Advertise on podcast: Choose The Better Story Podcast

Feeling stuck in life? Ready to rewrite the future you really want? Book a FREE vision call with Coach Ryan Wright using the link below. https://calendar.app.google/WgntoZad3hwYWfq96 John Fernando went from couch-surfing addict to self-made multi-millionaire — and he's not shy about the details. In this raw conversation, John opens up about his descent into cocaine, ecstasy, and a brutal OxyContin addiction that nearly cost him everything, including his marriage and his relationship with his son.  He shares the gut-punch moment that finally pushed him toward recovery, and the unconventional 182-day rehab program that rebuilt him from the ground up — scissors, banana nut bread, and all. John breaks down the lessons that shaped his leadership style and business success, including the phrase that changed everything: "delayed obedience is disobedience." From founding multiple companies to raising over a billion dollars, John explains how character, radical honesty, and faith became the foundation for everything he's built — and why he believes anyone, no matter how far gone, can rewrite their story. This one will challenge how you think about discomfort, growth, and second chances.

Feeling stuck in life? Ready to rewrite the future you really want? Book a FREE vision call with Coach Ryan Wright using the link below. https://calendar.app.google/WgntoZad3hwYWfq96 What if the thing keeping you stuck isn’t your circumstance—but the story you’re telling yourself about it? In this episode of Choose The Better Story, Ryan Wright explores how the stories we repeatedly tell ourselves can become beliefs, behaviors, and ultimately the life we live. Using personal experiences, powerful illustrations, and the Poison vs. Fuel framework, Ryan challenges you to separate what actually happened from the meaning you’ve attached to it—and decide whether that story is helping or hurting the person you’re becoming. You’ll walk away with three questions to help you rewrite the story: • What happened? • What am I making it mean? • What story would serve the person I’m becoming? Y our circumstances may not be yours to choose. But your next chapter is. Poison or fuel? The choice is yours.

Tired of settling for the life you don't want?  Ready to rewrite the narrative for a better future?Book a FREE vision call with Coach Ryan Wright using the link below.https://calendar.app.google/WgntoZad3hwYWfq96 Terry Tucker has been a college basketball player, a SWAT hostage negotiator, and for the last 14 years, a cancer warrior. Diagnosed in 2012 with a rare form of melanoma and given two years to live, Terry has endured interferon treatment, immunotherapy, the amputation of his foot and then his leg, and a groundbreaking T-cell therapy — and he's still here. In this episode, Terry shares how he turned a death sentence into a life sentence. He believes we get stronger as people at the broken places in life. He opens up about planning his own funeral, the four truths he lives by, and why every day comes down to one choice: do I get to, or do I have to? This conversation is raw, honest, and full of hard-won wisdom on suffering, purpose, and choosing the better story — no matter what cards you're dealt. Here are the links to the two books he's authored: https://a.co/d/0j8NPokj. https://a.co/d/0a2HCfme

Feeling stuck in life?  Ready to rewrite the future you really want?Book a FREE vision call with Coach Ryan Wright using the link below.https://calendar.app.google/WgntoZad3hwYWfq96 Aboss Khan was born into a persecuted Muslim sect, fled violence in Pakistan before he was born, and spent his childhood buried in ritual, abuse, and isolation. By 15, he was Muslim in name only — atheist at heart. By 31, after a brutal breakup left him living in his car, he gave God a final ultimatum: reveal Yourself by my birthday, or I walk away for good. What happened next changed everything. In this episode, Aboss shares his raw, unfiltered journey from the mosque to the cross — the ritual that never gave him peace, the ten years he spent relying only on himself, and the string of "coincidences" that led him to Christ, baptism, and a marriage he never saw coming. This is a story about hitting bottom, demanding answers, and discovering that sometimes God answers louder than we expect. Here's the link to his book From The Mosque To The Cross: Finding True Peace In Jesus. https://a.co/d/07vsedm7

Tired of settling for the life you don't want?  Ready to rewrite the narrative for a better future?Book a FREE vision call with Coach Ryan Wright using the link below.https://calendar.app.google/WgntoZad3hwYWfq96 What would you choose: $3 million today, or a penny that doubles in value every day for 31 days?The answer might reveal something about the way you think about success. In this episode of Choose The Better Story, Ryan Wright explores the incredible power of consistency—and why the smallest choices, repeated over time, can create results far beyond what we can see in the moment. You’ll discover why your future is shaped more by the habits you repeat than the goals you set, how tiny daily actions can transform your health, relationships, mindset, and performance, and why you don’t need a massive burst of motivation to create a better life. You just need to start.  One choice.  One small step.  1% better.  Then do it again tomorrow.   Because your life doesn't change because of one giant decision.  It changes because of the tiny decisions you make consistently.

Tired of settling for the life you don't want?  Ready to rewrite the narrative for a better future?Book a FREE vision call with Coach Ryan Wright using the link below.https://calendar.app.google/WgntoZad3hwYWfq96 Eric Vickery didn't plan to become a leading voice in dental practice coaching — but a rocky start as an unqualified office manager, a company collapse in 2010, and years of rebuilding from scratch forged the business (and the person) he is today. In this episode, Eric shares the real story behind "15 years to become an overnight success": walking away from a six-figure job offer because his mentors told him his "ladder was against the right wall," surviving on $8.50 an hour while learning the ropes, and choosing to bet on himself when everything fell apart. Eric also opens up about the power of surrounding yourself with the right people — mentors, coaches, and a spouse who pushes you to grow (his "eagles, not turkeys" philosophy) — and breaks down his framework for coaching: assess, align, action, accountability. A candid conversation about faith, resilience, and playing the long game.

Tired of settling for the life you don't want?  Ready to rewrite the narrative for a better future?Book a FREE vision call with Coach Ryan Wright using the link below.https://calendar.app.google/WgntoZad3hwYWfq96 Chris Frankovich is much more than a wedding DJ. In this episode, Chris takes us behind the scenes of one of the most important days in a couple's life—from the pressure of making sure every detail goes smoothly, to the unforgettable mistakes he's made, and the disastrous moments he's witnessed at weddings. But this conversation goes much deeper. Chris shares his experience as a member of the Paradise community during the devistating 2018 Camp Fire—including the gut-wrenching moment he learned his home had burned, followed by the incredible news that it had somehow survived. https://www.chicoweddingdj.com

Feeling stuck in life? Ready to rewrite the future you really want? Book a FREE vision call with Coach Ryan Wright using the link below. https://calendar.app.google/WgntoZad3hwYWfq96 Toni Will is the GM of the Kalamazoo Wings professional hockey team, a keynote speaker, podcast host, and author of Rebellious Success. In this episode, she shares her unlikely path from banking to running a men's pro hockey organization, what she learned rebuilding a "Titanic" of a franchise, and the biggest lessons she's learned in leadership. Toni opens up about quitting drinking publicly after years of feeling out of alignment with her core values, how that decision transformed her leadership, and why she leads with "mission over money." She also talks about being one of the few female governors in pro sports, building a nurturing culture on her team, and what's ahead as she leads the Wings into a brand-new half-billion-dollar arena. Connect with Toni at www.toniwill.com

Dwayne Morton is a former international basketball player, an author, and a resilience coach — but his real story starts after the game ended. In 2006, he was diagnosed with a rare blood cancer that reshaped his entire life: relationships lost, a handicap parking tag, and the unknown future. Then, 18 years later, a new oncologist delivered the twist no one saw coming — Dwayne had been misdiagnosed all along. In this episode, Dwayne shares how he rebuilt his identity from the ground up, why "bending, not breaking" became his life's philosophy. Instead of being bitter about 18 years of misdiagnosis, he celebrates his 2nd chance at life. Today Dwayne is known as "Mr. Show Up To Win" helping people turn pressure into purpose, and build an unstoppable mindset.  www.dwaynemorton.com Feeling stuck in life?  Ready to rewrite the future you really want?Book a FREE vision call with Coach Ryan Wright using the link below.https://calendar.app.google/WgntoZad3hwYWfq96

Feeling stuck in life?  Ready to rewrite the future you really want?Book a FREE vision call with Coach Ryan Wright using the link below. https://calendar.app.google/WgntoZad3hwYWfq96 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.

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?Book a FREE vision call with Coach Ryan Wright using the link below. https://calendar.app.google/WgntoZad3hwYWfq96

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?  Book a FREE vision call with Coach Ryan Wright using the link below. https://calendar.app.google/WgntoZad3hwYWfq96

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. https://calendar.app.google/WgntoZad3hwYWfq96

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. https://calendar.app.google/WgntoZad3hwYWfq96

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. https://calendar.app.google/WgntoZad3hwYWfq96