“Fake it till you make it” can sound like grit, but for a lot of leaders it quietly becomes a lifestyle of hiding, overfunctioning, and running on fumes. I sit down with Kurt Bush, a certified IFS practitioner, trauma coach, and co-founder of Brimstone Coaching Group, to name the real costs high performers rarely admit: the pressure to look strong, the fear of asking for help, and the slow drift into survival mode that feels like success from the outside.

We get practical about the inner critic, including when that voice is actually useful feedback and when it crosses the line into shame that makes you avoid, withdraw, and stop growing. Kurt also reframes success in a way every entrepreneur and corporate leader can use: measure your inputs, not just outcomes you can’t fully control. That shift makes it easier to spot burnout signs early, protect your limits, and build rhythms of rest and reflection that keep your leadership sustainable.

We also unpack why self-awareness is so rare in “go, go, go” work culture and what authentic leadership really looks like. Spoiler: it is not impulsively saying whatever you feel and calling it authenticity; it is aligning your leadership with who and how you want to be, then choosing that version of yourself under pressure. If you’ve ever wanted to quit being “the adult in the room,” this conversation will hit home.

If this helps you, subscribe, share it with a leader who’s carrying too much, and leave a review so more people can find these tools. What’s one pressure you’re ready to stop performing through?

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A doctor advised two teenage parents to “put him away.” They refused, and that choice shaped an entire family’s understanding of dignity, disability, and what it really means to be human. We sit down with award-winning author Dr. Stuart D. Jones to talk about his memoir *For the Love of Stephen: The Story of a Boy Who Was Never Broken* and the brother who changed his life.

Stephen grew up in the 1950s with an intellectual disability at a time when special education and disability resources were scarce and stigma was loud. We trace what it looked like for a family to practice radical love in public: pushing doors open so Stephen could be part of Boy Scouts, school, church, and everyday community life, even when people responded with cruelty. Along the way, we unpack the painful reality of abuse and exploitation, and the startling way Stephen kept choosing kindness, friendship, and forgiveness.

We also challenge a modern buzzword: inclusion. When does inclusivity become performative, and what does true belonging require from the people “inside the door”? Dr. Jones offers a clear framework for shifting perspectives, breaking down common misconceptions about developmental disabilities, the subtle harm of pity, and why simple, genuine kindness is often the most powerful starting point.

If this conversation moves you, share it with someone who needs a new lens on disability and belonging, subscribe for more stories that shift perspective, and leave a review to help more listeners find the show. What does “belonging” look like in your community?

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The trophy, the title, the million-dollar milestone, the Oscar, the Super Bowl ring, why do so many high achievers reach the summit and still feel a hole inside? We sit down with transformation coach and former celebrity trainer Jon Paul Crimi to name the lie that quietly drives burnout: “When I get the thing, then I’ll be happy.”

We dig into the deeper script many of us carry, “I’m not enough,” and how that belief keeps your nervous system locked in survival mode. Jon Paul shares what he sees across CEOs, elite athletes, and people rebuilding their lives after addiction: real change requires doing the work you’ve been avoiding, showing up when you don’t feel like it, and staying willing to adjust instead of repeating the same patterns. We also talk about “failing forward,” using setbacks as data, and redefining success as the number of people you help, not the amount of applause you collect.

The conversation gets real about fame, identity, and recovery, including a story about Matthew Perry and the painful reality that achievement cannot fix what’s happening internally. We cover warning signs that someone may be spiraling, how intervention can save a life, and how to stay present with someone who feels trapped in shame. John Paul also explains his transformational letter practice and breathwork approach for stress, anxiety, and nervous system regulation, plus where to find his weekly class at breathewithjp.com.

If this hits home, subscribe so you don’t miss the next conversation, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a review to help more people find the show. What’s one “win” you’re ready to stop using as a substitute for fulfillment?

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