Internal Momentum

Ben Wendel
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Internal Momentum is a podcast about the moment something finally moves out of the way. Not the advice you already know.Not the strategy you’ve heard a hundred times.But the internal shift that made different behaviour possible in the first place. We all know what we should do.Eat better. Train consistently. Have the hard conversation. Focus. Commit. Lead properly. And yet… we don’t. So the real question isn’t what to do.It’s what changed internally when someone finally did it. This podcast is built around a single, quiet question: What shifted inside you that made the new behaviour inevitable? Through long-form conversations with founders, operators, leaders, creatives, and high-performers, we explore: the internal blocks people were carrying without realising itthe beliefs, identities, or fears that were quietly in the waythe perspective shifts that dissolved resistance rather than overpowering itthe moments where effort was replaced by clarityhow momentum returns when you stop fighting yourselfThese aren’t motivational stories or tactical playbooks.They’re conversations about internal transformation, the reframes, realisations, and internal decisions that changed how someone showed up day after day. Because sustainable momentum doesn’t come from more discipline.It comes from removing the friction inside the person. If you’re building something, a passion, a business, a life - and you’re tired of trying to force yourself forward, this podcast is an invitation to look at what’s actually in the way… and what happens when it finally shifts.

Episodes

  1. 6D AGO

    Rueben Taylor: Identity Is The Bottleneck

    Identity Is The Bottleneck Most business owners don’t fail because they’re lazy. They fail because the business never stops needing them. In this episode, Ben sits down with Rueben Taylor, founder of Business Success Educators and his business coach of more than a decade, to unpack what actually separates businesses that scale from businesses that slowly collapse under the weight of the owner. This is a conversation about the hard identity shift every founder must make if they want to get off the tools and stop being the bottleneck. Rueben explains why so many businesses fall apart in the first few years, why “working harder” is usually the trap, and what it really takes to build systems, structure, and a team that can run without constant owner involvement. Ben and Rueben also go deep into the brutal lessons Rueben learned firsthand, including the collapse of a tech startup that left him nearly a million dollars in debt and how that experience reshaped everything he teaches about sustainability, leadership, and business design. We talk about: Why messy businesses feel heavy (and how to fix it)The shift from operator to ownerWhy most founders secretly struggle to let goWhat happens when the business owns youHow to build something that can grow without breaking youIf your business feels chaotic, stressful, or overly dependent on you… About the guest Rueben Taylor is the founder of Business Success Educators, where he helps business owners build companies that scale beyond the founder through strategy, systems, leadership, and long-term structure. Business Success Educators: https://businesssuccesseducators.com.au

    46 min

  2. FEB 7

    Kagan Ryder: The Habit Loop Trap

    The Habit Loop TrapMost people already know what they should be doing. Eat better. Move more. Stop the junk. Cut the habits. But knowing isn’t the issue. Follow-through is. In this episode, Ben sits down with his personal trainer, Kagan Ryder from Break Habit Personal Development & Fitness Training, to unpack why “more discipline” usually fails and what is actually running the show when you find yourself eating, drinking, or repeating a behaviour you genuinely don’t want. This isn’t a fitness chat. It’s a conversation about subconscious programming. Kagan breaks down the habit loop: trigger, routine, dopamine, emotional response. He explains why so many destructive behaviours aren’t real choices in the moment. They are automated scripts. Ben shares real examples like ending up at the fridge without remembering walking there, chasing energy drinks the moment the fuel light comes on, and how overwhelm at work quietly triggers avoidance behaviours. We also talk about identity. Why people feel like imposters when they try to change. How a new identity is built by stacking small wins. And why success can actually intensify self-sabotage until you make a clear internal decision about who you are now. The conversation goes deeper into family dynamics, early conditioning, and why some habits form as a way to claim control, even when they keep you stuck. Kagan explains how hypnosis fits into his work, why you do not lose control, and how it can help rewrite subconscious patterns when willpower is not enough. To wrap it up, Kagan shares one simple strategy you can try this week to interrupt any habit loop. Delay. Just five minutes. Not forever. Not perfection. Just enough to bring the pattern back into conscious awareness and start rewiring it. If you have ever said “I don’t know why I keep doing this,” this episode will land. About the guest Kagan Ryder is the founder of Break Habit Personal Development & Fitness Training. He helps clients create sustainable change by combining strength training, nutrition, mindset coaching, and hypnosis, with a focus on breaking self-sabotage patterns and building the skill sets behind long-term consistency. Break Habit: https://breakhabit.com.au

    49 min

  3. JAN 31

    Christine Lenghaus: Maths Is A Superpower

    Maths Is A Superpower Most people don’t “hate maths.”They hate what maths made them believe about themselves. In this episode of the Internal Momentum podcast, Ben sits down with Christine Lenghaus, founder of Maths Heroes, to unpack the moment so many kids quietly decide, “I’m not a maths person.” And how that single belief can follow them for decades. This isn’t a conversation about formulas.It’s a conversation about identity, confidence, and the invisible “math story” we carry. We talk about why maths becomes a memory test instead of a thinking skill, how “tricks” create overload, and why understanding patterns changes everything. Christine breaks down her simple but powerful learning model, building mental “freeways” through repetition and connection, and shares practical ways parents can help at home using games, dice, and doubling. Ben brings the parent perspective too. How encouragement shapes a child’s internal voice, why some kids see maths like a puzzle, and others see it as proof they’re not smart. Then we go bigger. Christine shares what it was like teaching in Kenya, 270 students in one room, limited supplies, and an unforgettable hunger to learn. That experience sharpened her core philosophy. The job isn’t to demand students come to your level. It’s to meet them where they are and cross the bridge together. We also dive into Christine’s long-term mission. Creating a true home for mathematics in Australia. A cultural shift where maths is celebrated, accessible, and something kids can feel proud of. If you’ve ever said or thought, “I’m just not good at maths,” this one will challenge that story. About the guestChristine Lenghaus is the founder of Maths Heroes. She helps students rebuild confidence through concept-first learning, not rote tricks, and is passionate about making maths feel like curiosity, problem-solving, and real-world power, not something to suffer through.Maths Heroes: https://mathsheroes.com.au/

    45 min

  4. JAN 25

    Rosie Kriskans: The Confidence You Wear

    The Confidence You Wear Most people don’t hire a stylist because they “like clothes.”They do it because something in their life has shifted… and the outside hasn’t caught up yet. In this episode, Ben sits down with his personal stylist, Rosie Kriskans from Stylish Agency, to unpack what’s really happening when someone says, “I don’t know what looks good on me.” This isn’t a fashion chat.It’s a conversation about identity. We talk about why people lose confidence in their taste, how old comments and early criticism become lifelong rules, and why so many men outsource their wardrobe for decades without realising what it’s costing them. Rosie explains the hidden psychology behind style, including the Reticular Activating System (the brain’s “bouncer”) and why you default to what feels safe, familiar, and invisible. Ben shares what changed after learning to dress himself for the first time and how that shift impacted dating, relationships, business, and the way people responded to him. We also get into the uncomfortable truth that everyone judges a book by its cover, whether they admit it or not, and why “I don’t care what I wear” is often protection, not confidence. Then we go deeper into Rosie’s own story: growing up with very little, building style through creativity, losing her father, and making the decision to go all-in on her business. We talk about financial fear, imposter syndrome, and the mindset tool that helped her stop believing every negative thought. One theme keeps coming back throughout the conversation:Clothes are the icing on the cake.Confidence is the product. If you’ve ever felt stuck in an old version of yourself, this episode will land.About the guest Rosie Kriskans is the founder of Stylish Agency and a Perth-based personal stylist who helps men and women build wardrobes that actually match who they are now — not who they were five years ago. Her work blends practical styling (fit, colour, body shape, wardrobe edits, personal shopping) with something deeper: giving people permission to be seen. Stylish Agency: https://stylish.agency

    55 min

  5. JAN 18

    Toni Basile: Boundaries Change The Dance

    Boundaries Change the DanceMost people do not stay stuck because they are lazy.They stay stuck because the old pattern feels safer than changing it. In this episode of the Internal Momentum podcast, I sit down with Toni Basile from Epic Coaching and Consultancy. Toni has spent 36 years working with people and she is one of the few humans I have met who can hear what is really going on underneath the words. This is not a fluffy mindset chat. It is about the stories we build, the fear that drives our decisions, and the invisible habits that keep repeating until you finally deal with them. We talk about why the same issues keep showing up in new jobs, new relationships, and new seasons. Why being triggered by someone is often a clue, not a problem. How to understand someone’s “map” by asking better questions and actually listening. And why one person changing their behaviour can shift an entire family system. A few key themes we cover: Fear of ambiguity and how it quietly runs your lifeWhy people focus on the one negative and ignore the five positivesHow to give feedback without invalidating someoneBoundaries that actually stick, not just boundaries you talk aboutWhy change is not a breakthrough moment, it is practice plus structureI also share the personal side. Toni coached me through some things I had carried for decades, and the flow-on effect has hit everything. My relationships, my stress levels, the way I lead, and the way I show up. If you are leading a team, raising kids, building a business, or just sick of repeating the same loop, this episode will hit. About the guestToni Basile is the founder of Epic Coaching and Consultancy. With 36 years of experience across government and human services, Toni helps people identify the narratives driving their behaviour, build stronger boundaries, and make changes that hold. Website: epictransformations.com.auSocials:@gravityfloat@epictransform@epic-care

    58 min

  6. JAN 14

    Louise Ridlen: Leaders Bring The Weather

    Leaders Bring the Weather Most businesses don’t fail because of strategy.They fail because of the person at the top. In this episode, Louise Ridlen explains what actually breaks when a business grows and why most founders never see it coming. She’s spent 30+ years in tech and over seven years building Peppermint IT. But this is not an IT episode. It’s a leadership one. We talk about why people are scared of technology and why fear, not skill, is the real bottleneck. Why clicking the button is often the difference between progress and stagnation. And how “I’m not a tech person” becomes a lifelong excuse that quietly limits capable people. Louise breaks down the hardest shift founders face when they stop working solo and start building a team. The income drop no one warns you about. The frustration of caring more than your staff ever will. The moment you realise that expecting others to think like you is the fastest way to burn out. One idea keeps coming back throughout the conversation.Leaders bring the weather. If you walk in stressed, reactive, or uncertain, that becomes the environment your team operates in. If you bring clarity and belief, everything changes. We also talk about systems, AI, and automation, but without the hype. Why you can’t automate chaos. Why AI doesn’t fix broken workflows. And why most businesses are trying to scale before they’ve ever written down how work actually flows from start to finish. There’s also a personal side to this conversation. Louise shares where her urgency comes from. Why she refuses to stay miserable. And how optimism is something you practise, not something you’re born with. If you’re building a business, leading a team, or wondering why things feel harder than they should, this episode will hit.Not because it’s clever.Because it’s true. About the guest Louise Ridlen is the founder of Peppermint IT, a female-led managed IT services business focused on helping organisations feel confident with technology rather than overwhelmed by it. With over 30 years in the industry, Louise works closely with business owners to build clear systems, practical workflows, and solid tech foundations that support how people actually work. Peppermint IT: https://peppermint-it.au/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louise-ridlen-peppermint-it-53b66019/

    54 min
  • 6 Episodes

About

Internal Momentum is a podcast about the moment something finally moves out of the way. Not the advice you already know.Not the strategy you’ve heard a hundred times.But the internal shift that made different behaviour possible in the first place. We all know what we should do.Eat better. Train consistently. Have the hard conversation. Focus. Commit. Lead properly. And yet… we don’t. So the real question isn’t what to do.It’s what changed internally when someone finally did it. This podcast is built around a single, quiet question: What shifted inside you that made the new behaviour inevitable? Through long-form conversations with founders, operators, leaders, creatives, and high-performers, we explore: the internal blocks people were carrying without realising itthe beliefs, identities, or fears that were quietly in the waythe perspective shifts that dissolved resistance rather than overpowering itthe moments where effort was replaced by clarityhow momentum returns when you stop fighting yourselfThese aren’t motivational stories or tactical playbooks.They’re conversations about internal transformation, the reframes, realisations, and internal decisions that changed how someone showed up day after day. Because sustainable momentum doesn’t come from more discipline.It comes from removing the friction inside the person. If you’re building something, a passion, a business, a life - and you’re tired of trying to force yourself forward, this podcast is an invitation to look at what’s actually in the way… and what happens when it finally shifts.

Information

  • Creator
    Ben Wendel
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    6
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Ben Wendel
  • Show Website
    Internal Momentum