Episode 242

Released September 17, 2026

This week I sat down with Kenny Stoddart, who runs a leadership advisory firm specialising in identity reconstruction, executive performance, and cybersecurity leadership.

Kenny spent 27 years at the sharp end of the cybersecurity world, making his first fortune by the age of 24. He travelled the globe closing multi-million dollar deals, and from the outside it looked like everything was working. On the inside, he was quietly falling apart.

Kenny is refreshingly honest on the show about what the golden handcuffs cost him. Years of late nights, relentless expectation and no boundaries led to executive burnout, a battle with alcohol, and some serious health scares along the way. His turning point came when he finally raised his hand and asked for help. That single decision changed everything.

Today Kenny has swapped cybersecurity for a new mission. He is training as a clinical mental health counsellor and coaches high achievers through what he calls "identity gain," helping people find themselves again after work has swallowed them whole. His Iron Mind approach is built on 27 years of lived experience, not a certificate he picked up last week, and it shows.

What I loved most about our conversation was his reminder that boundaries are not the enemy of ambition. You can still strive. You can still do remarkable things. You simply have to decide that you matter too. Kenny is living proof that setting limits makes you more effective, not less.

• Why success on paper can hide real erosion underneath

• The slow drift into burnout, and the red flags to watch for

• How asking for help became Kenny's greatest sign of strength

• Working smart rather than working late, and why it delivers more

• The Iron Mind mentality and how it rebuilds identity from the inside out

Ultimately…

Kenny is saying that do not have to sacrifice yourself to stay at the top. The stuck, painful, rinse-and-repeat life is not the only way. There is, he believes, a better one, and it starts with a shift in mindset. Give yourself grace, set your boundaries, and remember that you matter too.

Kenny offers a free Identity OS assessment on his website. It cuts through the noise and shows you what is really holding you back. You will find it at ironmindadvisors.com along with more on his work and his eight guiding pillars.