The Game of Ten: Stop Overthinking and Start Trusting Yourself with Steve Barton - Episode 191

What if becoming a better leader isn't about gathering more information, analyzing more possibilities, or thinking harder?

In this episode of the Level Up Claims Podcast, Galen sits down with Steve Barton, high-performance executive coach and creator of the Game of Ten, for a conversation about the things that can quietly hold high achievers back: overthinking, fear, self-doubt, guilt, shame, and the constant need to control the outcome.

Steve shares the personal experience that took him from growing his family's flower business from roughly $200,000 to more than $2 million in annual sales to realizing that business success didn't automatically equal happiness. That realization ultimately led him into personal development, coaching, and the framework he now calls the Game of Ten.

The conversation gets into intuition, awareness, leadership, decision-making, personal growth, and why some of the smartest and most successful people can still get trapped in their own heads.

In this episode:

• Why successful people can still feel unfulfilled
• The difference between business success and internal confidence
• Steve's Game of Ten framework
• Why high achievers often get stuck in the "7, 8, or 9"
• How overthinking can become its own form of addiction
• Why awareness may be more valuable than simply collecting more information
• Learning to use thoughts, emotions, skills, and identity as tools rather than letting them control you
• The tension between logic and intuition in leadership
• Letting go of control and becoming more comfortable with uncertainty
• Steve's six phrases for getting back to the present moment
• What "leveling up" means when the goal isn't simply more success

At its core, this is a conversation about learning to stop second-guessing yourself, become more aware, and lead from a place of greater confidence and authenticity.