It wasn’t the title.
It wasn’t the pressure.
It wasn’t even the 80-hour weeks.

What hit me hardest…
Was the silence.

I used to think I was just "committed to my work".
Always the last to leave. Always the one who solved the problem.
But the truth?

I didn’t (really) want to go home.

Not because I didn’t have time.
Because once I got there—
I had no idea what to do.

No urgency.
No structure.
No goal to chase.

Just me, in a quiet room.
Realizing I’d built everything around work—
And nothing around myself.

So I worked longer.
Told myself I was “too busy” to think about it.
Filled every gap with calls, emails, workouts.

Because at work, I felt powerful.
I knew the rules.
I had direction.

But at home?
I felt… empty.
Like something was missing, but I couldn’t name it.

I'ts not addiction to work.
It's addiction to knowing.

The Shift

In business, everything is mapped:
📌 Solve this
📌 Hit that
📌 Build, scale, win

That’s why it works—even when it’s hard.
Even if you don't like it anymore.

You know the game.

But in your personal life?
There’s no playbook.
No KPIs. No dashboards. No fixed outcomes.

So what happens?
You avoid it.

You stay longer at the office.
You fill your calendar to avoid that quiet room at home.
You say, “I just have too much on my plate.”

But if you had something to look forward to?
You’d clear the plate.

That’s the real success trap.
Not the pressure.
Not burnout.
But the fear of not knowing.

And here’s what I’ve learned:
If you don’t build something exciting outside of work—
work will always own your life.

The Playbook

How to stop overworking by default—and build a life that actually excites you.

1. Run the Misalignment Audit
Use this 6-question checklist to diagnose the real gap:

When was the last time someone around you really challenged your thinking?
Do your conversations light you up—or feel like déjà vu?
When’s the last time you tried something new outside work?
Do you look forward to your evenings—or just “recover” from the day? 
Is your routine expanding you—or just keeping you busy?
Are you feeding your mind with new ideas—or replaying the same ones?

2. Apply Sahil Bloom’s “Calendar Test”

Sahil says: “Your calendar never lies. It shows your real priorities.”

Here’s how to use it:

→ Look at last week’s calendar.
→ Highlight every block that wasn’t energizing, meaningful, or chosen intentionally.
→ Circle one thing that felt draining—but you justified it anyway.
→ Cut it this week. Not permanently. Just once.

Then—replace it with something you used to love.
Even if it feels unproductive. Especially then.

📌 Less optimization. More alignment.

3. Start a "non career" project

What excites you that isn’t monetized?

If your only source of momentum is work,
you’re not ambitious—you’re boxed in.

This week:
→ Start one thing that has nothing to do with performance
A class. A workshop. A creative build.
Not to scale. Just to feel.

💡 Optional read: The Second Mountain by David Brooks
A powerful book on shifting from career achievement to deeper purpose-> https://www.amazon.com/Second-Mountain-David-Brooks/dp/0812993268

The cost of doing nothing

📌 You’ll confuse being “needed” with being fulfilled.
📌 You’ll build a brand—but forget the person behind it.
📌 And in 10 years, you’ll still be busy—but with nothing that feeds you.

Start now.
Build a life that can hold the weight of your ambition.

CM Academy is Open (But Closing Soon)

I built the system I wish I had when I was a successful CFO—
So I didn’t have to blow up my life just to feel like myself again.

If everything looks right—
…but something still feels off?

You're not alone. That’s exactly who CM Academy was built for:

→ You’re mentally drained, but can’t explain why
→ You’ve built success, but nothing excites you anymore
→ You lead others, but feel disconnected from yourself
→ You’re performing, but stuck in overthinking and doubt

---

This is your next move.

For the first time, I’m giving you the exact mental framework I use 1:1 with 500+ top leaders to help you:

✔ Understand why you're exhausted—even when nothing looks wrong ✔ Break the mental loop of overthinking, pressure, and self-doubt
✔ Reconnect with the version of you that actually feels alive 
✔ Lead with precision, energy, and confidence—without burning out

Here’s what’s inside CM Academy:

✅ 8-week CM Method™ to rebuild your mental operating system
✅ Weekly LIVE coaching with me to keep you sharp and moving
✅ Vault of tools, scripts, and strategic rituals for real-life execution
✅ Private WhatsApp group (no noise, just clarity)
✅ $400 off for newsletter subscribers only

Use code: NEWSLETTER400

Doors close May 6.
This round won’t repeat.
Neither this price.

👉 Join CM Academy now: https://www.changingmindscoaching.com/cm-academy

If you're serious about leading at your next level—this is how.