The 12-year-old who needed approval is still running your business meetings.

Last March, my wife and son flew to the States without me. I stayed behind in Guatemala. And that old voice showed up: the one that panics at being left out, unloved, unchosen. I call it the Founder’s Phantom. It’s not strategy. It’s not mindset.

It’s a ghost.

You didn’t just build your business; you built it from someone you’ve outgrown. And if that old self is still in charge, your future is being haunted.

In this episode, I name the real reason your leadership still feels reactive, your confidence still crumbles, and your decisions still smell like fear: you’re obeying a ghost.

We break down why old survival scripts still lead the room and how to finally lay them to rest.

✦ In This Episode:

* The 3 laws of how the Founder’s Phantom hijacks your growth

* Why success never kills your ghosts, it just gives them bigger stages

* How to tell if your past self is still driving your decisions

* A 3-step “Phantom Funeral” to reclaim present-moment leadership

✦ Reflection Prompts:

* What version of me still panics when the stakes get high?

* What fear is my success strategy actually built on?

* What would I build if I wasn’t obeying my old wounds?

✦ The Boost (Action Step)

* Name the Phantom - Get specific. Who were they? What did they fear?

* Honor the Service - Write down what they gave you. Then thank them… out loud.

* Perform the Release - Say this in the mirror: “You kept me alive. You’re not in charge anymore. I am.” Then burn the paper. Let it go.

If you’re ready to build from alignment instead of old adaptation, book your No-Cost Identity Clarity Call, let’s find the phantom behind your patterns.

✦ On the Next Episode:

Friendship ROI: The Cost of Keeping People Who Knew the Old You

Because sometimes the hardest phantom to release isn’t inside you, it’s the people still expecting you to stay small.

✦ If This Episode Sparked Something…

* Forward it to someone who’s outgrown their old self

* Subscribe to Daily Power Boost for rhythm-based identity shifts

* Join the R.E.A.L. Mastery™ Hub: realmasteryhub.com

* Apply for Beyond the Boost live coaching sessions

✦ Engage With Me Online:

* Instagram: @coachshawnmichael

* TikTok: @coachshawnmichael

* YouTube: @coachshawnmichael

* LinkedIn: @coachinguatemala

✦ References & Influences:

* Transforming Your Self by Steve Andreas - On how identity structure, not trauma alone, drives behavior

* The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks - On the upper limit problem and letting go of old identity ceilings

* When the Body Says No by Gabor Maté - On how performance patterns root in early survival roles

* The Ultimate Coach by Steve Hardison – On BEing versus proving and letting your new self lead

With strength & heart 👊❤️,

Shawn Michael

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