“All I know is that as we age the weight of our unsorted baggage becomes heavier”

Bruce Springsteen

About our guest

For fans of the show Billions, Devin Martin has been called “the real-life Wendy Rhoades”.  He is the founder of Lifestyle Integrity, and has been the #1 ranked executive life coach in New York City according to Yelp and Google. We were thrilled to sit down with him, not only because of his expertise coaching world-class leaders, but he has also been a guest on some of the best podcasts in our industry. He coaches executives in business, finance, politics, media, and education through both personal and professional development. His goal is to help clients, many of whom have achieved material success, to be able to attain fulfillment in their work and lives. In the most simplistic terms, Devin helps clients make life altering decisions. As he stated perfectly in this episode: “We run amok in the world without figuring ourselves out.”  

Devin’s website offers the following description that many professionals climbing the corporate ladder can relate to: “Seeking happiness through achievement often feels like chasing the horizon. Success is material. Fulfillment is immaterial. Achieving your goals can become an existential crisis. If you don’t know yourself, you don’t know what comes next. What comes after success? Do you know your purpose? How about your demons? Are you cultivating your creativity? What impact do you want your life to have? Do you know why you are alive?” It’s fair to say this episode covers some heavy topics.

Devin began coaching full-time after going through his own personal struggles and a life altering transition. After years of living what he called “a double life” where his work and personal lives had become completely detached from one another, he fell into a deep depression. Only after he stepped into a phase of self-discovery to better understand himself was he able to find fulfillment and help others do the same.

Who is this episode for?

As we always say, the podcast is about understanding how high-performers have made important decisions in their lives. For this reason, it made sense to interview a coach who helps people do that. If you feel “stuck” or unfulfilled in your career path or life more broadly, this conversation is for you. Why is this important? As another guest of the podcast, Tom Morgan, recently wrote: “One critical role of a financial advisor is to help their clients feel secure enough to identify and pursue what brings them alive.” I have faced my own questions, so it is probably not a coincidence I have developed a practice working with busy professionals who often grapple with many of the topics we discuss in the episode. 

Our conversation

First, Devin answers an important question I did not know the answer to: “what is a life coach?”. We laughed about how this term can mean pretty much anything and can often be viewed with skepticism. Devin explains how he views coaching through “four pillars”: career, health, spirituality, and relationships. While many clients approach him focused on one area, he coaches his clients to understand that the “whole system” must move in lockstep versus viewing these areas of life as separate things that don’t interact. Devin discusses his own experiences as well as the specific approaches he uses with his coaching clients to help them live a life of fulfillment.

Devin explains how high performers are often struggling internally, and they tend to create environments where they don’t slow down or relax to feel uncomfortable with whatever the underlying issue may be. However, Devin believes when we can sit in the “uncomfortable” long enough the answers to hard questions become clear. We discuss useful frameworks for decision-making, helpful resources, books, as well as common questions and problems he works with his clients on. While you may not take a year off to live in a cabin in the mountains of North Carolina, so many people can relate to Devin’s journey and work in their own way. Thanks to Devin for sitting down with us, and we hope you enjoy this episode.

Disclosures