“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams,” quoted Eleanor Roosevelt—a sentiment that perfectly encapsulates the mission of Ryan Nicholas Leong Wei Ren. As Singapore’s first GENIUS Generation Youth Coach and the Top Youth Coach of 2024, Ryan is on a novel path to help young people stretch their career dreams and become irresistibly attractive for the jobs of the 21st century.

Ryan is a multi-talented visionary who excels in multiple roles, including Flow Consultant, Design Thinking Specialist, and Worldbuilding AI Educator. His strategic mindset, shaped by his time at the National University of Singapore, experiences with award-winning startups, and transformative leadership positions, has led him to become a bestselling author, international speaker, and innovative leader, celebrated globally in business features, videos, podcasts, and articles.

Ryan’s true passion lies in empowering the next generation to unlock their full potential. As an accredited, award-winning mentor who has already impacted thousands of children, youth, and adults, his aim is clear: to accelerate the development of life skills critical for navigating the rapidly changing, post-pandemic world.

At the core of Ryan’s approach is a deep understanding of an individual’s unique personality, learning styles, and innate talents. By integrating tools like the Genius Test—a transformational profiling tool combining Eastern and Western wisdom—he guides his mentees toward self-awareness, self-mastery, and the ability to express their ideas through fulfilling and financially rewarding careers effortlessly.

With a focus on timeless skills like ‘Super Thinking’ (300+ mental models for cultivating mindsets), ‘The Formula’ (curating conditions for success and fulfillment), and generative AI for simulative improvement, Ryan is equipping the younger generation with the tools they need to excel in an era of exponential change.

Let’s explore his inspirational journey in detail!

The Art of Personalized Mentorship—A Transformative Approach

In personal development, Ryan’s approach stands out as a masterful blend of individualized guidance and empowering frameworks. He begins by explaining, “After much intensive exploration throughout the years, it comes to how masterfully I can channel the inner energies within each unique individual; towards what they want to achieve with their life.” His process involves working closely with every client to create a personalized strategy playbook.

The playbook consists of a logical, skeletal roadmap with five tiers – key issues that individuals will face in life, sooner or later. Through logical, simple, bite-sized exercises that even children can appreciate, the client progresses from self-awareness to learning how to excel in and empower their communities, learning from role models they look up to, thinking entrepreneurially, and finally, learning how to adapt to the times with creative problem-solving.

The entire process is designed to help clients realize that the power to be the architects of their own lives lies dormant within, and perfection is not always necessary. “In fact, mistakes and failure change the perspective implement new approaches that drive success,” Ryan believes. When individuals comprehend this concept, their confidence naturally boosts with an excitement of experimental curiosity.

As consciousness and preferences evolve, the playbook adapts as a trusted companion, guiding clients to make informed future decisions by reflecting on their past experiences and insights. To keep clients’ minds sharp, Ryan introduces his signature ‘Stretch Questions’ – a series of challenging scenarios without definitive answers. These questions stimulate critical thinking and deep reflection, encouraging clients to expand their perspectives.

He asserts “I enjoy utilizing and implementing AI software in this experience, for it can generate a different learning scenario every time! There is also the thrill of not knowing what comes next!”

Ryan’s Embrace of the AI-driven Future

As an insightful mentor, he acknowledges the inevitability of Artificial Intelligence’s (AI) pervasive presence, stating, “Artificial intelligence is here to stay, like it or not.” He believes that as AI advances in skilled task management, humans must ponder, “What careers can we invest in, that make us desirable compared to robots?”

Beyond the societal transformations brought about by AI, Ryan recognizes the potential for black-swan “unknown-unknown” situations that humanity may be unable to fathom until they occur. However, he emphasizes the importance of self-knowledge and understanding one’s specific needs and wants. This self-awareness can help predict how individuals will respond maturely with minimal alarm when such future events unfold rather than reacting like “headless chickens.”

Ryan’s intention is to achieve more and higher quality outcomes with less effort, freeing up his limited time and energy to be more present and focused on the client transformation process. He leverages virtual communication software to reach clients globally without the costly and tedious aspect of travel. To maintain engagement during online interactions, he employs animations and visuals, enhancing the experience.

Moreover, Ryan embraces generative AI tools to create content, from images to conversational scenarios, augmenting the existing human-to-human learning process. He is also exploring bleeding-edge technological tools, such as creating an AI digital twin of his personality that can answer personalized questions 24/7 and potentially translate his content across languages and cultural barriers. “We will see how this goes!” he exclaims, embracing the potential of these innovative approaches.

Cultivating Growth through Empathy and Trust

In his approach to personal mentorship, Ryan goes out of his way to give generously first, sometimes even more than expected. His methods may seem counter-intuitive, as he sometimes goes to the extent of making himself look silly (when teaching young ones) if it means they are better engaged. However, this approach effectively creates the impression that the person is not afraid to make mistakes. However, he is open to learning from them and is someone they can trust.

Ryan emphasizes that his primary goal is to help his clients. While some methods might seem intrusive or tedious, clients can rest assured that their best interests are always his top priority. He also ensures that any discussions remain strictly confidential, maintaining the utmost privacy and trust.

He believes that when empathy and trust are present in the garden of interactions, growth and development sprout naturally. By establishing a safe and nurturing environment, he creates a space where his clients can feel comfortable exploring their personal journeys without fear of judgment or criticism.

Mastering the Irresistible Personal Brand

In today’s advancing business arena, business leaders must navigate an over-saturated talent pool, where networking and professional relationships are crucial for standing out and securing opportunities. Ryan understands the demoralizing fear of being overlooked and fading into obscurity, even with the most impressive accolades.

Therefore, he encourages his clients to develop an irresistible personal brand. He believes that after all, there is only one like them in this vast universe; why not master such potential? Even if robots were to take over, his clients have nothing to fear, for their unique personality and humanity still keep them irresistibly attractive for career prospects.

One piece of encouragement that Ryan has regularly articulated, and that never fails to make others smile, goes like this: “If anyone can look at a piece of work and conclude with certainty that only your genius could have created such awesomeness, then you have excelled in your branding impact!”

Unlocking Transformation through Raw Vulnerability and Mindset Shifts

In Ryan’s approach to personalized mentorship, he believes it is crucial to hear the rawest, deepest thoughts possible that the client will disclose their situation. This level of vulnerability enables him to best capture their unique worldviews or limiting beliefs and strategize how to guide them towards their desired state of being.

He understands that true transformation can only occur when he has a comprehensive understanding of the client’s perspective, no matter how challenging or uncomfortable it may be. By creating a safe and non-judgmental space for clients to express their innermost thoughts and emotions, he establishes a foundation of trust and rapport that is essential for effective mentorship.

Once he has gained insight into the client’s mindset, Ryan employs what he calls “mindset shifts.” Through this process, they explore methods to ease the resolution of the problem or realize that it was an unnecessary overcomplication all along.

Wisdom, Context and Overcoming Biases

For budding entrepreneurs, Ryan offers a wise piece of advice: “Explore as much as you can about what entrepreneurship is about, from business model creation and maintenance, all the way down to its very definitions. Then pick what works for your context.”

He understands that everyone’s entrepreneurial journey is unique, and what works for one person may not necessarily work for another. He encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to gain a comprehensive understanding of the various aspects of entrepreneurship, from the theoretical to the practical, and then tailor their approach to their specific circumstances and goals.

However, Ryan also cautions against falling into the ‘bias trap’ along the way. “Many people will fall into the ‘bias trap’ of aggressively advocating what worked or did not work for them,” he warns. “Naturally, they want to sound learned and even subconsciously promote sales as they advise you! So, consider carefully which angles they are coming from, or you may find yourself overly optimistic, only to crash and burn. Or you may end up somewhere undesirable, beat yourself up too hard and throw in the towel just as you are nearing that well-deserved breakthrough.”

Finding ‘Learning Intersections’ for Continuous Growth

One of Ryan’s delightfully unconventional quirks is his knack for discovering ‘Learning Intersections’ among the most unlikely and unknown of topics. This exercise involves exploring metaphorical lessons that can be drawn from unexpected sources, such as the fascinating tardigrade (microscopic creatures known for their resilience and ability to survive in extreme environments).

Ryan explains, “Doing such an exciting activity in itself is also like applying a ‘Stretch Question’ to myself. How can I continue to upgrade myself in as many novel ways possible to be a better, invaluable source of empowerment for my clients?”

Elevating Youth Coaching

Connect with Ryan on LinkedIn at Ryan Nicholas Leong and see what you can learn from this case study of a young leading learner in the coaching space!
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