From People-Pleaser to Powerhouse: The Nine Shifts That Changed Everything

In today’s fast-paced world, the quest to be happy, healthy, and successful often feels like navigating a maze filled with external expectations and internal doubts. Many of us wrestle with the delicate balance of pursuing our true passions while honoring the desires of those we love, especially our parents. Deekron Krikorian, MBA, a high-performance coach and author of the bestselling book The Nine Shifts, shares a deeply personal and inspiring story about breaking free from limiting beliefs, embracing authenticity, and creating a life aligned with one’s true self. His approach to wellness and entrepreneurship offers practical wisdom for anyone looking to reclaim their confidence, energy, and consistency.

From Romania to Reinvention: The Early Foundations

Deekron’s story begins in Romania, where he was raised by a father who was a professional rugby player and a banker. His father instilled in him a strict discipline around exercise, nutrition, sleep, education, and manners—values that were non-negotiable. Although Deekron and his brother resisted these rules as kids, they later recognized how fortunate they were to have such a solid foundation.

These early lessons in discipline and consistency have become a cornerstone of Deekron’s coaching philosophy. He understands that many people struggle with these qualities because they never had the same upbringing. This empathy fuels his desire to “pay it forward” and help others develop the habits and mindset needed for lasting change.

The Struggle Between Expectations and Authenticity

Despite excelling academically and professionally—earning an MBA, becoming a CPA, and working for top consulting firms—Deekron felt trapped in a life designed by others. His parents, like many immigrant families, valued stability and security above all else, encouraging him to pursue a “safe” career in accounting. However, Deekron’s heart yearned for creativity and entrepreneurship, which clashed with the conventional path laid out for him.

He candidly shares how perfectionism and people-pleasing behaviors held him back. “I was kind of like the student, the teacher’s pet, trying to always make my parents happy,” he explains. This meant living by someone else’s rules and suppressing his own voice. The tipping point came when he realized that continuing down this path would only lead to unhappiness and stagnation.

The Difficult Conversation with His Father

One of the most vulnerable moments Deekron recounts is the phone call with his father during a transformational seminar. His hands shaking, he told his dad that he could no longer follow the path expected of him and that he needed to pursue his own dreams. The response was lukewarm—“just do whatever you want”—but the emotional risk was enormous.

This experience highlights a universal challenge many face: the fear of disappointing loved ones. Deekron explains that this fear is deeply rooted in our evolutionary need for acceptance within our tribes, equating acceptance with love and survival. Understanding this biological and psychological foundation helps explain why people-pleasing and perfectionism are so pervasive.

Personal Development as a Path to Freedom

The catalyst for Deekron's transformation was a personal development program called Landmark Education. Initially skeptical, he found the experience profoundly eye-opening and life-changing. The program allowed him to pause, reflect, and confront the “baggage” and limiting beliefs that had been holding him back. He likens it to being “reborn,” much like Neo's awakening in the movie The Matrix.

Through this work, Deekron uncovered how his subconscious need for acceptance led to overcompensation through people-pleasing and perfectionism. He realized that to live authentically, he had to risk non-acceptance and embrace his true self, even if it meant discomfort or rejection.

The Nine Shifts: A Holistic Framework for High Performance

Deekron’s book, The Nine Shifts, distills his insights into a comprehensive framework designed to help people overcome key challenges in mind, body, and life.

The title reflects a 3x3 structure:

• Mind: Internal stress, limiting beliefs, and motivation/procrastination

• Body: Metabolism, hormonal changes, injuries, and maintaining energy

• Life: Managing external stress, limited time, and navigating travel/social temptations

This holistic approach recognizes that true performance is not just physical or mental but a dynamic interplay across all areas of life. Deekron encourages readers to approach the book like a manual: focus first on the challenge that resonates most with their current struggles. He also simplifies the process by recommending five weekly habits to maintain progress, such as having a morning routine, preparing meals, and being intentional about scheduling.

Morning Routine: The Three M’s

Deekron’s morning routine is a succinct yet powerful practice centered on the “Three M’s”: Mindfulness, Metabolism, and Music.

This routine takes about 15 minutes and includes:

• Mindfulness: Meditation, gratitude, affirmations, and deep breathing to ground the mind

• Metabolism: Physical movement like stretching, squats, or rowing to get the blood flowing

• Music: Playing uplifting music to instantly boost mood and emotional state

He emphasizes that a morning routine should empower you, not own you, and encourages scaling it back if it becomes overwhelming. This balance ensures consistency and sustainability.

Overcoming Setbacks and Embracing Evolution

Deekron’s path from corporate CPA to entrepreneur and coach was not linear. After leaving corporate, he founded a tech startup that eventually struggled, went through a divorce, and pivoted into coaching. He openly shares the challenges of revenue and growth during this transition but expresses confidence that he is now aligned with his purpose.

His advice to those unsure about their purpose is to trust their intuition and not be discouraged by uncertainty. “The head’s always going to give you pros and cons, but your intuition is never wrong,” he says. Spending time alone to reconnect with oneself—whether through journaling, meditation, or simply doing joyful activities—is essential to uncovering one’s true desires.

Deekron also stresses the importance of being willing to risk non-acceptance and discomfort to live authentically. This mindset shift is crucial for breaking free from limiting patterns and creating a fulfilling life.

Nutrition: The Foundation of Energy and Focus

Another pillar of Deekron’s coaching is nutrition. He is certified in functional nutrition and metabolism and advocates for eating whole, minimally processed foods. His simple guideline is to shop the perimeter of the supermarket for fresh vegetables, fruits, and unprocessed proteins, and to avoid products with long ingredient lists filled with unpronounceable additives.

Deekron explains how nutrition profoundly impacts not just physical appearance but cognitive function, energy, and emotional regulation. He encourages people to take control of their eating habits as a critical step in optimizing their overall performance.

Writing The Nine Shifts: A Labor of Love and Discipline

The journey to publish The Nine Shifts was a rigorous process for Deekron. The first draft spanned about 1,000 pages and was ultimately scrapped for being too salesy and unfocused. The revised version took nearly a year, resulting in a 400-page book that comprehensively covers mind and body optimization.

Deekron admits to the challenge of balancing his perfectionist tendencies with the need to get the book published. He describes the struggle of having “writer’s diarrhea”—writing prolifically but then needing to cut down content significantly. His experience highlights the importance of perseverance and self-compassion when pursuing big goals.

The Power of Community and Accountability

Deekron recognizes that while some people are self-starters, many benefit greatly from community support and accountability. Being around a tribe that lifts you up and keeps you on track is a powerful habit to cultivate. This social element complements individual discipline and reinforces positive change.

Key Takeaways: Embrace Your Authentic Path

• Understand your programming: Many limiting beliefs stem from childhood experiences and societal pressures. Personal development work is essential to uncover and overcome these blocks.

• Risk non-acceptance: Fear of disappointing others often keeps us stuck. Embracing discomfort and speaking your truth is necessary for authentic living.

• Start small and be consistent: Whether it’s habits from the Nine Shifts or a morning routine, incremental progress beats perfectionism every time.

• Prioritize nutrition and movement: Your body fuels your mind. Eating whole foods and moving daily supports energy, focus, and emotional resilience.

• Listen to your intuition: Spend time alone reflecting on what truly fulfills you, beyond external expectations.

• Seek community: Surround yourself with people who support your growth and hold you accountable.

Where to Find Deekron Krikorian and The Nine Shifts

If you’re ready to embark on your own journey to high performance and authentic living, Deekron’s book The Nine Shifts is available on Amazon. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn and Facebook by searching for “DK R” or “Dron,” as he has a unique phonetic spelling of his name. His email address, dron@gmail.com, reflects his distinctive brand and accessibility.

Conclusion

Deekron Krikorian’s story is a powerful testament to the courage it takes to break free from inherited expectations and chart a life that honors your true self. His holistic approach to mind, body, and life challenges provides a practical roadmap for anyone seeking to elevate their performance while staying grounded in authenticity.

Whether you’re struggling with people-pleasing, motivation, nutrition, or life balance, the insights and tools shared by Deekron offer a beacon of hope and actionable strategies. Remember, the path to transformation is not always linear or easy, but with intention, self-awareness, and community support, it is absolutely attainable.

Take the first step today: listen to your intuition, embrace your unique journey, and commit to the small shifts that lead to lasting change.

Reach out to Deekron on his website and follow him on LinkedIn. Don't forget to grab a copy of his book The Nine Shifts!

Watch this episode of the Let's Go Win podcast on YouTube.