The Unstuck High Performer Podcast - Hypnotherapy and Mindset Coaching for High-Performers

Paul Salter
  • 4.7 (52)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Semiweekly

The Unstuck High Performer Podcast is for successful people who know they're capable of more but feel stuck underperforming relative to their potential. Hosted by high-performance hypnotherapist and mindset coach Paul Salter, this show helps CEOs, founders, executives, entrepreneurs, and ambitious professionals identify and eliminate the invisible resistance keeping them trapped in hesitation, overthinking, inconsistency, burnout, and quiet self-sabotage. If you know what to do but aren't doing it consistently, this show will help you get unstuck, out of your own way, and perform at the level you know you're capable of.

  1. 1d ago

    167. Internationally-Recognized Mental Performance Coach Explains Why Confidence Becomes Dangerous for Top Performers

    What if one of the biggest threats to your success isn't fear, self-doubt, or lack of confidence... But too much confidence? In this episode, I sit down with internationally recognized mental game coach Jared Tendler to explore one of the most common—and least recognized—performance killers among high achievers: overconfidence. We unpack why success often plants the seeds of future failure, how overconfidence quietly erodes discipline, preparation, and decision-making, and why most people never realize it's happening until they're stuck in a spiral of frustration, anger, and self-doubt. In this episode, you'll learn: Why overconfidence—not fear—is often what derails high performers The subtle signs you're taking your foot off the gas without realizing it Why emotional accumulation creates explosive reactions and burnout How journaling improves emotional awareness and decision-making Why elite performers view mistakes differently than everyone else The real reason boredom shows up when you're succeeding Why most people misdiagnose their own performance problems How to build a reflection process that accelerates growth If you've ever wondered why you keep making the same mistakes, why success sometimes seems to disappear as quickly as it arrived, or why high performers so often sabotage their own momentum, this conversation will change how you think about confidence forever. Time Stamps: 00:00: The hidden success trap that derails high performers after they start winning 3:25: Why success creates a dangerous lag effect most people never see coming 7:41: The subtle signs you're becoming overconfident without realizing it 13:04: Why emotionally "constipated" high performers struggle to reach their potential 20:52: Why boredom is often a warning sign—not a harmless feeling 24:27: Are elite performers addicted to winning... or terrified of losing? 26:07: What happens when your entire identity becomes attached to your results? 33:26: Why your biggest setbacks may be teaching you exactly what you need next 37:01: The mindset shift that separates elite performers from everyone else 41:22: Why solving the mistake is not the same as understanding why it happened 46:38: Why perfectionists struggle to recognize what they're doing well 49:06: Is golf really 90% mental? Jared completely disagrees I help high performers get unstuck and out of their own way to unlock their potential.  Apply for Private 1:1 Coaching: If you're successful on paper but feel misaligned, overwhelmed, or stuck at your next level, private coaching may be the fastest path forward. Click here to apply to work with me. Follow me on Instagram: @thepaulsalter Watch on YouTube: @thepaulsalter Join me in the M19 Mastermind: Click here to apply. Tell them Paul sent you. More About Jared Tendler Jared Tendler, MS, LMHC, is an internationally recognized mental game coach with over 20 years of experience. His clients span 45 countries and include world champion poker players, PGA and LPGA Tour winners, executives, entrepreneurs and institutional and independent financial traders. His straightforward and logical approach has been proven to help people solve their mental game problems and perform at their highest levels. He is the author of three highly acclaimed books, The Mental Game of Trading and The Mental Game of Poker 1 & 2. His latest book, Everyday Golf Psychology, is available now and has already garnered great reviews from Top 100 instructors. He also previously served as Head of Sport Psychology for the esports organization Team Liquid. Jared's diverse experience and proven techniques make him among the best mental coaches in the world. Proving his clients aren't the only ones to benefit from his system, Jared solved his own issues and in 2013 qualified for the U.S. Mid-am, shooting two-under. Currently, he's a member at Jericho National Golf Club in New Hope, PA, regularly plays in regional tournaments and now dreams of playing in the U.S. Senior Open. Learn more about working with Jared at his website here.  Connect with Jared on social media: @jaredtendler on X  @jared.tendler on Instagram @jaredtendler on LinkedIn

    1h 3m

  2. 4d ago

    166. Why Successful CEOs and Entrepreneurs Use Hypnosis to Break Destructive Patterns

    You've built a successful life on paper. But internally? You're anxious. Overthinking. Emotionally exhausted. Unable to slow down—even though you desperately want to. And the most frustrating part is… You know better. So why do so many intelligent, disciplined, high-performing people stay stuck in the same destructive cycles? In this episode, I break down the subconscious patterns quietly driving burnout, hypervigilance, workaholism, and emotional exhaustion—and explain why hypnosis has become such a powerful tool for helping CEOs, executives, entrepreneurs, and high performers finally get unstuck. In this episode, you'll learn: Why knowing what to do often changes nothing The hidden reason slowing down feels unsafe for high performers How your nervous system becomes addicted to stress and urgency Why overworking and hypervigilance are often survival adaptations The difference between conscious knowledge and subconscious safety Why fear of success quietly creates hesitation and self-sabotage How hypnosis helps high performers unlearn destructive patterns Why your current success patterns may now be limiting your growth If you've ever thought, "Why can't I change even though I know what to do?" — this episode will hit hard. Time Stamps: 00:00: Why you can't slow down… even though you desperately want to 06:23: The uncomfortable truth: the patterns that built your success are now destroying your peace 11:39: The military veteran who realized she didn't know who she was without work 15:18: You're not addicted to winning—you're addicted to stress and urgency 17:10: Fear of success: the hidden reason high performers procrastinate and self-sabotage 24:43: The "outdated operating system" analogy that explains why you feel stuck 27:34: What hypnosis actually is (and why it has nothing to do with stage hypnosis) 31:49: The shocking hypnosis research that changed how Paul views transformation forever 34:01: You're already hypnotizing yourself every day… just in the wrong direction 36:03: Why knowing what to do almost never creates lasting change 41:26: How childhood conditioning quietly destroys confidence in adulthood I help high performers get unstuck and out of their own way to unlock their potential.  Apply for Private 1:1 Coaching: If you're successful on paper but feel misaligned, overwhelmed, or stuck at your next level, private coaching may be the fastest path forward. Click here to apply to work with me. Follow me on Instagram: @thepaulsalter Watch on YouTube: @thepaulsalter Join me in the M19 Mastermind: Click here to apply. Tell them Paul sent you.

    49 min

  3. May 28

    165. She Helped Build an 8-Figure Business (and Secretly Hated Her Life)...So She Made This Bold Decision…

    What happens when you achieve everything you thought would make you happy… and still feel deeply unfulfilled? In this raw and emotionally honest conversation, I sit down with entrepreneur, mentor, and transformation coach, Caryn Meininger, to unpack the hidden emotional cost of success built through people pleasing, suppression, survival patterns, and external validation. Caryn shares the deeply personal story behind walking away from her family's 8-figure business, the shame and identity crisis that followed, and the inner work required to rediscover her voice, rebuild self-trust, and create a life aligned with who she truly is. In this episode, you'll learn: Why external success often fails to create internal fulfillment The hidden cost of people pleasing and suppressing your voice How childhood conditioning shapes adult achievement patterns What identity death actually feels like during reinvention Why slowing down is necessary for sustainable growth The emotional reality of walking away from success Why overachievers constantly tie achievement to worthiness How to stop pedestalizing people and reclaim your own power This conversation dives deep into identity death, emotional avoidance, inner child work, belonging, coaching, nervous system patterns, reinvention, and why many successful people secretly feel trapped by the very life they built. Time Stamps: 00:00: Feeling unfulfilled despite building an 8-figure business 06:26: The bold decision to walk away from her family business 12:05: People pleasing, worthiness, and why high achievers overgive 21:35: The shame and loneliness that followed leaving success behind 25:16: Identity death: "Who am I without my business or family?" 36:25: Paul opens up about divorce, shame, and emotional avoidance 54:18: How to process emotions without suppressing or avoiding them 1:00:35: The advice every stuck high performer needs to hear I help high performers get unstuck and out of their own way to unlock their potential.  Apply for Private 1:1 Coaching: If you're successful on paper but feel misaligned, overwhelmed, or stuck at your next level, private coaching may be the fastest path forward. Click here to apply to work with me. Follow me on Instagram: @thepaulsalter Watch on YouTube: @thepaulsalter Join me in the M19 Mastermind: Click here to apply. Tell them Paul sent you. More About Caryn Meininger Caryn Meininger is an identity and energetics mentor, speaker, and founder of Live Iconic, a luxury personal development brand helping high-achieving women step into the version of themselves who can hold more wealth, visibility, leadership, and freedom.  After owning and operating an 8-figure family business for nearly two decades, Caryn reinvented her life and brand around embodied success, emotional mastery, and energetic alignment. Her work blends identity transformation, nervous system regulation, wealth energetics, and feminine leadership to help women become deeply self-trusting, magnetic, and unapologetically powerful. Learn more about working with Caryn at her website here.  Connect with Caryn on Instagram here (@carynmeininger)

    1h 6m

  4. May 25

    164. The Hidden Cost of Always Being "On"

    Trying to perform at a high level with a dysregulated nervous system is like trying to drive a Ferrari with the emergency brake partially engaged. You can still move forward. You can still produce results. But eventually… something burns out. In this deeply impactful episode, I break down one of the most overlooked reasons ambitious people stay stuck, emotionally exhausted, reactive, anxious, disconnected, and unable to sustain success: A chronically dysregulated nervous system. In this episode, you'll learn: What nervous system dysregulation actually is Why many successful people secretly operate in survival mode The hidden emotional cost of always being "on" How childhood conditioning can shape adult performance patterns Why exhaustion and overworking are not badges of honor The difference between emotional suppression vs. emotional regulation How elite performers stay calm, clear, and composed under pressure If you're successful on paper but internally feel wired, overwhelmed, emotionally exhausted, reactive, or unable to shut your mind off, this is the wake-up call you need. Time Stamps: 00:00: The Ferrari analogy: performing with a dysregulated nervous system 03:05: Emotional mastery vs. emotional suppression 05:28: Why your next level requires nervous system regulation 12:53: The hidden childhood origins of survival-based performance 17:03: Signs your nervous system is dysregulated 20:10: What the nervous system actually does 22:54: Why dysregulated people become emotionally fragile 25:19: Regulated vs. dysregulated leadership under pressure 28:32: Restaurant owner story: survival mode and emotional exhaustion 35:23: Why elite performers prioritize recovery and regulation 37:48: Common warning signs you're trapped in survival mode 40:23: Why exhaustion is not a badge of honor 41:36: The highest performers stay calm under pressure I help high performers get unstuck and out of their own way to unlock their potential.  If you know you're capable of more but keep feeling stuck, private coaching may be the fastest path forward. Click here to apply to work with me. Follow me on Instagram: @thepaulsalter Watch on YouTube: @thepaulsalter

    45 min

  5. May 21

    163. 8-Figure CEO and IFBB Professional Bodybuilder Talks About the Trade-Offs Required for Next-Level Success

    What's the real cost of becoming exceptional? In this deeply honest conversation, I sit down with Renaissance Periodization co-founder and CEO, Nick Shaw, to unpack the trade-offs, identity shifts, sacrifices, and emotional realities that ambitious people rarely talk about openly. Nick shares the dark side of high performance, how success can quietly consume your identity, why self-awareness is one of the most underrated leadership skills, and how fitness continues to shape his mindset, leadership, and emotional resilience decades into his career. This episode is about much more than fitness or business. It's about learning how to pursue greatness without losing yourself in the process. In this episode, you'll learn: The hidden emotional cost of being intensely driven Why every level of success requires trade-offs and sacrifice How identity evolves as you grow professionally and personally Why fitness is one of the greatest gateways to mental toughness The leadership lessons Nick learned while scaling RP Why emotionally reactive decisions create unnecessary problems How elite performers stay grounded during chaotic seasons of life This conversation pulls back the curtain on what it actually takes to build something meaningful while staying aligned with your health, values, and family. Time Stamps: 00:00: The dark side of intense ambition and high performance 03:13: The trade-offs required to build a business and raise a family 08:18: Losing clarity and reconnecting with fitness fundamentals 12:01: Why returning to the basics reignited motivation and purpose 14:30: The danger of criticizing ambitious people pursuing greatness 20:01: Why fitness is a gateway to mental toughness and confidence 33:14: How Nick stays grounded during stressful seasons 39:06: Why forcing routines that don't fit creates burnout 43:39: Has success created more peace or more responsibility? 55:27: Parenting, competitiveness, and emotional regulation 1:00:35: The advice every stuck high performer needs to hear I help high performers get unstuck and out of their own way to unlock their potential.  If you're successful on paper but feel misaligned, overwhelmed, or stuck at your next level, private coaching may be the fastest path forward. Click here to apply to work with me. Follow me on Instagram: @thepaulsalter Watch on YouTube: @thepaulsalter More About Nick Shaw Nick Shaw is the co-founder and CEO of Renaissance Periodization, one of the most respected evidence-based fitness, nutrition, and performance education companies in the world. Alongside Dr. Mike Israetel, Nick helped build RP from a niche coaching company into a globally recognized brand serving athletes, entrepreneurs, executives, and everyday high performers. Nick is also an IFBB professional bodybuilder, elite-level coach, author, speaker, and entrepreneur. His background blends competitive bodybuilding, business leadership, coaching psychology, and operational discipline. What makes Nick especially interesting for your audience is that he embodies the intersection of physical excellence, entrepreneurship, structure, discipline, emotional resilience, and long-term sustainable high performance. His book, Fit For Success, explores how the habits, systems, and principles required to build an elite physique mirror the same principles required to build a successful business and life. Follow Nick on Instagram.  Follow Renaissance Periodization on YouTube. Learn more about Nick and Renaissance Periodization here.

    1h 8m

  6. May 18

    162. Top Performers Have Rules to Protect Themselves From This…

    If you're feeling stuck, inconsistent, emotionally reactive, or burned out… you probably don't need more motivation. You need rules. In this episode, I break down why the most successful high performers aren't necessarily more disciplined—they've simply stopped negotiating with themselves. I discuss how elite performers create self-protecting rules to prevent stress, exhaustion, pressure, fear, and emotion from hijacking their decisions, habits, and long-term goals. Because the version of you making decisions after a great workout, quality sleep, and a clear morning routine is not the same version of you making decisions at 11:59 PM after a brutal day of pressure, conflict, and exhaustion. In this episode, you'll learn: Why motivation is unreliable for long-term success How rules protect you from emotional decision-making The hidden cost of living in the "gray area" Why elite performers stop negotiating with themselves How to build a personal operating system aligned with your goals If you constantly feel "on," struggle to disconnect, battle overwhelm, or feel mentally exhausted despite your success, this episode will challenge the way you think about productivity, discipline, and self-trust. Time Stamps: 00:00: Why motivation alone never works long-term 04:34: The pain of living without self-protecting rules 08:22: Why elite performers stop negotiating with themselves 09:21: Client story: creating rules around weed and discipline 12:55: Client story: alcohol, boundaries, and protecting performance 15:08: The rules you follow shape your identity 18:29: Why elite performers create rules most people fear 23:24: How rules reduce decision fatigue and preserve energy 31:28: Why rules reinforce identity and self-trust 35:34: How to create your own high-performance operating system I help high performers get unstuck and out of their own way to unlock their potential.  If you know you're capable of more but keep feeling stuck, private coaching may be the fastest path forward. Click here to apply to work with me. Follow me on Instagram: @thepaulsalter Watch on YouTube: @thepaulsalter

    41 min

  7. May 14

    161. 8-figure Real Estate Entrepreneur Made More Money Working Less...(this is how)

    If you've been told success requires grinding nonstop, sacrificing your family, and working 80-hour weeks… this episode will challenge everything you believe. In today's episode, I sit down with entrepreneur, investor, and author Ryan Pineda to break down a radically different approach to success—one rooted in leverage, clarity, and intentional constraints. Ryan shares how he built wealth while playing professional baseball, why limitations create innovation, and how prioritizing family over business actually accelerated his success. In this episode, you'll learn: Why grinding isn't required to build wealth How limitations can unlock creativity, innovation, and scale The real reason most entrepreneurs stay busy—but not effective How to prioritize family, faith, and business without burnout Why identifying the true priority changes everything If you're successful on the outside but feel stretched thin, overwhelmed, or misaligned… this conversation will hit. Time Stamps: 00:00: Why Ryan rejected the "grind everything" mentality 06:07: How limitations created innovation and wealth 09:10: Turning lifestyle into a scalable business model (M19) 17:26: The framework: goals → limits → solutions 20:47: Why family must become the true constraint 24:43: The moment that changed Ryan's priorities forever 30:36: The superpower of identifying what truly matters 45:43: The advice every stuck high performer needs I help high performers get unstuck and out of their own way to unlock their potential.  If you're successful on paper but feel misaligned, overwhelmed, or stuck at your next level, private coaching may be the fastest path forward. Click here to apply to work with me. Follow me on Instagram: @thepaulsalter Watch on YouTube: @thepaulsalter More About Ryan Pineda Ryan Pineda is a high-profile entrepreneur, real estate investor, content creator, sales trainer, and business builder best known for turning adversity, discipline, and relentless execution into large-scale success. Before entrepreneurship, Ryan played professional baseball, where he learned firsthand the realities of pressure, failure, and identity tied to performance. After baseball, he pivoted into real estate investing and became known for successfully flipping hundreds of homes, building rental portfolios, and creating multiple seven-figure businesses. He later expanded into education, coaching, media, and personal branding—building a major online presence through YouTube, social media, podcasts, and business mentorship. His book The Wealthy Way focuses on building wealth through values, discipline, strategic action, and long-term thinking. Apply to join Ryan and me in the M19 Mastermind: Click here to apply. Tell them Paul sent you. Follow Ryan on Instagram and YouTube. Learn more about Ryan here.

    53 min

  8. May 11

    160. Feeling Off-Track and Disconnected? How High Performers Get Back On Track…

    You ever have one of those weeks where everything looks successful on paper… but internally, you feel completely off? Busy. In demand. Opportunities everywhere. Yet instead of clarity and control—you feel scattered, rushed, and strangely disconnected. In this episode, I break down one of the most common—and costly—patterns high performers fall into: getting off track not because things are going wrong… but because they're going right. I'll discuss why your instinct to "do more" when you feel stuck is actually what's keeping you there—and how returning to the fundamentals is the fastest way to realign, regain clarity, and perform at your highest level. In this episode, you'll learn: Why high performers get off track due to success—not failure The hidden cost of ignoring subtle feelings of disconnection and overwhelm Why "doing more" is the wrong solution when you feel stuck How your self-care routine directly impacts clarity, focus, and execution The fastest way to regain momentum: returning to fundamentals How to identify where you've said "yes" when you should've said "no" Why slowing down is the key to accelerating forward progress If you've been feeling off, overwhelmed, or out of alignment… this episode will show you exactly how to get back on track—fast. Time Stamps: 00:00: The feeling of being "off" despite success 02:30: Why high performers get stuck solving the wrong problem 04:53: Client story: success that created disconnection 09:21: The cost of abandoning self-care 15:30: Why doing more makes things worse 18:08: The real solution: slow down and return to fundamentals 23:24: Subtraction vs. addition: the path back to clarity 26:20: Reconnecting with what worked before I help high performers get unstuck and out of their own way to unlock their potential.  If you know you're capable of more but keep feeling stuck, private coaching may be the fastest path forward. Click here to apply to work with me. Follow me on Instagram: @thepaulsalter Watch on YouTube: @thepaulsalter

    28 min
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4.7
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About

The Unstuck High Performer Podcast is for successful people who know they're capable of more but feel stuck underperforming relative to their potential. Hosted by high-performance hypnotherapist and mindset coach Paul Salter, this show helps CEOs, founders, executives, entrepreneurs, and ambitious professionals identify and eliminate the invisible resistance keeping them trapped in hesitation, overthinking, inconsistency, burnout, and quiet self-sabotage. If you know what to do but aren't doing it consistently, this show will help you get unstuck, out of your own way, and perform at the level you know you're capable of.

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