Ryan Zokol
LEAD TITAN
High-Performance, Leadership, & Transformation Educator & Coach.
I am a high performance and transformation coach, inspirational speaker, lifestyle entrepreneur, and COO with a commitment to transform what it means to be a human being on this planet. I ask you to consider...
“what would the world look like if everyone was a proud and confident human being who was empowered in who they are and who others are”?
From a national gold medal athlete to a drug addict living out of my car to COO, speaker, and coach, I have gone through my share of incredible highs and devastating lows to discover what it means to be the Titan in my own life. I have worked with countless individuals on how to transform their lives so that they get to experience their own greatness and discover being unstoppable in every area of their lives.
My Story
I went from being a national gold medal athlete to a drug addict living out of my car. My life has been a series of incredible highs and devastating lows. Born and raised in Vancouver, Canada, I spent my elementary and high school years competing around the province and country in swimming and rowing. Taking home numerous provincial gold medals in swimming and national gold medals in rowing, my life looked outstanding and I was encouraged to consider the Olympics as a possible future and had a full ride scholarship lined up with Harvard Business School.
Underneath the promising exterior was a mass of struggle, confusion, depression and hurt. Problems with my family, issues with my sexuality like coming to terms with being a gay man, negative mental thoughts, and low self-confidence had me throw away my promising future and turn to distractions in order to escape. It wasn’t long before I began drinking and doing drugs on a regular basis and eventually found myself addicted to Crystal Meth. Five years into my addiction had me in a very dark place, spending time with the wrong people, and getting involved in criminal activities.
My second chance came as I was handcuffed to the side of the road being interrogated by police. I came face to face with two options for my future; one to continue down the path that I was on, the other to see what could be possible on the other side. Luckily I chose the latter. Taking it upon myself, I cleaned myself up with the help of friends, family and a lot of willpower. I decided to see what could be on the other side if I faced the darkness and went through it rather than run from it.
While working through the darkness, I went on to study marketing communications and completed my Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with Distinction. I set myself up as a self-employed graphic designer and then created a marketing and events company with two partners.
For the past 6 years, I was the Chief Operating Officer and VP of Marketing & Operations for 2 different dental institutes respectfully. During my tenure at these companies, the institutes grew rapidly and were able to compete on a global stage.
As of 2020, I am a co-founder of Yellow Cross, a company specializing in the education, protocols, and certification for businesses from an infection control and prevention standpoint in order to make a difference with the global pandemic of COVID-19.
After completing my BBA, I got involved in the field of personal and professional development. It was not long before I discovered my passion for coaching and leadership and my quest to understand what has made some individuals reach for the stars while others give up before they start.
Since then, I have committed myself to make a difference in the world on a global level. My core message is “Get your greatness. Be unstoppable.”
My commitment is to transform what it means to be a human being on this planet. I ask you to consider “What would the world look like if everyone was a proud and confident human being who was empowered in who they are and who others are? What would that mean for communities, businesses, countries, and the planet as a whole? What do you think we could accomplish if even a fraction of the planet operated this way?”
My Why
I see a world around me that is suffering. all you need to do is take a look at the state we are in, the number of individuals suffering with mental health problems, the cultural norms that you see across social media, how the government tackles issues, how the world reacts to crisis, the state of our environment, and countless other issues. There are exceptions to the rule, but for the most part, it is my opinion that we need to shift how this world thinks and acts.
It pains me to see young kids (and adults) dealing with crippling issues. Growing up being teased & bullied, confused about your sexuality and not having any support, not having enough money to eat, being judged about what you look like, being abused in any way shape or form, etc.
These are only the large issues that are visible. There are a myriad of other issues that are going on under the surface that rarely get addressed until they fester long enough to become visible. We then deal with the issues when they become large enough to be a big problem.
The problem is that we are never trained in how to think, how to empower ourselves, how to look at problems, how to discover who we are and create who we would like to be. Because there is an absence here, all of a sudden we find ourselves as adults dealing with the incomplete issues that originated from when we were young. By that time, we have been convinced dreams are not possible, that only rare individuals can make a change in this world. We find ourselves fighting for our mediocrity and we are convinced that this is the pinnacle of what is possible for our lives and ourselves. How can anyone be empowered to make a difference in the world when we can’t even empower ourselves? Do you know what the results of all these issues are? It is the world that you see before you. It is demonstrated in the narcissistic trend amongst young social media users, it can be seen in how much teachers are paid, it is apparent in the metal detectors in high schools, it is evident in how government issues policies, it can be seen in the resignation that you see in the eyes and words of the people on the street.
I also see something else possible; I see a new future where what it means to be a human being on this planet looks completely different. I see something that gives me hope. after going through my unique journey, and coming to understand who I am and how I developed, I believe that it is my responsibility to step up as a leader and make as much of a difference in the world as I can. This is my calling, MY WHY. I can’t sit back and coast through life when I know that what I have to say can make a difference. Besides, It gives me so much juice to have others win in their own lives.
I see a new world where people are empowered in who they are and what they are up to. I see a world where people have skin in the game to make this world a better place. I see a world where people are in love with who they are and what they are up to in their lives. I see a world where children have the skills to heal themselves and others. I see a world where governments can make a radical change to our societies. I see a world where businesses can foster positive growth in multiple areas. I see a world where we heal our environment that we have damaged so much.
I understand that what I am proposing is a large undertaking. But I am certain it has to happen, if we want to take this world into any semblance of a bright future. I will step up and be a leader. This is my calling, my why. I am here to raise you up, to empower you, to have you discover who you are, your greatness and to be unstoppable living the life of your dreams.
You are a Titan.
