Episode Notes
In this episode, I sit down with Will Taylor, a psychotherapist and coach who takes founders into couples therapy with their businesses. We talk about the language founders use about their companies ("I've fallen out of love," "it's my baby") and why it mirrors the way people talk about relationships. Will shares how a volunteer role at a children's hospice started his journey, and how losing his brother at 14 taught him to hide his feelings. We explore how childhood messages become the rules we run our businesses by. Will also explains transactional analysis (parent, adult and child) and why the question isn't "do I want a successful business?" but "whose version of success is that?"
Don't miss the opportunity to take the first step towards a more fulfilling life. Book your complimentary clarity call today and discover how Will Polston can help you achieve the success you deserve. 💡 https://willpolston.com/book-a-call/
\ / / / \ \ \ / / / \ \ \ / / / \ \ \ / / / \ \ \ / / / \ \ \ /
00:00 - Introduction: two Wills
00:55 - Couples therapy for founders: "I've fallen out of love with my business"
03:15 - The empty-nest parallel, and the children's hospice that started his career
05:45 - Losing his brother at 14, and being told not to show his feelings
07:27 - Childhood voices and how they shape how we show up
10:02 - Anxiety, depression, and naming feelings accurately
13:22 - NLP, Erickson and Satir, and what an unhealthy relationship with your business looks like
16:18 - Anxious attachment, "work hard" as a script, and the gears-in-a-car analogy
18:24 - The business as a container for your story: whose version of success?
20:26 - Transactional analysis: parent, adult, and child
24:50 - The abandonment trigger, and not treating the feeling as truth
29:59 - Are entrepreneurs "free children"? Be More Pirate, and burgers in the Sahara
34:44 - "I need to divorce my business": living by someone else's rules
37:45 - Seasons of business, and scoring how you feel from 1 to 10
42:32 - The letter exercise: writing to your business, and its reply
45:32 - What changes afterward: owning the business you want
48:05 - Business partners, family businesses, and whose North Star you follow
50:29 - How to connect with Will, and the question he wishes people asked: "Why?"
\ / / / \ \ \ / / / \ \ \ / / / \ \ \ / / / \ \ \ / / / \ \ \ /
Relevant Links For the Viewer and Citations
Website - https://www.willpolston.com
Instagram - https://instagram.com/willpolston
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/willpolstonmih
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/willpolston/
Twitter / X - https://x.com/willpolston
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@willpolston
Learn more about Will Taylor here: https://www.willtaylor.co.uk/
About Me: I am dedicated to helping individuals and businesses unlock their true potential through expert coaching and training programs. I'm passionate about empowering others to achieve their dreams and live a life they love. Subscribe for more insights and tips on personal development, productivity, and achieving your goals. Let's embark on this journey together!