Ep 95: Why Positive Thinking Isn’t Enough and What Actually Creates Breakthroughs with Rusty Osborne
Want the video version of this episode? Check it out on YouTube.
In this powerful conversation, Shauna Lynn Simon sits down with mindset coach and author Rusty Osborne to explore a counterintuitive truth many high-achieving entrepreneurs miss: the very thoughts you try to silence may be pointing to your next breakthrough. Rusty shares his own journey from building a business that looked successful on the outside to confronting the unseen mental blocks that quietly stalled his growth, and how that reckoning reshaped the way he now helps others lead with clarity and confidence.
Listeners will gain a fresh lens on overwhelm, self-doubt, and imposter syndrome, learning why positive thinking alone often falls short and how working with negative self-talk can create real momentum. Through practical insights rooted in neuroscience, mindset work, and lived experience, this episode reveals how trust in yourself is built, how freedom expands when you stop resisting discomfort, and why sustainable success starts beneath the surface.
If you’re heading into a new season of leadership and want fewer mental roadblocks and more ease, this episode offers a grounded, actionable perspective worth sitting with - and sharing with someone who needs it.
Timestamps:
(00:02) - (07:15): Rusty Osborne explains why negative self-talk isn’t something to eliminate, but a signal pointing directly to hidden mental blocks.
(07:16) - (18:42): Shauna Lynn Simon and Rusty Osborne unpack the limits of “think positive” culture and why it often keeps entrepreneurs stuck in overwhelm.
(18:43) - (32:10): Rusty Osborne shares his personal business collapse and the mindset shift that helped him rebuild with clarity, alignment, and ease.
(32:11) - (47:55): A deep dive into imposter syndrome, money beliefs, and why fear of success quietly sabotages capable, high-performing women.
(47:56) - (01:05:20): Rusty Osborne breaks down how subconscious rewiring builds self-trust, expands freedom, and creates sustainable leadership going into 2026.
Resources:
Book Your FREE Coaching Assessment Call with Shauna Lynn: https://www.aboutshaunalynn.com/coachme
Learn more about the show: AboutShaunaLynn.com/podcast
Rusty Osborne:
Learn more about Rusty: https://rustyosborne.com/
Follow Rusty on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecoachrusty
Follow Rusty on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecoachrusty
Subscribe to Rusty on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheCoachRusty
Listeners of The Real Women Real Business Podcast get Rusty's book, The Power of Negative Thinking, plus bonuses for free at https://www.thepowerofnegativethinkingbook.com/shaunalynn (or purchase on Amazon by searching for The Power of Negative Thinking and clicking on the black book with red and white writing)
About Rusty Osborne
Rusty Osborne is the go-to mindset coach for entrepreneurs who need to get out of their own way. He’s helped hundreds of business owners use their negative self-talk to ditch overwhelm and break through their biggest mental blocks. His book The Power of Negative Thinking is out now on Amazon!
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Interested in partnering with The Real Women Real Business Podcast? Learn more at AboutShaunaLynn.com/partner