On Purpose with Ryan McEwan

Ryan reflects on his 50th birthday and the negative mindset it triggered. He discusses the societal pressure on fitness coaches to maintain a youthful appearance and the impact of aging on your self-perception. He shares a pivotal moment when his father, turning 71, expressed a desire to be 50 again, shifting his perspective. He emphasizes the importance of gratitude, reframing negative thoughts,...

Ryan discusses the concept of living on purpose and the impact of past emotional memories on present behavior. He emphasizes how the body holds onto emotional memories, which can inhibit future aspirations. He shares his personal experiences with emotional patterns, particularly anger and fear, and how breath work helped him break free from these cycles. He advises you to become aware of your emot...

Ryan discusses his struggle with self-doubt and how it has affected his consistency in producing episodes. Despite having 130 episodes, he feels the need to reshape his messages and bring fresh perspectives. He shares his experience of recording this episode from a hotel in St. George, Utah, and how a change in environment can help shift one's emotional state. He emphasizes the importance of overc...

Ryan discusses his midlife crisis and how it has impacted his life and fitness goals. He emphasizes the importance of reframing challenges as opportunities for growth and adopting a breakthrough mindset. He shares his struggles with motivation, negative self-talk, and the need for action to create clarity. He highlights the significance of perspective and identity shifts, using his own experience...

In this episode, Ryan discusses the importance of setting realistic goals and maintaining consistency in achieving them. He emphasizes the concept of "raising the floor" rather than just focusing on the ceiling, which represents our highest aspirations. He shares personal experiences of how he tends to ignore progress when things don't go perfectly, which he likens to admiring the ceiling while ne...

In this episode, Ryan discusses the importance of consistency in achieving personal goals. Ryan, a retired Army Major and fitness coach, emphasizes that consistent effort, not perfection, is key to success. He identifies three main reasons for inconsistency: overreliance on motivation, unrealistic expectations, and lack of immediate results. He advises breaking goals into smaller, manageable actio...

In this episode, Ryan discusses  the impact of self-talk on personal growth and success. He emphasizes that self-talk shapes your perception and actions, often leading to negative beliefs that hinder your progress. He explains how negative self-talk can stem from past experiences, societal conditioning, and fear of failure. He outlines strategies to overcome negative self-talk, including awareness...

In this episode, Ryan discusses the importance of emotional control in achieving a purpose-driven life. He emphasizes the need to become aware of your emotional state, which often operates beneath the surface, influencing decision-making and behavior. He suggests practices like breathwork, physical movement, and creating emotional buffer space to manage emotional reactions. He highlights the impac...

In this episode, Ryan discusses the importance of self-worth in achieving personal goals. He emphasizes that self-worth is often overlooked but crucial for success. He highlights how external validation and societal pressures can erode self-worth, leading to self-sabotage. He encourages you to practice self-awareness, challenge negative self-talk, and stop tying self-worth to achievements. He also...

In this episode, Ryan discusses common fitness myths and their impact on achieving long-term goals. He shares his personal journey, highlighting how he misjudged the effectiveness of exercise over diet during COVID-19. He emphasizes that you cannot outwork a bad diet and that supplements are not a quick fix. He advises against relying on supplements and instead focuses on proper nutrition and cons...

In this episode, Ryan discusses the influence of social media influencers on personal motivation and the tendency to rely on external validation. He emphasizes the importance of becoming your own influencer by setting clear, specific goals with measurable results, and by creating routines that inspire consistent action. He advises against doom scrolling and highlights the need for self-reflection...

In this episode, Ryan discusses the importance of setting and maintaining standards rather than just goals to achieve long-term success. He explains the concept of the "fighter's dilemma," where individuals raise their standards temporarily for specific events but then revert to old habits. He emphasizes that goals should be outcome-focused, while standards should be identity-focused and non-negot...

In this episode, Ryan discusses the ineffectiveness of New Year's resolutions, emphasizing that they often fail due to their rigid, outcome-oriented nature. He advocates for setting intentions instead, which focus on daily actions aligned with personal values. He highlights the importance of emotional connection and self-compassion in achieving long-term goals. He suggests starting small, eliminat...

In this episode, Ryan discusses the concept of discipline, emphasizing its importance in achieving goals. He argues that discipline is often misunderstood as rigidity or punishment but should be seen as consistency, self-control, and delayed gratification. He highlights the role of mindset, environment, and resilience in building discipline. He suggests starting with small, manageable habits and t...

In this episode, Ryan discusses the importance of gratitude, especially during Thanksgiving. He emphasizes gratitude's transformative power, suggesting practices like keeping a gratitude journal, reframing challenges as opportunities, and expressing gratitude to others. He highlights that gratitude shifts focus from what's missing to what's present, reducing stress and building resilience. Ryan al...

In this episode, Ryan discusses the importance of environment on personal growth and identity. He shares his experience of joining a new, advanced gym, which initially intimidated him, but ultimately motivated him to improve. He emphasizes the need for aligning your identity with new environments to achieve goals, noting that over 60% of New Year's resolutions fail by January 3 due to lack of comm...

In this episode, Ryan discusses the importance of consistency over time in achieving your goals. He highlights common pitfalls in fitness journeys, such as reactive behavior and lack of motivation, which lead to inconsistency. He advises starting small, creating non-negotiable habits, and tracking progress to build consistency. He also stresses the need to manage expectations, focus on daily input...

In this episode, Ryan discusses the impact of a spouse's support on achieving fitness goals. He emphasizes the importance of spousal alignment, sharing his own positive experience with a supportive wife. He explains that changes in one partner's behavior can trigger insecurities in the other, leading to passive discouragement, undermining, withdrawal, or jealousy. He advises empathy, open dialogue...

In this episode, Ryan celebrates the two-year anniversary of this podcast and discusses the challenges of maintaining consistency and overcoming self-doubt, emphasizing the importance of self-worth and belief in one's capabilities. Ryan shares insights from a funeral that reinforced his own self-worth and encourages you to do the same. He highlights the impact of external validation, social media,...

In this episode, Ryan explores the powerful connection between control, negativity, and anxiety. He shares personal insights, including a recent physical setback, highlighting how our desire for control can derail progress. By holding on too tightly, we invite frustration and negativity, which can impact not only our mental state but also our physical health. He also discusses how to navigate setb...

In this episode, Ryan addresses the societal stigma men face when asking for help and the emotional toll it takes. Drawing on personal experiences, including his time in the military and his journey through breathwork, he highlights how bottling up emotions leads to anger, stress, and unhealthy coping mechanisms. He encourages men to overcome the fear of vulnerability, emphasizing that seeking sup...

In this episode, Ryan explores the powerful grip that negativity, fueled by self-judgment, can have on our progress. He dives into the natural human tendency to critique ourselves and others, revealing how these behaviors stem from unmet expectations and insecurities. He also shares personal insights and strategies to identify and break free from the negativity loop, empowering you to focus on gro...

In this episode, Ryan discusses the essential foundation of success across all areas of life—understanding the "why" behind your goals. While defining what you want is crucial, uncovering the deeper reason that drives you is the true catalyst for long-term commitment and achievement. He also explores the powerful impact of connecting your actions to a meaningful purpose, using personal insights an...

In this episode, Ryan dives deep into discovering the elusive "X-Factor" that propels you toward achieving your fitness goals. He challenges the common practice of simply going through the motions and highlights the transformative power of intentionality. By focusing on deliberate actions in your workouts, nutrition, mindset, and daily routines, he reveals how you can break through plateaus, avoid...

In this episode, Ryan discusses the crippling effects of comparison syndrome. He shares how he navigates the pressure of measuring up to fellow coaches and the importance of staying consistent in your fitness journey. He also offers practical advice on focusing on basics, avoiding social media pitfalls, and leveraging gratitude and self-awareness to turn comparison into a powerful tool for persona...