Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Joshua Fields. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Joshua, thanks for joining us today. What do you think it takes to be successful?

Success, to me, isn’t about the title on your business card, the size of your paycheck, or how many people are clapping for you. Sure, those things can look good on the surface, but real success is deeper than that. It’s about living in alignment with your values, showing up as your authentic self, and building a life that feels meaningful and fulfilling—not just impressive.

One moment that cemented this for me came early in my coaching career. I worked with a client who seemed to have it all: the title, the money, and the recognition. But underneath it all, he was stuck—disconnected from the things that actually brought him joy. His relationships were strained, his work felt hollow, and he was burning out chasing a definition of success that wasn’t even his. Together, we focused on redefining what success truly meant to him, building rhythms that supported his values, and creating new results that aligned with his purpose. The transformation was incredible—not just in his career, but in his entire life.

Here’s what I’ve learned—and what I teach in my workshops: success is built on the 4Rs—Relationship, Rhythm, Results, and Recognition. These aren’t just concepts; they’re actionable pillars that, when aligned, create a foundation for real, sustainable success.

The Power of Relationships: Every breakthrough begins with connection. Success doesn’t happen in a vacuum—it’s about building authentic relationships with yourself and others. In my workshops, I emphasize that your relationship with yourself is foundational. How can you build something sustainable if you’re not clear on your values, desires, and boundaries? From there, it’s about cultivating meaningful relationships with the people who challenge and support you, whether that’s a team, a mentor, or your community. Relationships create trust and collaboration, which are the bedrock of growth.

The Power of Rhythm: Without rhythm, even the best plans fall apart. Rhythm is about creating a cadence that sustains you—balancing the push and pull between ambition and rest. In my workshops, I help people uncover the small habits and daily routines that keep them grounded and aligned. Rhythm isn’t about doing everything all at once; it’s about intentionality—knowing when to move fast, when to pause, and how to build a pace that works for the long haul. Success without rhythm is just burnout waiting to happen.

Creating New Results: Success is about progress, not perfection. But here’s the thing: not all results are created equal. Many people focus on achieving what others expect of them, not what actually matters to them. In my coaching practice, I challenge clients to clarify what meaningful results look like—personally and professionally—and help them align their actions with their vision. Results are where the rubber meets the road; they’re the tangible outcomes of your intentional effort. When you focus on results that reflect your values, success feels purposeful instead of empty.

Moments of Recognition: Recognition is about more than just celebrating wins—although that’s critical, too. It’s about pausing to reflect on both what you’ve accomplished and where there’s room to grow. In my workshops, I guide participants to not only honor their progress but also identify areas of opportunity for leveling up. Maybe there’s a skill they can sharpen, a mindset they can shift, or a rhythm they can refine. These moments of recognition are transformative because they keep you connected to the journey and motivated to keep growing. Recognition reminds us that success isn’t a one-time event—it’s a cycle of continuous learning and evolution.
When these four pillars—Relationship, Rhythm, Results, and Recognition—are in alignment, success stops being something you chase. It becomes something you live.

In my own journey, these pillars have been my compass. When I transitioned out of corporate and into coaching, I had to rebuild my rhythm, double down on my relationships, redefine what results mattered to me, and learn to pause and celebrate even the small wins while identifying where I needed to grow. That’s what keeps me grounded, and it’s why these principles are at the heart of everything I teach.

So, if you want to create real success—on your terms—start with the 4Rs. Build strong relationships, establish rhythms that sustain you, create results that matter, and take the time to recognize both your progress and your potential. That’s how you create a life that’s not just successful but truly fulfilling.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m Joshua Fields, a leadership coach, workshop facilitator, and keynote speaker deeply committed to helping individuals and teams connect with their authentic selves, navigate challenges with clarity, and create lives and organizations that feel as fulfilling as they are impactful. My work centers on the belief that we can’t grow until we’re willing to look inward and face our truths—messy, beautiful, and all.

How I Got Into This Work
Four years ago, I found myself at what felt like a career-ending moment: I was placed on a Final Written Warning. At the time, it was devastating—a moment that felt like failure. But looking back, it was exactly the push I needed to step into my purpose.

I could have let that moment define me, but instead, I chose to see it as a wake-up call. It forced me to take a hard look at myself, take accountability, and ask, “What kind of leader do I really want to be?” I leaned into the discomfort, took that discipline on the chin, and turned the friction into fuel for growth. That moment wasn’t the end of my journey—it was the beginning of a transformation.

The experience taught me that leadership isn’t about perfection; it’s about humanity. Trust isn’t built on looking flawless—it’s built on admitting when you don’t have all the answers and showing up authentically. That realization eventually shaped my 4Rs leadership framework: Relationships, Rhythm, Results, and Recognition. These pillars became the foundation of not only how I coach but how I live. Without that difficult experience, I wouldn’t be where I am today. It’s why I now help others navigate their own moments of friction—whether they’re wrestling with imposter syndrome, feeling stuck, or navigating tough decisions. Because on the other side of those challenges is something incredible: a more resilient, powerful version of ourselves.

What I Offer
I work with clients on two levels: 1:1 coaching for individuals ready to grow and group coaching for teams looking to transform their dynamics.

1:1 Coaching: My coaching partnerships are designed for individuals who are ready to dig deep. I guide clients to navigate pain as a tool for purpose, turn self-doubt into clarity, and align their lives with what matters most. Together, we uncover their blind spots, rebuild their confidence, and create a roadmap for living and leading authentically.
Group Coaching: For teams, I facilitate workshops that foster trust, collaboration, and shared vision. My sessions, like Fill Your Cup or Vision & Verse, are highly interactive, pushing teams beyond surface-level dynamics to discover what really drives them. Whether it’s building psychological safety or aligning on shared values, I create spaces where teams not only perform better but thrive.

Both approaches draw heavily on my Energy Leadership Index (ELI) framework and the 4Rs, which help my clients clarify their values, establish sustainable rhythms, measure meaningful results, and take the time to recognize both their wins and areas for growth. These tools aren’t just concepts—they’re the map that guides transformation.

Problems I Solve
At its heart, my work addresses a simple but powerful question: how can we show up fully as ourselves while creating environments where others can do the same? Here’s how I help:

Building Trust: Research shows that leaders who admit mistakes see a 35% increase in trust from their teams (PwC Crisis Survey, 2021). I help leaders embrace their humanity—not as a weakness but as a strength that inspires connection and collaboration.

Fostering Innovation: Google’s Project Aristotle found that teams with high psychological safety are 45% more likely to innovate and solve complex problems. My workshops are designed to build that safety by creating brave spaces where people feel empowered to speak up, share ideas, and challenge norms.
Aligning on Values: Harvard Business Review reports that teams aligned on shared values achieve objectives 76% faster than those focused solely on tasks. I guide teams to uncover their collective “why” and use that shared vision to drive meaningful outcomes.

What Sets Me Apart
What makes my work unique is my ability to combine depth with practicality. I don’t believe in band-aid solutions or corporate buzzwords. I create spaces where people can be real—whether that’s owning their mistakes, rediscovering their purpose, or learning how to communicate authentically. Clients often say my coaching feels therapeutic because I challenge them to confront what’s holding them back while providing the tools to move forward with confidence.

And here’s the thing—I’ve been through it. I’ve been the leader who felt isolated, the person who struggled to balance results with relationships, and the professional who had to redefine success on his own terms. That experience keeps me connected, compassionate, and fully invested in the growth of every person I work with.

What I’m Most Proud Of
I’m most proud of the transformations I get to witness. It’s the leader who finally feels at peace because they’re aligned with their values. It’s the team that moves from dysfunction to connection. It’s the individual who realizes they don’t have to have it all figured out to take the next step. Watching people break through what they thought was possible and seeing the ripple effects in their lives and work—it doesn’t get better than that.

What I Want You to Know
At the end of the day, my work is about empowering people to be unapologetically themselves. It’s about showing that vulnerability and humanity are not obstacles to success—they’re the path to it. Whether you’re a leader trying to inspire your team or an individual navigating your next chapter, I’m here to help you turn your challenges into growth, your fears into fuel, and your values into a compass for everything you do. And if that Final Written Warning taught me anything, it’s that even our toughest moments can become the turning points for everything we’ve been searching for.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Resilience isn’t built in a single moment—it’s forged through the times you want to give up but choose to keep going. For me, one of those defining moments was my “80lb journey.” It was about physical weight, yes, but more than that, it was about shedding the heavy things I’d carried for years—self-doubt, emotional avoidance, and disconnection from who I truly was.

For years, I turned to food for comfort. My days were littered with meals that tasted good but didn’t nourish me, either physically or emotionally. I wasn’t feeding my body—I was feeding my pain, masking the parts of myself I didn’t want to face. The result? I hated the way I looked, but even more than that, I hated how I felt. I didn’t recognize the person staring back at me in the mirror.

Deciding to change wasn’t easy. It wasn’t a single lightbulb moment but a series of small, unglamorous decisions. I had to unlearn the habits that weren’t serving me and confront the deeper stories I was telling myself—stories about not being enough, about avoiding discomfort, about staying stuck in cycles that felt familiar but unfulfilling.

What I realized along the way is that everyone has an “80lb journey.” For some, it’s physical weight. For others, it’s the weight of imposter syndrome, toxic relationships, or the fear of failure. It’s not about what the weight looks like—it’s about recognizing it, finding the courage to face it, and doing the work to let it go.

That journey didn’t just transform my body—it transformed my mind. It taught me that resilience isn’t about perfection; it’s about showing up, even when it’s hard. It’s about being honest with yourself and creating a life that feels lighter—not just physically but emotionally and spiritually. Today, I help others do the same. Whether they’re leaders navigating high-stakes decisions or individuals trying to reconnect with their purpose, I help them identify the weight they’re carrying and create the space to release it. Because on the other side of that weight is something incredible: freedom.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

Managing a team and maintaining high morale isn’t about flashy perks or surface-level solutions—it’s about creating an environment where people feel connected, valued, and aligned. Over the years, I’ve developed what I call the 4Rs Framework—Relationships, Rhythm, Results, and Recognition—and it’s become the cornerstone of how I help leaders build trust and boost morale in their teams.

Relationships: At the core of every high-performing team is trust. Building relationships that go beyond the transactional creates a foundation where people feel safe to bring their full selves to the table. Psychological safety is everything. Teams with it are 45% more likely to innovate and solve complex problems (Google’s Project Aristotle, 2015). As a leader, your job is to create spaces where people can be honest without fear of judgment. That starts with you showing up authentically, admitting when you get it wrong, and modeling the vulnerability you want to see in your team.

Rhythm: Every team needs a rhythm—a predictable flow that keeps everyone grounded. Whether it’s regular check-ins, clear communication about priorities, or carving out time to celebrate wins, rhythm helps teams stay in sync. It’s about consistency, not rigidity. When people know what to expect, they’re more likely to feel confident and engaged. Rhythm is the heartbeat of morale.

Results: Let’s be real—teams want to win. But results aren’t just about hitting the numbers; they’re about aligning on shared values and creating meaning behind the metrics. Harvard Business Review found that teams aligned on shared values achieve objectives 76% faster than those focused solely on tasks. As a leader, your job is to connect the work to the “why,” showing your team how their efforts contribute to something bigger than themselves.

Recognition: Morale thrives on acknowledgment. It’s not just about recognizing wins but also highlighting opportunities for growth. People want to know their work matters and that their potential is being seen. When leaders celebrate progress and challenge their teams to level up, it creates a culture of continuous improvement. Recognition isn’t a “nice to have”—it’s the fuel that keeps teams inspired and engaged.

What I’ve learned is that morale doesn’t come from a single action—it’s the sum of the small, intentional things leaders do every day. It’s about building a team where people feel connected to their purpose, to their peers, and to the vision they’re working toward. Leadership isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about being present, being real, and creating the space for your team to thrive.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.joshuafields.coach
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuaafields?igsh=czlybmp0YmNwZG50
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jfields206/
• Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/joshua-a-fields

Image Credits

AJ Shorter Photography
Juis Luis Guzman