Positive Leadership Academy – Inspires, Guides and Transforms23 Touko

The Game of Ten® with Steve Barton — Why Radical Self-Acceptance is the Cure of Everything

What if you're already a 10 — and everything you've been trying to "fix" was never broken?

Javier sits down with Steve Barton — coach, entrepreneur, and creator of The Game of Ten®, a registered framework now used by therapists, coaches, and wellness professionals worldwide.

Steve took over his family's flower business at 22 after his father had a major stroke. Over 30+ years, he grew it past $2M and quietly built a framework presented at Harvard, taught alongside Marianne Williamson, and co-authored into a book with his son Spencer.

His premise: you're either at 10 — flow, alignment, authentic self — or you're playing "the game often played": fear, self-doubt, guilt, shame. There is no middle ground.

Inside: the radical separation between who you ARE and what you do, 33 years of A Course in Miracles, working with Marianne Williamson, and why radical self-acceptance is "the cure of everything."

ABOUT STEVE

Founder of Over the Looking Glass Coaching, creator of The Game of Ten®, GISC-certified coach with 40+ years of business leadership, graduate of Marianne Williamson's Miracle Minded Coaching, and a 33+ year student of A Course in Miracles. Co-author of The Father, the Son, and the Aha Moment with his son Spencer.

WHAT WE COVER

(00:21) The origin of The Game of Ten® and the two games we're all playing

(02:33) Why high-performers rate themselves 7s, 8s, 9s

(05:29) Why "less than 10" is its own form of arrogance

(06:55) Separating who you ARE from what you HAVE or DO

(08:32) Taking over the family business at 22 after his father's stroke

(11:22) Why family businesses struggle with healthy boundaries

(15:48) Presenting The Game of Ten® to a Harvard case team

(17:44) "Don't do bullshit. Do THE bullshit."

(18:07) Co-writing a book with his 18-year-old son

(18:47) 33 years of A Course in Miracles and meeting Marianne Williamson

(25:11) Licensing The Game of Ten® to coaches and therapists

(28:11) Why radical self-acceptance is "the cure of everything"

(30:11) Stay curious — every belief is a limiting belief

MEMORABLE QUOTES

"Ten is flow."

"You have thoughts. You are not your thoughts. These are tools — what are you using them for?"

"You can always improve what you do. But who you are is a constant."

"Radical self-acceptance is the cure of everything."

CONNECT WITH STEVE

🌐 OverTheLookingGlass.com

🔟 thegameof10.com (free digital book)

📚 Amazon: The Father, the Son, and the Aha Moment

REFERENCES

The Game of Ten® · A Course in Miracles · Marianne Williamson · Difference Press · Gestalt International Study Center · iPEC Energy Leadership Index

CONNECT WITH JAVIER

🎙️ Javier Llerena — Host, Positive Leadership Academy Podcast | Re-Invent Consulting

📅 meetings.hubspot.com/llerena

🎧 Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & YouTube

🔗 Follow on LinkedIn & Instagram

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