Real Influence w/ Joey Vaillancourt

Hosted by Joey Vaillancourt

BusinessInterviews guests

Website RSS feed LinkedIn Instagram YouTube

Episodes

125

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

About the show

Welcome to Real Influence with Joey V, where you'll learn the tools and meet the people who can help you master the art of self-influence – the innate power we all have to transform our thoughts, beliefs, habits, and behaviors and lead more intentional, authentic, and inspired lives. In each episode, Joey Vaillancourt shares personal stories from his journey of radically reinventing his life and invites his guests to reveal the techniques they've used to overcome adversity and create success on their terms. Whether you're looking to grow your business, improve your relationship, or find more fulfillment in your personal life, Real Influence With Joey V is your place to discover how to lead yourself first and, in doing so, create a ripple effect that influences the world around you. If you're ready to stop letting the external forces around you control your reality and start transforming your life from the inside out, you've come to the right place. Check your ego at the door, drop the mask, and prepare to explore what's REAL—because that's where true influence begins.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

August 24, 2026Episode 5925 min

126.What I Want My Kids to Inherit From Me

My kids aren't waiting for me to teach them something. They're already learning. From how I respond when I'm tired. From how I treat my wife. From whether I look up when they're talking to me. From how I handle conflict. From the things I repeat every single day. And that realization changed the way I think about being a dad. In this episode, I share five things I'm intentionally doing in my own family: Be there. Be present. Be the leader. Don't let their energy set yours. Model it, because you're the mirror. Say what you want, not what you don't want. Say the same words every single day. This isn't about being a perfect parent. It's about becoming more aware of the things we're already handing down. Because most of us inherited a formula from our own parents. They inherited one too. And most of them were simply doing the best they could with what they had. Now it's our turn to decide what moves forward. And what stops with us. The question I'm leaving you with: What's one thing you want your kids to carry from you and are you living it or just saying it? Helpful Links: The Great Life Experiment You built the life. You hit the goals. But the pressure, overthinking, and old patterns still keep showing up. The Great Life Experiment is a free 30-day challenge with one question a day to help you uncover the unconscious patterns underneath it all. Take the FREE quiz here: Pressure Pattern Profile Quiz Chapters 00:00 What Are Your Kids Learning From You? 01:00 The Words I Say to My Kids Every Day 02:30 Why I Became Intentional About Parenting 04:34 Tip #1: Be There, Be Present 07:29 Tip #2: Be the Leader 12:05 Tip #3: Model It, Because You're the Mirror 16:22 Tip #4: Say What You Want, Not What You Don't 18:47 Tip #5: The Same Words Every Day 21:35 The Belief I Want My Kids to Carry 22:13 What Do You Want Your Kids to Inherit? Connect with Joey on your favourite social platforms! Joey Vaillancourt (Real Influence website) Instagram Facebook LinkedIn YouTube Enhance your mental clarity, focus, and brain wellness with NeuroVizr—get 10% off with code JOEYV. Transform your meditation and boost sleep, creativity, and focus with Sens.ai—save $100 with code REALINFLUENCE. About: Joey Vaillancourt is the host of Real Influence, a show for high performers who can't turn it off. If you've built the life, hit the goals, and still feel the pressure, this is for you. Joey helps entrepreneurs and executives rewire the unconscious patterns driving the need to force, fix, and prove, so they can achieve more by leading with presence instead of pressure.

August 18, 2026Episode 5834 min

125.I Read Every Comment on the David Bayer Video | Here's my Take

I spent $100,000 on coaching with David Bayer. When I shared my experience on YouTube, I got 157 comments. Some were supportive. Others questioned how I could possibly spend that much money, called the experience a scam or a cult, and wondered why anyone would pay for something they could learn for free. So almost ten months later, I went back through the comments. And what I found was more interesting than the comments themselves. Nobody gets mad at a $100,000 truck. Nobody gets angry when someone spends $100,000 on an MBA, a kitchen, or a wedding. But spend that money on your own mind and suddenly the conversation changes. This episode isn't about convincing you to spend $100,000 on coaching. It's about the beliefs underneath our reactions to money, investment, success, and personal transformation. I read some of the harshest comments word for word, concede where people were right, share the real story behind how I made the investment, and explain what actually changed for me. We also get into the difference between free information and commitment, whether the community I joined was really a "cult," the roughly 75% financial return I made from the investment, and the much bigger return that had nothing to do with money. Because sometimes the most revealing part of an experience isn't what happened. It's the story we attach to what happened. And the question I'm leaving you with is simple: What is something you could afford right now and still won't let yourself buy and whose voice is it when you tell yourself no? Helpful Links: The Great Life Experiment You built the life. You hit the goals. But the pressure, overthinking, and old patterns still keep showing up. The Great Life Experiment is a free 30-day challenge with one question a day to help you uncover the unconscious patterns underneath it all. Take the FREE quiz here: Pressure Pattern Profile Quiz Chapters 00:00 The $100K Comment That Started It All 03:06 Why I Spent $100,000 on Coaching 04:10 Nobody Gets Mad at a $100K Truck 05:46 The Truth About My Misleading Title 08:14 What $100K Really Meant to Me 13:07 The Money Beliefs We Inherit 15:09 Free Information vs. Real Commitment 20:10 Did I Join a Cult? 24:47 The Line Nobody Heard 26:04 The 75% Return Nobody Noticed 28:12 The Transformation Beyond Money 31:39 Whose Voice Is It When You Say No? Connect with Joey on your favourite social platforms! Joey Vaillancourt (Real Influence website) Instagram Facebook LinkedIn YouTube Enhance your mental clarity, focus, and brain wellness with NeuroVizr—get 10% off with code JOEYV. Transform your meditation and boost sleep, creativity, and focus with Sens.ai—save $100 with code REALINFLUENCE. About: Joey Vaillancourt is the host of Real Influence, a show for high performers who can't turn it off. If you've built the life, hit the goals, and still feel the pressure, this is for you. Joey helps entrepreneurs and executives rewire the unconscious patterns driving the need to force, fix, and prove, so they can achieve more by leading with presence instead of pressure.

August 3, 2026Episode 5710 min

124.Why Visualization Isn't Working (And The Missing Piece That Changes Everything)

Your biggest goal, made into a 5-minute film starring you. Watch how it works: https://joeyvaillancourt.com/future-reel/ For years, I thought I was doing visualization wrong. I'd close my eyes during guided meditations and see... nothing. While everyone else described vivid images and powerful experiences, I was left wondering if something was wrong with me. That question stayed with me until it sparked an idea that would eventually become Future Reel. In this video, I share the personal story behind that breakthrough, why traditional visualization doesn't work for everyone, and how combining cinematic storytelling with coaching can help you build a future your brain can actually connect with. If you've ever struggled to picture your future, this conversation was made for you. Helpful Links: The Great Life Experiment You built the life. You hit the goals. But the pressure, overthinking, and old patterns still keep showing up. The Great Life Experiment is a free 30-day challenge with one question a day to help you uncover the unconscious patterns underneath it all. Take the FREE quiz here: Pressure Pattern Profile Quiz Chapters 00:00 Why visualization never worked for me 00:20 Sitting in an Uber changed everything 00:54 "Am I broken?" My biggest frustration 01:26 Why some people visualize differently 02:03 The idea that became Future Reel 02:43 Why I decided to build it anyway 03:20 If visualization has never worked for you 03:54 What Future Reel actually is 04:38 Why seeing your future changes everything 05:38 What happened after I started using it 06:10 Why coaching is part of the process 06:49 Who Future Reel is for 07:10 What happens on the discovery call 07:46 Your next step Connect with Joey on your favourite social platforms! Joey Vaillancourt (Real Influence website) Instagram Facebook LinkedIn YouTube Enhance your mental clarity, focus, and brain wellness with NeuroVizr—get 10% off with code JOEYV. Transform your meditation and boost sleep, creativity, and focus with Sens.ai—save $100 with code REALINFLUENCE. About: Joey Vaillancourt is the host of Real Influence, a show for high performers who can't turn it off. If you've built the life, hit the goals, and still feel the pressure, this is for you. Joey helps entrepreneurs and executives rewire the unconscious patterns driving the need to force, fix, and prove, so they can achieve more by leading with presence instead of pressure.

July 27, 2026Episode 5617 min

123.How to Never Experience Failure Again with ONE Shift

For two decades I looked back on my life and saw a list of failures, the corporate job I left, the farm that folded, the marriage that ended, the masterminds I demanded refunds from. Black and white, right or wrong. Even the good stuff landed as proof I'd fallen short. This episode is about the word "failure" and how much of a life changes when you stop using it. I go through my own examples, one at a time and what each was actually training me for, including the belief I carried into every room that quietly guaranteed the outcome. Pain is real; the suffering is the story laid over it. You get to choose the meaning, and you're not behind, no matter what your past looks like. Helpful Links: The Great Life Experiment You built the life. You hit the goals. But the pressure, overthinking, and old patterns still keep showing up. The Great Life Experiment is a free 30-day challenge with one question a day to help you uncover the unconscious patterns underneath it all. Take the FREE quiz here: Pressure Pattern Profile Quiz Topics covered The glasses that changed everything and the prescription glasses couldn't fix Handed-down beliefs: the worldview you inherited without choosing Naming the inner prescription and testing it instead of obeying it Why evidence follows focus and how that keeps a belief alive Ownership vs. blame: not your fault, still your responsibility Chapters: 00:00 When everything looks like failure 00:33 Welcome to Real Influence 00:58 A quick thing before we start 01:20 The word I stopped using 02:20 Quitting hockey out of fear 03:46 The farm, the marriage, the "failures" 04:20 The masterminds and the refund clause 05:50 The moment I saw it was a choice 06:05 You're not behind — you're on time 08:28 Reframing each story for what it trained 13:33 Living your life as an experiment 15:00 Choosing the meaning from here Connect with Joey on your favourite social platforms! Joey Vaillancourt (Real Influence website) Instagram Facebook LinkedIn YouTube Enhance your mental clarity, focus, and brain wellness with NeuroVizr—get 10% off with code JOEYV. Transform your meditation and boost sleep, creativity, and focus with Sens.ai—save $100 with code REALINFLUENCE. About: Joey Vaillancourt is the host of Real Influence, a show for high performers who can't turn it off. If you've built the life, hit the goals, and still feel the pressure, this is for you. Joey helps entrepreneurs and executives rewire the unconscious patterns driving the need to force, fix, and prove, so they can achieve more by leading with presence instead of pressure.

July 20, 2026Episode 5216 min

122.Handed-Down Beliefs: Change the Prescription You Never Chose

At fourteen, I couldn't read the chalkboard and figured something was wrong with me. A friend handed me his glasses, the board came into focus, and my grades climbed from barely passing to the honor roll, nothing changed but my eyesight. It took another twenty years to notice I was wearing a second prescription I'd never chosen: the one on my whole worldview. This episode is about that second lens, the handed-down beliefs about money, trust, control, and worth that get installed before you're old enough to question them. The lens feels like reality, but it isn't permanent; it's testable. I walk through how to name the prescription you're looking through and check whether it's even yours, and why the same argument keeps following you into every new partner, job, and situation until you do. Helpful Links: The Great Life Experiment You built the life. You hit the goals. But the pressure, overthinking, and old patterns still keep showing up. The Great Life Experiment is a free 30-day challenge with one question a day to help you uncover the unconscious patterns underneath it all. Take the FREE quiz here: Pressure Pattern Profile Quiz Topics covered The glasses that changed everything and the prescription glasses couldn't fix Handed-down beliefs: the worldview you inherited without choosing Naming the inner prescription and testing it instead of obeying it Why evidence follows focus and how that keeps a belief alive Ownership vs. blame: not your fault, still your responsibility Chapters: 00:00 The blurry chalkboard 00:35 Welcome to Real Influence 00:55 A quick thing before we start 01:35 The kid who thought he wasn't smart 03:00 The day Jeff handed me his glasses 04:00 From 60s to the honor roll 05:15 "I don't think you'll cut it" 06:00 The prescription you can't take off 08:15 Name the lens, then test it 10:30 The belief that keeps repeating 11:35 The handed-down shirt that never fit 13:00 What lens are you looking through Connect with Joey on your favourite social platforms! Joey Vaillancourt (Real Influence website) Instagram Facebook LinkedIn YouTube Enhance your mental clarity, focus, and brain wellness with NeuroVizr—get 10% off with code JOEYV. Transform your meditation and boost sleep, creativity, and focus with Sens.ai—save $100 with code REALINFLUENCE. About: Joey Vaillancourt is the host of Real Influence, a show for high performers who can't turn it off. If you've built the life, hit the goals, and still feel the pressure, this is for you. Joey helps entrepreneurs and executives rewire the unconscious patterns driving the need to force, fix, and prove, so they can achieve more by leading with presence instead of pressure.

July 13, 2026Episode 5423 min

121.A Belief Is a Decision, Not a Fact — Rewriting the Success Formula You Never Chos

For twenty years I was sure success had a price, and the price was me. More hours, more strain, more proof that I was serious. Then one conversation asked me what success actually was — and how it made me feel and the answer fell apart in my hands. This episode is about the moment a belief stops looking like a fact and starts looking like a decision you can revisit. I walk through the Experiment Cycle — Notice → Flip → Run → Read — the loop I used to test the rule I'd never questioned, and what changed over the year after I stopped forcing. The point was never doing less. It was living closer to what's actually true for me instead of a formula I inherited by default. Helpful Links: The Great Life Experiment You built the life. You hit the goals. But the pressure, overthinking, and old patterns still keep showing up. The Great Life Experiment is a free 30-day challenge with one question a day to help you uncover the unconscious patterns underneath it all. Take the FREE quiz here: Pressure Pattern Profile Quiz Chapters: 00:00 The price I paid for twenty years 00:48 The formula you never chose 01:33 Looking busy vs. being productive 03:41 The Experiment Cycle: Notice → Flip → Run → Read 04:20 A belief is a decision, not a fact 05:50 Writing the new belief and stacking evidence 07:54 Picking the opposite on purpose 10:10 The campaign and the farm: proof it was easy 12:30 What happened when I ran the experiment 14:48 Six trips, an empowered team, double the revenue 17:24 Alignment over escape 19:47 The one belief to question this week Connect with Joey on your favourite social platforms! Joey Vaillancourt (Real Influence website) Instagram Facebook LinkedIn YouTube Enhance your mental clarity, focus, and brain wellness with NeuroVizr—get 10% off with code JOEYV. Transform your meditation and boost sleep, creativity, and focus with Sens.ai—save $100 with code REALINFLUENCE. About: Joey Vaillancourt is the host of Real Influence, a show for high performers who can't turn it off. If you've built the life, hit the goals, and still feel the pressure, this is for you. Joey helps entrepreneurs and executives rewire the unconscious patterns driving the need to force, fix, and prove, so they can achieve more by leading with presence instead of pressure.

July 6, 2026Episode 5318 min

120.The Self-Help Addiction Trap: When Personal Development Becomes Avoidance

There's a point where personal development stops helping and starts keeping you stuck. In this episode, Joey opens up about a pattern he's seen in himself over the past year: the urge to find one more coach, one more breakthrough, one more framework, one more answer. On the surface, it looks like growth. But underneath, it can become something else entirely — avoidance. If you've been stuck in self improvement, overthinking your next move, consuming more than you're creating, or feeling burned out by how much "work" you've already done on yourself, this episode is for you. You'll learn: Why self help addiction can feel productive while quietly keeping you stuck The difference between pain vs suffering — and how we create extra suffering by revisiting old stories How coaching addiction and constant learning can become procrastination through learning Why there's a point where you don't need more insight — you need reps How to tell when you actually need support… and when you just need to take action Helpful Links: The Great Life Experiment You built the life. You hit the goals. But the pressure, overthinking, and old patterns still keep showing up. The Great Life Experiment is a free 30-day challenge with one question a day to help you uncover the unconscious patterns underneath it all. Take the FREE quiz here: Pressure Pattern Profile Quiz Chapters: 00:00 The trap of always needing "more" 00:39 When personal development becomes addiction 01:48 Pain vs suffering 02:25 The validation loop behind coaching addiction 03:05 Why I thought I needed another mentor 04:17 The question that stopped me from hiring another coach 05:07 Alignment vs fear 06:06 Choosing a coach whose life you actually want 06:59 The next offer… and the same hesitation 08:53 Breakthroughs, blind spots, and reopening old stories 10:53 Why talking about old problems can keep them alive 12:17 You don't need to fix every area right now 13:22 Taking action vs learning more 14:28 The hamster wheel of self improvement 15:23 What you probably need now is reps Connect with Joey on your favourite social platforms! Joey Vaillancourt (Real Influence website) Instagram Facebook LinkedIn YouTube Enhance your mental clarity, focus, and brain wellness with NeuroVizr—get 10% off with code JOEYV. Transform your meditation and boost sleep, creativity, and focus with Sens.ai—save $100 with code REALINFLUENCE. About: Joey Vaillancourt is the host of Real Influence, a show for high performers who can't turn it off. If you've built the life, hit the goals, and still feel the pressure, this is for you. Joey helps entrepreneurs and executives rewire the unconscious patterns driving the need to force, fix, and prove, so they can achieve more by leading with presence instead of pressure.

June 29, 2026Episode 5218 min

119.The Five Regrets of the Dying and What They Can Teach High Performers Today

Most people don't wait until the end of life to discover what's important. They simply wait too long to act on what they've known all along. Inspired by Bronnie Ware's The Five Regrets of the Dying, this episode explores the hidden pattern behind the most common life regrets and why so many ambitious people unknowingly build lives around expectations instead of intention. If you've been caught in hustle culture, constantly postponing happiness until the next milestone, this episode offers a different perspective. Rather than blowing up your life, Joey explains how small shifts in awareness can help you reconnect with what actually matters. In this episode • The real meaning behind the five deathbed regrets • Why high performers are especially vulnerable to burnout • How societal expectations quietly shape our decisions • Why authentic living begins with better questions • Reflection exercises to help you start course correcting today Chapters 00:00 The Question Successful People Avoid 00:42 The Five Regrets of the Dying 02:06 One Pattern Behind Every Regret 03:14 Why This Book Changed My Life 05:28 The Five Deathbed Regrets 07:38 Whose Life Are You Living? 09:52 The "Later" That Never Comes 11:18 Borrow the Clarity Now 12:15 Course Correct Without Starting Over 13:49 Awareness Is the Beginning 15:02 Final Reflections Connect with Joey on your favourite social platforms! https://joeyvaillancourt.com/ https://www.instagram.com/joeyvaillancourt/ https://www.facebook.com/joey.vaillancourt.9/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/joey-vaillancourt/ https://www.youtube.com/@joeyvaillancourt-realinfluence https://joeyvaillancourt.com/the-30-day-challenge/ Enhance your mental clarity, focus, and brain wellness with NeuroVizr—get 10% off with code JOEYV. https://neurovizr.com/?ref=rirxqhll Transform your meditation and boost sleep, creativity, and focus with Sens.ai—save $100 with code REALINFLUENCE. https://sens.ai/realinfluence About: Joey Vaillancourt is the host of Real Influence — a show for high performers who can't turn it off. If you've built the life, hit the goals, and still feel the pressure — this is for you. Joey helps entrepreneurs and executives rewire the unconscious patterns driving the need to force, fix, and prove, so they can achieve more by leading with presence instead of pressure.

June 22, 2026Episode 5123 min

118.My Wife Asked Me One Question at 9PM (It Changed My Whole Life)

It's 9 PM. You told yourself you'd be done hours ago. But you're still answering messages, checking one more thing, handling one more problem, and convincing yourself that this season is temporary. For many entrepreneurs and high performers, the issue isn't a lack of discipline. It's not poor time management. It's a subconscious pattern that equates being needed with being valuable. In this episode, Joey Vaillancourt shares the personal story that changed his relationship with work, family, and success. From hustle culture conditioning to high functioning anxiety and the constant need to stay available, he explores why so many successful people struggle to actually be present in their own lives. This conversation is about nervous system regulation, awareness, work life balance, and learning how to stop overworking without sacrificing your ambitions. The goal isn't doing less. The goal is becoming someone who can fully experience the life they're working so hard to build. Topics Covered High performer burnout and hidden pressure patterns Why being available is not the same as being present The relationship between overworking and identity Stress management for entrepreneurs High functioning anxiety and subconscious conditioning The downside of hustle culture How nervous system regulation supports sustainable success Practical ways to reconnect with what matters most Chapters: 00:00 The 9 PM Moment 01:11 Why Overworking Isn't a Time Problem 02:37 Being Available vs Being Present 03:41 The Night That Changed Everything 05:04 The Wake-Up Call From My Wife 06:21 Repeating the Same Pattern 07:16 What You're Really Working For 08:08 Principle 1: Available Is Not Present 10:02 Principle 2: Pressure Is a Learned Pattern 12:25 Principle 3: The Life You're Protecting 15:43 Principle 4: You Don't Need to Leave to Change 18:36 Finding Peace Before the Next Milestone 18:52 Awareness Is the First Shift 20:08 The Question That Changes Everything Connect with Joey on your favourite social platforms! https://joeyvaillancourt.com/ https://www.instagram.com/joeyvaillancourt/ https://www.facebook.com/joey.vaillancourt.9/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/joey-vaillancourt/ https://www.youtube.com/@joeyvaillancourt-realinfluence https://joeyvaillancourt.com/the-30-day-challenge/ Enhance your mental clarity, focus, and brain wellness with NeuroVizr—get 10% off with code JOEYV. https://neurovizr.com/?ref=rirxqhll Transform your meditation and boost sleep, creativity, and focus with Sens.ai—save $100 with code REALINFLUENCE. https://sens.ai/realinfluence About: Joey Vaillancourt is the host of Real Influence — a show for high performers who can't turn it off. If you've built the life, hit the goals, and still feel the pressure — this is for you. Joey helps entrepreneurs and executives rewire the unconscious patterns driving the need to force, fix, and prove, so they can achieve more by leading with presence instead of pressure.

June 15, 2026Episode 5025 min

117.I Was Called A B-Grader And I Didn't Take It Well (How to Receive Feedback)

Why do some comments stay with us for years while others roll right off our backs? In this episode, Joey Vaillancourt explores the hidden reason feedback feels so personal and why criticism often triggers something much deeper than the conversation itself. Using a personal story about receiving difficult workplace feedback, Joey breaks down the beliefs, emotions, and unconscious patterns that shape how we respond when someone points out a weakness, challenge, or blind spot. You'll learn how to receive feedback with a growth mindset, separate facts from stories, and use criticism as a tool for self-leadership rather than self-judgment. If you're a high performer who struggles with criticism, overthinking, or feeling not enough, this episode will give you a practical framework for responding differently. TheGreatLifeExperiment.ca — You built life. You hit the goals. But the pressure never actually left. The Great Life Experiment is a free 30-day challenge with one powerful question each day to help uncover the unconscious patterns driving stress and suffering. Start here → thegreatlifeexperiment.ca 🔗 Take the FREE Pressure Pattern Profile Quiz → https://joeyvaillancourt.com/pressure-pattern-quiz/ Topics Covered • Why feedback feels threatening • Constructive feedback vs personal identity • How to stop taking criticism personally • The beliefs driving emotional reactions • The Real Influence Ladder framework • Emotional regulation during difficult conversations • Receiving feedback with a growth mindset Timestamps 00:00 The Feedback That Haunted Me for Years 01:05 Why Feedback Feels Personal 02:13 The Belief Behind Every Reaction 03:21 Feedback Is a Mirror, Not a Verdict 04:22 The "B Player" Story 06:38 Why Meaning Creates Suffering 09:02 What Feedback Meant Growing Up 10:16 Separating Facts From Stories 11:08 A Real-Life Example at Home 13:20 The Question That Changes Everything 15:03 The Real Influence Ladder 18:56 Feedback as Information, Not Identity 21:18 The Gift Hidden Inside Criticism Connect with Joey on your favourite social platforms! https://joeyvaillancourt.com/ https://www.instagram.com/joeyvaillancourt/ https://www.facebook.com/joey.vaillancourt.9/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/joey-vaillancourt/ https://www.youtube.com/@joeyvaillancourt-realinfluence https://joeyvaillancourt.com/the-30-day-challenge/ Enhance your mental clarity, focus, and brain wellness with NeuroVizr—get 10% off with code JOEYV. https://neurovizr.com/?ref=rirxqhll Transform your meditation and boost sleep, creativity, and focus with Sens.ai—save $100 with code REALINFLUENCE. https://sens.ai/realinfluence About: Joey Vaillancourt is the host of Real Influence — a show for high performers who can't turn it off. If you've built the life, hit the goals, and still feel the pressure — this is for you. Joey helps entrepreneurs and executives rewire the unconscious patterns driving the need to force, fix, and prove, so they can achieve more by leading with presence instead of pressure.