Award-winning CEO Ray Martin faced this exact crisis at 44, losing his business partner (who was also his wife), his father, and his entire identity in one devastating wave. What started as a 6-month sabbatical turned into a 14-year adventure across Thailand, Australia, the Himalayas, and beyond—completely reshaping his understanding of success, happiness, and what it means to live authentically.

In this powerful conversation, Ray shares:

✅ The #1 Regret of the Dying (and how it changed everything for him)

✅ The Meditation Retreat Breakthrough that helped him separate his thoughts from his identity

✅ The 6 Rules for Sustainable Happiness (backed by years of travel and self-discovery)

✅ The Four Ties Framework that secretly controls your major life decisions

✅ Why Building a Solid Foundation beats chasing money every single time

✅ The unexpected acting role that gave him the insight to leave his old life behind

✅ Radical Responsibility vs. Blame in business and relationships

✅ How to create intentional relationships that fuel rather than drain you

✅ The Above the Line/Below the Line principle for conscious leadership

✅ Why your autopilot is destroying your happiness (and how to turn it off) Ray's story isn't just about leaving corporate life—it's about the courage to question the "off-the-shelf" version of happiness we're all sold, and the wisdom to build something that actually works for YOUR soul. Perfect for: Entrepreneurs feeling trapped in success, leaders seeking authentic leadership styles, anyone contemplating a major life change, professionals dealing with burnout, and travelers seeking deeper meaning. About Ray Martin: Former Telegraph Business Leader of the Year, author of "Life Without a Tie," leadership coach specializing in human-centered leadership, and world traveler who spent 14 years exploring what happiness really means.

📺 CHAPTERS & TIMESTAMPS

00:00:00 Intro: What Is Happiness?

00:04:10 Ray's Crisis: Losing Everything at 44

00:07:24 Top 5 Regrets of the Dying

00:11:03 The 6 Month Sabbatical That Became 14 Years

00:13:14 The Suited Monk: Inner vs Outer Life

00:16:13 The Four Ties Framework

00:19:01 Finding Community in Chiang Mai

00:22:02 Discovering Writing Through Travel

00:24:02 10 Day Monastery Meditation Breakthrough

00:26:09 The Autopilot Problem

00:28:23 Rule #1: Build Solid Foundation

00:31:15 Rule #2: Radical Responsibility

00:33:02 Above vs Below the Line Leadership

00:35:08 Rule #4: Purposeful Relationships

00:39:05 Rule #5: Pay Attention to Health

00:40:11 Why Hustle Culture Destroys Wellbeing

00:42:23 Rule #6: Empower Others

00:43:45 The Four Ties Explained

00:46:16 Has Ray Mastered Happiness?

00:48:01 The Unexpected Acting Lesson

00:52:49 You're Not The Character You Play

00:55:03 The One Rule to Remember

00:57:23 Connect With Ray

00:58:00 Final Wisdom

💬 What's one choice YOU made that brought you closer to thriving? Share in the comments below! 👍 Like this episode? Subscribe and hit the bell for weekly conversations that help you thrive, not just survive. Let's make thriving our new normal. See you next week! 🌟