October 15, 2025 • 35 mins
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A casual conversation with AI revealed something that stopped me in my tracks—I had been experiencing burnout for over ten years without even recognizing it. While I'd been helping others find their path to success, I'd been silently struggling myself, operating on autopilot for years while trying to figure out my own journey.
Looking back, the signs were obvious. Mental fatigue, emotional exhaustion, detachment from activities I once enjoyed, and that persistent feeling of running on empty. For more than 13 years, I've been reinventing myself, constantly searching for clarity about my purpose. I was like a candle burning at both ends, slowly consuming itself while trying to light the way forward. The most surprising part wasn't just the burnout itself, but how I had normalized it as simply part of the journey, rather than recognizing it as a warning sign.
In this deeply personal episode, I share how burnout manifested in my life—from inability to engage with activities I loved to isolation from meaningful connections. I explore the three different paths people take in life and why those of us trying to reinvent ourselves are particularly vulnerable to burnout. Most importantly, I reveal the strategies that have helped me recover: setting clear boundaries, focusing on one platform instead of trying to be everywhere, engaging deeply with a smaller community, and honoring my limitations while finding creative solutions. If you've ever felt stuck in a cycle of exhaustion and frustration while trying to build your version of success, this episode might be the mirror you need to recognize your own patterns. Remember, burnout doesn't mean you're broken—it means your system needs a reset. Share your story with me on Substack, and let's connect about how you recognize and recover from burnout in your own life.
Warm regards,
Fabio Posca | Journey to Success
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is a very funny story, guys, because I had a
conversation with Chachi PT afew weeks ago and I honestly
don't even remember how we endedup in that discussion.
But there was a moment when itsaid yes, fabio, you were in a
(00:22):
burnout situation for years.
Yes, fabio, you were in aburnout situation for years.
And initially, you know, heestimated that I had been in
burnout for six years.
Then I also shared my entirestory.
I said but are you sure?
So I shared a story.
(00:43):
You know, the one that you cansee on my soup stack.
Actually, you should check itout.
Just go, you know, atjourneytosuccessclubsoupstackcom
in the about section.
And anyway, after I paste mystory in ChartGPT, after I told
(01:04):
my story, it confirmed that Ihad actually been in burnout for
at least 10 years.
Like I was shocked.
Now it may be less.
He said it said I experiencedburnout only 10% of the time,
but I was shocked.
I was shocked and asked howconfident it was about this
(01:29):
judgment, you know, and heestimated that roughly a good,
let's say, 75-80%, that's howmuch sure was, and that was a
huge number for me.
Now, listen, we should not relyentirely on AI.
(01:51):
All right, you can makemistakes and everything.
But let's be honest, it is oneof the most intelligent beings
right now.
So let's say it's partiallycorrect.
Let's say that maybe a good 50percent right is is right about
(02:12):
this.
Uh, uh, this statement aboutmyself.
Even then, I'm still shockedbecause I thought I was doing
well.
Honestly, yes, I've experiencedso many migraines in these years
that I was afraid of having amental breakdown.
(02:33):
That's also true, and thejourney I've had has not been
easy.
I didn't figure out everythingin one year, guys.
In fact, it took me more than13 years because, by the end of
the story has not been easy.
I didn't figure out everythingin one year, guys.
In fact, it took me more than13 years because, by the end of
the story, I didn't have a clearvision and, yes, this brought
(02:55):
me to some frustration.
I felt like Nemo from Pixar,you know, lost in a big ocean.
So I knew I wanted financialfreedom, but I didn't know where
to start.
I'm sure many of you can relateto me, which is why I decided to
talk about this story ofburnout.
I want to break down a coupleof things and wrap up this
(03:17):
episode for you guys, for us,knowing that you have gained
valuable knowledge and haven'twasted your time with me today.
Hi guys, my name is Fabio fromJourney to Success, and Welcome.
Today we are going to talkabout the story of burnout, what
the signs are and how yourcurrent approach helps with
(03:38):
recovery.
Maybe you have experiencedburnout, or maybe experiencing.
You are experiencing now,without realizing it.
But, of course, as always,before to go forward, please
subscribe.
Okay, so I know this is theright direction to lead you guys
, to drive you, to guide youtowards your journey to success.
(04:01):
Now let's start.
Let's discuss some of thelayers that contribute to
burnout.
These layers were present in myexperience and if you are on a
similar journey, I'm sure we areaddressing the same issues,
okay, so, first of all, it's abit ironic Because during this
(04:23):
fascinating conversation withjoshua pt, he said uh, based on
what you share about feelingisolated, exhausted and running
on autopilot for years, itlooked like classic signs of
burnout, so mental fatigue, lowenergy and the sense of
detachment from your usualmotivations.
(04:45):
And so he said that.
And then I was a little bittouched, kind of.
So he noticed that theconversation touched me and
there was a moment he said thisit didn't mean you were
permanently broken and I wasshocked.
I said but how am I supposed totalk with an AI?
What do you mean?
This phrase is so human?
So, anyway, he said but how areyou supposed to talk with an AI
?
What do you mean?
This phrase is so human?
(05:06):
So, anyway, he said it didn'tmean you were permanently broken
, just that your system wasoverloaded and needed a reset.
You have been taking steps torecover by focusing on substack,
setting boundaries andreconnecting with meaningful
(05:31):
work and relationships.
Okay, that was his answerbasically.
So let's break everything downand revisit the signs that point
to my burnout.
Evidently.
And my current approach hashelped with my recovery, guys,
even though I implementedautomatically without realizing
until I had this brainstormingsession with AI.
And in this case, the AI anywaydoes a good job about something
(05:55):
because it can effectivelystructure what we experience
without an emotional layer thatobscures our judgment.
Okay, so this is very important.
Plus, if you have been on thesame journey, it can help you a
lot.
So signs that pointed to myburnout and eventually can help
(06:20):
you, chachapiti says, can helpyou.
Chachapiti says to me you feltlike you were on autopilot for
years, simply going through themotions without real engagement.
(06:40):
Now, burnout or not, it is true.
I dedicated over 13 years to myjourney, guys, you, you know
always changing and reinventingmyself.
I like the balance and strangleto do anything well, even
activities I was passionateabout, you know, even starting
and finishing a video game thatsometimes used to take me six,
(07:02):
seven or eight months, or evenimportant tasks that I delayed.
Same phrases like I don't havetime to practice the car now,
for example, you know, becausenow I'm starting to practice to
drive again.
Or I don't have time to learnDutch, now you know.
(07:22):
Or I used to choose very, very,very short indie games because
I was afraid to invest, to spendso much about my time when I'm
actually I'm, a video gamer.
It's important to realizeyourself professionally yes,
(07:43):
very enough, but it's alsoimportant to fulfill yourself,
you know, and reconnect withyour childhood space.
So the truth is that I spent somuch time trying to figure out
(08:09):
what to do with building theversion of myself, uh, overall,
that I ignore anything else.
Okay and uh.
For that, I want to give a bigthanks to lois mohret, the
fiance the fiance, you know,future wife.
I want to give a big thanks toLois Mogret, the fiancée the
fiancée, you know future wife.
I want to thank her because shesupports me and especially
(08:32):
because she tolerates this partof myself, this crazy creative
part of myself, and I reallyappreciate that truly, really
appreciate that truly.
And I'm just realizing now thatI was chasing something that
did not yet exist because I didnot have a clear goal yet.
(08:55):
And this also involves thepeople who love you.
Remember that anyway.
Still, in this contest, youknow there are three types of
people.
The first group are individualsthat accept their current
situation due to societalexpectations, such as education,
(09:18):
jobs and family.
Okay, so they normalize theirlives to a minimum level and are
content as long as they believethey are happy.
So if you are genuinely happyin this space, I mean, that's
perfectly fine for me.
I won't judge you.
However, if you are not, thenwe need to talk about it, all
(09:38):
right?
Number two, the second group.
So this group has a dream andinvest energy and time in it.
So they often have a clearvision from a young age One goal
, one purpose to which theydedicate all their energy.
And these individuals are alsosuccessful in their personal
(10:00):
lives because they know how tobalance their passions, their
hobbies, such as video games orsports, you know, whatever.
And then there is the thirdgroup, and this is where I find
myself.
So, like many of you, I haddifferent dreams, but societal
and familial expectationsdirected me away from what I
(10:23):
truly wanted.
Expectations directed me awayfrom what I truly wanted.
So one day I just realized thiswasn't going to work and I knew
it was time for me to reinventmyself.
And if you are in this spaceright, if you are in this group
I emphasize with you, becauseI've faced similar hardships and
(10:44):
I know how hard it has been foryou as well.
Okay, and indeed, connecting toour main point, it's true that
you can feel like you are onautopilot.
For years, I felt like I was acandle that had been burning its
(11:04):
works for years and years.
Guys, if that is the meaning ofburnout, you know.
Again, I get that now truly,because when I look back, I'm
not surprised.
It took so long to understand mypath, more than 13 years to
(11:25):
figure out what I want to become.
Guys, it's a lot.
It's I wouldn't say it's a lot.
Maybe it depends are on ourjourney, right, but let's say I
I didn't expect would have takenso much.
But it's clear now.
(11:46):
It's clear because I didn'thave a clear goal.
So it also makes sense, youknow.
But it also makes sense thatthis process consumes a lot of
time and energy at the same time.
So, anyway, once you finallyunderstand your 2.0 version of
yourself which can take years, Ihope for you know the next step
(12:10):
, anyway, is figuring out how tomove forward and achieve your
goal.
So the good news is that, sinceyou strangle a lot in the
beginning, when you beginworking towards your goal with a
clear vision can actuallybecome much easier.
And it is where I'm, I am rightnow.
So right now I'm in a situationwhere, uh, I know what to do, I
(12:35):
know how to do, have a clearvision about my present, my
future.
So I have just to go forward.
So just keep going and it willbe worth it, because it's going
to be easier once you are over.
You know that situation where,uh, the situation where you had
(12:59):
just to figure out your secondversion of yourself.
Then you have just to practicehabits and being consistent and
then you can reach the finishline.
Another point he said.
Judge Abiti said emotionalfatigue and isolation were big
(13:26):
in your case, especiallystrangling to connect
meaningfully with others.
So there is definitely sometrue in this.
I mean, there is definitelysome emotional fatigue that
comes from trying to navigate myjob and figure out what and how
to achieve my purpose, you know, which often leads me to avoid
(13:49):
making connections because Irecognize that my time was
valuable, is valuable.
It's different, of course, whenI find someone with a shared
experience or a person whoovercame before me like an
entrepreneur or another examplesomeone from the same cultural
(14:12):
background, you know, likesomeone, some Italian dude who
lives in the Netherlands.
But I have to say, generally Idon't have trouble making
connections in those situations.
But I understand what JapGPTmight suggest, that I don't put
much effort into relationshipsthat don't feel rewarding.
(14:35):
I mean, I focus on makingconnections only in case those
connections help me grow anddevelop.
Okay, and most of you can say,yeah, okay, very enough, that's
what you are paying to choose adifferent level.
(14:56):
So when you try to figure outhow to grow your mindset to a
higher level in your potentialfield, you end up closing the
doors to other people and listen.
I can agree with that.
Plus, I feel very comfortablein my own bubble.
You know, just leaving me aloneis fine, I'm good, okay, I'm
(15:19):
good with myself myself, buthere there is a but.
Uh.
There may be many examples,examples, but let's, let's.
Let's give you this one.
I live in the netherlands andI'm still behind in learning
Dutch, because I've been focusedon figuring out my own path.
(15:41):
You know my personal journey,but now I'm facing the
consequences of that.
I sometimes struggle tounderstand the people around me
and, yes, I feel isolated in acountry where I actually feel at
home.
So it is hard, it is truly hard, so you need to be careful with
(16:02):
that.
Another one setting boundaries,setting boundaries so I didn't
used to set boundaries.
It is important to avoid, youknow, always being there for
others at the cost of your ownenergy.
I have to thank my family forthis, because whenever they ask
(16:26):
me for something, I felt pushedto say yes, you know.
However, say yes often meansguys, I'm willing to spend my
energy and my time on you, andif I have my own projects to
work on, I might end upprocrastinating those for your
sake.
That's the meaning.
Okay, in a more personal growthway, I'm not saying you should
(16:51):
always say no.
Instead, it is essential toevaluate your energy level and
consider whether spending timewith someone is truly valuable
to you or not.
Additionally, guys, if it leadsto procrastination on something
important, even if with lovelypeople, right, you need to
(17:11):
understand if it is worth atthat moment to do something with
this person.
If it is worth at that momentto do something with this person
.
For example, while I waspreparing this episode, my
mother-in-law texted me askingif I want to go for a walk.
I was so busy that you know likeI had to record an episode,
(17:32):
writing another one, recordingagain, then creating guides for
my Subst-stack mentorships on onfiverr and activating my email
marketing.
A few years ago I would havesaid yes, actually, even though
I missed her and honestly, it'sbeen a long time since we last
(17:52):
saw each other.
But yeah, I, I was too much.
I've, it's not about being busy, but the I had.
My energy had to be um, had tobe uh on what I do to in in a
(18:17):
way that I could and I canpersonally grow.
So it's crucial to set yourboundaries, because your energy,
your time and your life belongto you.
You have to understand that, atthe same time, creating too
much isolation can lead tounfortunate consequences.
Understand that, at the sametime, creating too much
(18:38):
isolation can lead tounfortunate consequences.
So it's important to achieve alittle balance in in in anything
you.
You do understand it cannot beeasy and I never truly had
balance in my life.
But remember, any excess canbring challenges in the future.
Okay.
So if you acknowledge that andare okay with the consequences,
(19:02):
then you can move forward.
There is no problem.
For example, I have not learnedDutch yet, despite being here
for years.
But now I feel out of place.
So I take that as a lesson andI know that I should do
something about it.
Another one is feelingunmotivated by previously
(19:24):
inspiring time, still bychild-shippity.
That was the statement towardsmyself.
So if you don't feel a sense ofsatisfaction over time, guys,
it's common to begin feelingdiscontent.
Okay, I recall a year when Ihosted multiple guests on my
(19:47):
podcast and, despite having manylovely interactions, I
eventually lost the joy in it.
I couldn't enjoy anymore.
It could have been have beendue to the process or maybe my
choice of topics, I don't know,but eventually I decided to move
to solo podcasting and peoplesay that solo podcasting is more
(20:08):
complicated to grow.
But the truth is I'm enjoying.
I'm enjoying more now and I'mnot concerned about increasing
my audience.
Okay, this is a more generalissue.
Aiming toward the goal simplybecause wants inspire you is not
(20:29):
enough.
If the inspiring factor is notstrong enough, okay.
Remember that, for example,aiming for thousands of
followers on Instagram becauseof a viral reel can lead to
demoralization if it doesn'twork out okay, which is often
the case.
Another point, another keypoint, was the frustration or
(20:56):
stagnation, despite consistenteffort.
And also true, I've been in thesame position for over a decade
.
So what's the solution here?
Choose something you genuinelyenjoy.
When you enjoy what you'redoing, guys, you won't feel
frustrated or dormant, you know,and time will fly by.
(21:17):
For, for example, if you loveto write and one day decide to
become a writer, pursuing thedream shouldn't decrease your
enjoyment unless yourperspective shifts shifts from
passion to monetization and, ofcourse, if money doesn't come
yet, it can lead to frustration.
(21:40):
Okay, now how my currentapproach helps recovery.
Chachapiti said focusing onSubstack gives you control and
allows for authentic expressionwithout the pressure of
short-form content.
To put it simply, we often wantto be everywhere but end up not
(22:05):
succeeding anywhere.
It is essential to choose aplace where you truly belong and
focus your efforts.
Whether online or offline, itdoesn't matter.
So, building your community ona single platform helps reduce
overwhelm and, you know, in thisway you can conserve.
You can save also your energy.
So once you are familiar withthe platform and know your
(22:28):
community, guys, you can stillevaluate your energy levels and
decide to explore other options.
But just but later.
I mean not straight away, don'tdo straight away, don't don't
try out any social media alltogether.
Yes, in my case I'm stillposting my weekly soundbite on
(22:51):
instagram.
The soundbite, I don't know ifyou know, are short audio
content in MP4 form, you knowfrom the podcast.
And yes, sometimes I also sharephotos on Facebook and I also
schedule hundreds of quotes forweeks.
(23:11):
But the real community I'mfocusing on is on just one
specific platform.
That's soup stack and you canalso notice from my engagement
in my notes there that's prettyhigh.
You know, and this was amistake I made for years.
Guys, being focused on more thanone platform is not truly
(23:36):
advisable, not in the beginninganyway.
Okay, I mean at least until youfigure out how to grow on that
specific platform.
And then, of course, it's up toyou if you want to dedicate
again time, energy, to a secondplatform.
(23:56):
Then we have another one, hesaid, engaging deeply with a
smaller, positive communityprovides a meaningful connection
.
So this is the second point.
Yes, we are still in a, in acurrent approach.
(24:18):
That helps, uh, helps me torecover a little bit from my uh,
from my burning out.
So, guys, engagement isimportant.
Okay, a phrase you may havehere, or maybe no, well, a lot
(24:39):
of people that come from uh,digital marketing and online
marketing generally, they knowthese phrases Content is king.
But they often forget the mostimportant one Engagement is
queen.
Content is king, engagement isqueen.
(25:03):
You have to engage to grow yourcommunity.
It doesn't matter if it isonline or offline.
You have to engage to grow yourcommunity.
It doesn't matter if it isonline or offline, you have to
engage on one platform.
Can you imagine, yeah, you justhave two shops, physical shops,
and you're just one person, howcan you engage with both
clients, with both shops?
(25:24):
You cannot, of course.
You are going to end up, youknow, concluding nothing in both
shops.
You cannot, of course, you aregoing to end up, you know,
concluding nothing in both shops, which is the same as uh,
online.
So I I really hoped in the past, you know, someone would have
said to me and, uh, I don't knowif today would be different,
actually, but at least I saythis to you in this episode.
(25:47):
Another key is focusing oncreating content about things
that genuinely excite you, helpsto keep your motivation high,
and we previously discussed thisguy so right on the frustration
or stagnation key.
So when you choose something,you need to choose something
(26:10):
where you know you can enjoy away you enjoy what you're doing.
You won't feel frustrated or uh, you know, exhausted and time
will fly by and the.
The other key I think is thelast key about the approach of
(26:31):
recovery is recognizing andrespecting your limits.
That helps rebuild energy andclarity, and I know it's hard to
not only to recognize yourlimits I mean, it's not hard to
(26:51):
recognize your limits, but Iknow it's hard to want to
recognize your limits because weoften don't want to acknowledge
them.
The moment we do that, we mightfeel less capable than others,
so we tend to pretend this limitdon't exist.
But the truth is something I'vebeen learning over these months
(27:15):
also is that the more youaccept your limits, the more you
can find solutions andalternatives that will boost you
, lift up you.
You know I want to give anexample and I want to be honest,
if you listen to all myepisodes from the beginning, all
(27:36):
right, you will noticedifferent versions of my
approach to podcasting.
So sometimes I used to readstories, other times I relied on
content generated by AI, butthen I felt guilty because I
felt like an imposter.
So there was a time when Irecorded my own content only via
some keynotes, you know.
(27:56):
So, like like, I used to readsome keynotes and then, and then
I just talked.
You know, with my english.
My english was not very good,since it's not my native
language language, but I didthat as well.
I try out a lot.
(28:17):
So what is the point here?
I knew I had something to saystill something to say to the
world, but the way I deliveredmy message didn't match the
fluency of most English speakers.
So how did I become moregrammatically fluent?
(28:39):
Well, I didn't.
I'm sure I improved in theseyears, but not towards a native
level, of course.
You know I write everything down, everything.
That's my trick, even now, as Isay this, it's because it's
(29:04):
written and I'm practicingnatural speaking.
I guess that is a voice actor,does you know?
So meanwhile, I read my owntranscript, totally natural, and
I feel in my own space in thisway and it is also efficient
because I cut nothing inpost-production.
(29:25):
If it happens, guys, it'sliterally marks, a couple of
cuts, you know Marks.
And I decided to write my owntranscript instead of relying
solely on AI Because, you know,ai shapes your persona when we
(29:47):
talk about creative writing.
It did with me.
It used to shape my persona, mywords, my meaning, my entire
soul in the writing.
So I couldn't see myself.
So I'm sure you know what Imean when we talk about creative
writing.
You know, and I only use AI towrap up and make a call to
(30:12):
action.
That's it.
And in this case, it just makesa reassume for me with some
nice key points.
So it's also nice.
And I always love checking forplagiarism because I'm satisfied
with my job.
For example, in this case, thistranscript right that I did had
(30:35):
only 2% plagiarism, which wasstill present in another episode
of Mind Online.
So that's the reason, by theway, and even if they say that
up 20%, it's still great andstill so, 2% plagiarism and 5%
(30:56):
for AI generated patterns, whichI'm really proud of.
I'm really proud to see that95% is mine.
How do I do that?
Then?
I do use Grammarly.
That 95% is mine.
You know how do I do that.
Then I do use Grammarly, which,yes, provides AI correction,
but that doesn't change what Imentioned before.
(31:18):
You know, it doesn't change mysoul, basically.
Also, it has a powerful toolfor review suggestions and my
personal corrections, especiallyto make the transcript entirely
my own.
So that's very important.
And this is especiallyimportant because if I don't
recognize a word right, or Idon't know how to pronounce it,
(31:42):
or, let's say, I've never usedit before, then I remove it from
the script.
Listen, I could reach this levelof awareness only by
recognizing my limits.
Okay, I recognize my limit.
Recognize your limit, guys.
(32:03):
In my case, it's that myEnglish is not perfect and I
have to be honest with myself.
That's okay.
The key is to find ways toimprove without feeling
overwhelmed or burnout.
So ask yourself this kind ofquestions, all right, questions
(32:23):
like okay, okay enough.
So what are my limits?
And the answers will lead youto freedom.
Now let's wrap up.
Today we talk about my personalstory, with burnout, the signs
and the small but powerfulshifts shifts, sorry, that are
(32:46):
help me recover.
We explore how staying onautopilot for years can drain
your energy, guys, and howsetting boundaries is truly
essential and how choosing oneplatform, especially one focus,
can give you the clarity to growwithout burning out.
(33:06):
Now I want to hear from you howdo you recognize the signs of
burnout in your own life, guys?
What practices or small shiftshelp you recharge and move
forward?
Share your story with me onSubstack.
I would love to know and connectwith you, of course, and if you
found value in today's episode,make sure to subscribe so you
(33:30):
never miss an update.
And, even more important, guys,share this with a friend who
might need a reminder thatburnout doesn't mean you're
broken, okay.
It simply means it's time for areset, and I want to leave you
with this marketing tip today.
I'm sure it will be helpful toyou one day.
(33:52):
Content may be king, butremember engagement is queen.
Okay, remember that, whetheronline or offline, a real
connection is what keeps usmoving forward, guys.
So keep creating, keepconnecting and keep moving
towards your own version ofsuccess.
Thank you so much for beinghere on journey to success.
(34:14):
And remember, together we arebuilding a life that chooses joy
, one step at a time.
I'll see you in the nextepisode.
Cheers, guys.
This is a very funny story, guys, because I had a
conversation with Chachi PT afew weeks ago and I honestly
don't even remember how we endedup in that discussion.
But there was a moment when itsaid yes, fabio, you were in a
(00:22):
burnout situation for years.
Yes, fabio, you were in aburnout situation for years.
And initially, you know, heestimated that I had been in
burnout for six years.
Then I also shared my entirestory.
I said but are you sure?
So I shared a story.
(00:43):
You know, the one that you cansee on my soup stack.
Actually, you should check itout.
Just go, you know, atjourneytosuccessclubsoupstackcom
in the about section.
And anyway, after I paste mystory in ChartGPT, after I told
(01:04):
my story, it confirmed that Ihad actually been in burnout for
at least 10 years.
Like I was shocked.
Now it may be less.
He said it said I experiencedburnout only 10% of the time,
but I was shocked.
I was shocked and asked howconfident it was about this
(01:29):
judgment, you know, and heestimated that roughly a good,
let's say, 75-80%, that's howmuch sure was, and that was a
huge number for me.
Now, listen, we should not relyentirely on AI.
(01:51):
All right, you can makemistakes and everything.
But let's be honest, it is oneof the most intelligent beings
right now.
So let's say it's partiallycorrect.
Let's say that maybe a good 50percent right is is right about
(02:12):
this.
Uh, uh, this statement aboutmyself.
Even then, I'm still shockedbecause I thought I was doing
well.
Honestly, yes, I've experiencedso many migraines in these years
that I was afraid of having amental breakdown.
(02:33):
That's also true, and thejourney I've had has not been
easy.
I didn't figure out everythingin one year, guys.
In fact, it took me more than13 years because, by the end of
the story has not been easy.
I didn't figure out everythingin one year, guys.
In fact, it took me more than13 years because, by the end of
the story, I didn't have a clearvision and, yes, this brought
(02:55):
me to some frustration.
I felt like Nemo from Pixar,you know, lost in a big ocean.
So I knew I wanted financialfreedom, but I didn't know where
to start.
I'm sure many of you can relateto me, which is why I decided to
talk about this story ofburnout.
I want to break down a coupleof things and wrap up this
(03:17):
episode for you guys, for us,knowing that you have gained
valuable knowledge and haven'twasted your time with me today.
Hi guys, my name is Fabio fromJourney to Success, and Welcome.
Today we are going to talkabout the story of burnout, what
the signs are and how yourcurrent approach helps with
(03:38):
recovery.
Maybe you have experiencedburnout, or maybe experiencing.
You are experiencing now,without realizing it.
But, of course, as always,before to go forward, please
subscribe.
Okay, so I know this is theright direction to lead you guys
, to drive you, to guide youtowards your journey to success.
(04:01):
Now let's start.
Let's discuss some of thelayers that contribute to
burnout.
These layers were present in myexperience and if you are on a
similar journey, I'm sure we areaddressing the same issues,
okay, so, first of all, it's abit ironic Because during this
(04:23):
fascinating conversation withjoshua pt, he said uh, based on
what you share about feelingisolated, exhausted and running
on autopilot for years, itlooked like classic signs of
burnout, so mental fatigue, lowenergy and the sense of
detachment from your usualmotivations.
(04:45):
And so he said that.
And then I was a little bittouched, kind of.
So he noticed that theconversation touched me and
there was a moment he said thisit didn't mean you were
permanently broken and I wasshocked.
I said but how am I supposed totalk with an AI?
What do you mean?
This phrase is so human?
So, anyway, he said but how areyou supposed to talk with an AI
?
What do you mean?
This phrase is so human?
(05:06):
So, anyway, he said it didn'tmean you were permanently broken
, just that your system wasoverloaded and needed a reset.
You have been taking steps torecover by focusing on substack,
setting boundaries andreconnecting with meaningful
(05:31):
work and relationships.
Okay, that was his answerbasically.
So let's break everything downand revisit the signs that point
to my burnout.
Evidently.
And my current approach hashelped with my recovery, guys,
even though I implementedautomatically without realizing
until I had this brainstormingsession with AI.
And in this case, the AI anywaydoes a good job about something
(05:55):
because it can effectivelystructure what we experience
without an emotional layer thatobscures our judgment.
Okay, so this is very important.
Plus, if you have been on thesame journey, it can help you a
lot.
So signs that pointed to myburnout and eventually can help
(06:20):
you, chachapiti says, can helpyou.
Chachapiti says to me you feltlike you were on autopilot for
years, simply going through themotions without real engagement.
(06:40):
Now, burnout or not, it is true.
I dedicated over 13 years to myjourney, guys, you, you know
always changing and reinventingmyself.
I like the balance and strangleto do anything well, even
activities I was passionateabout, you know, even starting
and finishing a video game thatsometimes used to take me six,
(07:02):
seven or eight months, or evenimportant tasks that I delayed.
Same phrases like I don't havetime to practice the car now,
for example, you know, becausenow I'm starting to practice to
drive again.
Or I don't have time to learnDutch, now you know.
(07:22):
Or I used to choose very, very,very short indie games because
I was afraid to invest, to spendso much about my time when I'm
actually I'm, a video gamer.
It's important to realizeyourself professionally yes,
(07:43):
very enough, but it's alsoimportant to fulfill yourself,
you know, and reconnect withyour childhood space.
So the truth is that I spent somuch time trying to figure out
(08:09):
what to do with building theversion of myself, uh, overall,
that I ignore anything else.
Okay and uh.
For that, I want to give a bigthanks to lois mohret, the
fiance the fiance, you know,future wife.
I want to give a big thanks toLois Mogret, the fiancée the
fiancée, you know future wife.
I want to thank her because shesupports me and especially
(08:32):
because she tolerates this partof myself, this crazy creative
part of myself, and I reallyappreciate that truly, really
appreciate that truly.
And I'm just realizing now thatI was chasing something that
did not yet exist because I didnot have a clear goal yet.
(08:55):
And this also involves thepeople who love you.
Remember that anyway.
Still, in this contest, youknow there are three types of
people.
The first group are individualsthat accept their current
situation due to societalexpectations, such as education,
(09:18):
jobs and family.
Okay, so they normalize theirlives to a minimum level and are
content as long as they believethey are happy.
So if you are genuinely happyin this space, I mean, that's
perfectly fine for me.
I won't judge you.
However, if you are not, thenwe need to talk about it, all
(09:38):
right?
Number two, the second group.
So this group has a dream andinvest energy and time in it.
So they often have a clearvision from a young age One goal
, one purpose to which theydedicate all their energy.
And these individuals are alsosuccessful in their personal
(10:00):
lives because they know how tobalance their passions, their
hobbies, such as video games orsports, you know, whatever.
And then there is the thirdgroup, and this is where I find
myself.
So, like many of you, I haddifferent dreams, but societal
and familial expectationsdirected me away from what I
(10:23):
truly wanted.
Expectations directed me awayfrom what I truly wanted.
So one day I just realized thiswasn't going to work and I knew
it was time for me to reinventmyself.
And if you are in this spaceright, if you are in this group
I emphasize with you, becauseI've faced similar hardships and
(10:44):
I know how hard it has been foryou as well.
Okay, and indeed, connecting toour main point, it's true that
you can feel like you are onautopilot.
For years, I felt like I was acandle that had been burning its
(11:04):
works for years and years.
Guys, if that is the meaning ofburnout, you know.
Again, I get that now truly,because when I look back, I'm
not surprised.
It took so long to understand mypath, more than 13 years to
(11:25):
figure out what I want to become.
Guys, it's a lot.
It's I wouldn't say it's a lot.
Maybe it depends are on ourjourney, right, but let's say I
I didn't expect would have takenso much.
But it's clear now.
(11:46):
It's clear because I didn'thave a clear goal.
So it also makes sense, youknow.
But it also makes sense thatthis process consumes a lot of
time and energy at the same time.
So, anyway, once you finallyunderstand your 2.0 version of
yourself which can take years, Ihope for you know the next step
(12:10):
, anyway, is figuring out how tomove forward and achieve your
goal.
So the good news is that, sinceyou strangle a lot in the
beginning, when you beginworking towards your goal with a
clear vision can actuallybecome much easier.
And it is where I'm, I am rightnow.
So right now I'm in a situationwhere, uh, I know what to do, I
(12:35):
know how to do, have a clearvision about my present, my
future.
So I have just to go forward.
So just keep going and it willbe worth it, because it's going
to be easier once you are over.
You know that situation where,uh, the situation where you had
(12:59):
just to figure out your secondversion of yourself.
Then you have just to practicehabits and being consistent and
then you can reach the finishline.
Another point he said.
Judge Abiti said emotionalfatigue and isolation were big
(13:26):
in your case, especiallystrangling to connect
meaningfully with others.
So there is definitely sometrue in this.
I mean, there is definitelysome emotional fatigue that
comes from trying to navigate myjob and figure out what and how
to achieve my purpose, you know, which often leads me to avoid
(13:49):
making connections because Irecognize that my time was
valuable, is valuable.
It's different, of course, whenI find someone with a shared
experience or a person whoovercame before me like an
entrepreneur or another examplesomeone from the same cultural
(14:12):
background, you know, likesomeone, some Italian dude who
lives in the Netherlands.
But I have to say, generally Idon't have trouble making
connections in those situations.
But I understand what JapGPTmight suggest, that I don't put
much effort into relationshipsthat don't feel rewarding.
(14:35):
I mean, I focus on makingconnections only in case those
connections help me grow anddevelop.
Okay, and most of you can say,yeah, okay, very enough, that's
what you are paying to choose adifferent level.
(14:56):
So when you try to figure outhow to grow your mindset to a
higher level in your potentialfield, you end up closing the
doors to other people and listen.
I can agree with that.
Plus, I feel very comfortablein my own bubble.
You know, just leaving me aloneis fine, I'm good, okay, I'm
(15:19):
good with myself myself, buthere there is a but.
Uh.
There may be many examples,examples, but let's, let's.
Let's give you this one.
I live in the netherlands andI'm still behind in learning
Dutch, because I've been focusedon figuring out my own path.
(15:41):
You know my personal journey,but now I'm facing the
consequences of that.
I sometimes struggle tounderstand the people around me
and, yes, I feel isolated in acountry where I actually feel at
home.
So it is hard, it is truly hard, so you need to be careful with
(16:02):
that.
Another one setting boundaries,setting boundaries so I didn't
used to set boundaries.
It is important to avoid, youknow, always being there for
others at the cost of your ownenergy.
I have to thank my family forthis, because whenever they ask
(16:26):
me for something, I felt pushedto say yes, you know.
However, say yes often meansguys, I'm willing to spend my
energy and my time on you, andif I have my own projects to
work on, I might end upprocrastinating those for your
sake.
That's the meaning.
Okay, in a more personal growthway, I'm not saying you should
(16:51):
always say no.
Instead, it is essential toevaluate your energy level and
consider whether spending timewith someone is truly valuable
to you or not.
Additionally, guys, if it leadsto procrastination on something
important, even if with lovelypeople, right, you need to
(17:11):
understand if it is worth atthat moment to do something with
this person.
If it is worth at that momentto do something with this person
.
For example, while I waspreparing this episode, my
mother-in-law texted me askingif I want to go for a walk.
I was so busy that you know likeI had to record an episode,
(17:32):
writing another one, recordingagain, then creating guides for
my Subst-stack mentorships on onfiverr and activating my email
marketing.
A few years ago I would havesaid yes, actually, even though
I missed her and honestly, it'sbeen a long time since we last
(17:52):
saw each other.
But yeah, I, I was too much.
I've, it's not about being busy, but the I had.
My energy had to be um, had tobe uh on what I do to in in a
(18:17):
way that I could and I canpersonally grow.
So it's crucial to set yourboundaries, because your energy,
your time and your life belongto you.
You have to understand that, atthe same time, creating too
much isolation can lead tounfortunate consequences.
Understand that, at the sametime, creating too much
(18:38):
isolation can lead tounfortunate consequences.
So it's important to achieve alittle balance in in in anything
you.
You do understand it cannot beeasy and I never truly had
balance in my life.
But remember, any excess canbring challenges in the future.
Okay.
So if you acknowledge that andare okay with the consequences,
(19:02):
then you can move forward.
There is no problem.
For example, I have not learnedDutch yet, despite being here
for years.
But now I feel out of place.
So I take that as a lesson andI know that I should do
something about it.
Another one is feelingunmotivated by previously
(19:24):
inspiring time, still bychild-shippity.
That was the statement towardsmyself.
So if you don't feel a sense ofsatisfaction over time, guys,
it's common to begin feelingdiscontent.
Okay, I recall a year when Ihosted multiple guests on my
(19:47):
podcast and, despite having manylovely interactions, I
eventually lost the joy in it.
I couldn't enjoy anymore.
It could have been have beendue to the process or maybe my
choice of topics, I don't know,but eventually I decided to move
to solo podcasting and peoplesay that solo podcasting is more
(20:08):
complicated to grow.
But the truth is I'm enjoying.
I'm enjoying more now and I'mnot concerned about increasing
my audience.
Okay, this is a more generalissue.
Aiming toward the goal simplybecause wants inspire you is not
(20:29):
enough.
If the inspiring factor is notstrong enough, okay.
Remember that, for example,aiming for thousands of
followers on Instagram becauseof a viral reel can lead to
demoralization if it doesn'twork out okay, which is often
the case.
Another point, another keypoint, was the frustration or
(20:56):
stagnation, despite consistenteffort.
And also true, I've been in thesame position for over a decade
.
So what's the solution here?
Choose something you genuinelyenjoy.
When you enjoy what you'redoing, guys, you won't feel
frustrated or dormant, you know,and time will fly by.
(21:17):
For, for example, if you loveto write and one day decide to
become a writer, pursuing thedream shouldn't decrease your
enjoyment unless yourperspective shifts shifts from
passion to monetization and, ofcourse, if money doesn't come
yet, it can lead to frustration.
(21:40):
Okay, now how my currentapproach helps recovery.
Chachapiti said focusing onSubstack gives you control and
allows for authentic expressionwithout the pressure of
short-form content.
To put it simply, we often wantto be everywhere but end up not
(22:05):
succeeding anywhere.
It is essential to choose aplace where you truly belong and
focus your efforts.
Whether online or offline, itdoesn't matter.
So, building your community ona single platform helps reduce
overwhelm and, you know, in thisway you can conserve.
You can save also your energy.
So once you are familiar withthe platform and know your
(22:28):
community, guys, you can stillevaluate your energy levels and
decide to explore other options.
But just but later.
I mean not straight away, don'tdo straight away, don't don't
try out any social media alltogether.
Yes, in my case I'm stillposting my weekly soundbite on
(22:51):
instagram.
The soundbite, I don't know ifyou know, are short audio
content in MP4 form, you knowfrom the podcast.
And yes, sometimes I also sharephotos on Facebook and I also
schedule hundreds of quotes forweeks.
(23:11):
But the real community I'mfocusing on is on just one
specific platform.
That's soup stack and you canalso notice from my engagement
in my notes there that's prettyhigh.
You know, and this was amistake I made for years.
Guys, being focused on more thanone platform is not truly
(23:36):
advisable, not in the beginninganyway.
Okay, I mean at least until youfigure out how to grow on that
specific platform.
And then, of course, it's up toyou if you want to dedicate
again time, energy, to a secondplatform.
(23:56):
Then we have another one, hesaid, engaging deeply with a
smaller, positive communityprovides a meaningful connection
.
So this is the second point.
Yes, we are still in a, in acurrent approach.
(24:18):
That helps, uh, helps me torecover a little bit from my uh,
from my burning out.
So, guys, engagement isimportant.
Okay, a phrase you may havehere, or maybe no, well, a lot
(24:39):
of people that come from uh,digital marketing and online
marketing generally, they knowthese phrases Content is king.
But they often forget the mostimportant one Engagement is
queen.
Content is king, engagement isqueen.
(25:03):
You have to engage to grow yourcommunity.
It doesn't matter if it isonline or offline.
You have to engage to grow yourcommunity.
It doesn't matter if it isonline or offline, you have to
engage on one platform.
Can you imagine, yeah, you justhave two shops, physical shops,
and you're just one person, howcan you engage with both
clients, with both shops?
(25:24):
You cannot, of course.
You are going to end up, youknow, concluding nothing in both
shops.
You cannot, of course, you aregoing to end up, you know,
concluding nothing in both shops, which is the same as uh,
online.
So I I really hoped in the past, you know, someone would have
said to me and, uh, I don't knowif today would be different,
actually, but at least I saythis to you in this episode.
(25:47):
Another key is focusing oncreating content about things
that genuinely excite you, helpsto keep your motivation high,
and we previously discussed thisguy so right on the frustration
or stagnation key.
So when you choose something,you need to choose something
(26:10):
where you know you can enjoy away you enjoy what you're doing.
You won't feel frustrated or uh, you know, exhausted and time
will fly by and the.
The other key I think is thelast key about the approach of
(26:31):
recovery is recognizing andrespecting your limits.
That helps rebuild energy andclarity, and I know it's hard to
not only to recognize yourlimits I mean, it's not hard to
(26:51):
recognize your limits, but Iknow it's hard to want to
recognize your limits because weoften don't want to acknowledge
them.
The moment we do that, we mightfeel less capable than others,
so we tend to pretend this limitdon't exist.
But the truth is something I'vebeen learning over these months
(27:15):
also is that the more youaccept your limits, the more you
can find solutions andalternatives that will boost you
, lift up you.
You know I want to give anexample and I want to be honest,
if you listen to all myepisodes from the beginning, all
(27:36):
right, you will noticedifferent versions of my
approach to podcasting.
So sometimes I used to readstories, other times I relied on
content generated by AI, butthen I felt guilty because I
felt like an imposter.
So there was a time when Irecorded my own content only via
some keynotes, you know.
(27:56):
So, like like, I used to readsome keynotes and then, and then
I just talked.
You know, with my english.
My english was not very good,since it's not my native
language language, but I didthat as well.
I try out a lot.
(28:17):
So what is the point here?
I knew I had something to saystill something to say to the
world, but the way I deliveredmy message didn't match the
fluency of most English speakers.
So how did I become moregrammatically fluent?
(28:39):
Well, I didn't.
I'm sure I improved in theseyears, but not towards a native
level, of course.
You know I write everything down, everything.
That's my trick, even now, as Isay this, it's because it's
(29:04):
written and I'm practicingnatural speaking.
I guess that is a voice actor,does you know?
So meanwhile, I read my owntranscript, totally natural, and
I feel in my own space in thisway and it is also efficient
because I cut nothing inpost-production.
(29:25):
If it happens, guys, it'sliterally marks, a couple of
cuts, you know Marks.
And I decided to write my owntranscript instead of relying
solely on AI Because, you know,ai shapes your persona when we
(29:47):
talk about creative writing.
It did with me.
It used to shape my persona, mywords, my meaning, my entire
soul in the writing.
So I couldn't see myself.
So I'm sure you know what Imean when we talk about creative
writing.
You know, and I only use AI towrap up and make a call to
(30:12):
action.
That's it.
And in this case, it just makesa reassume for me with some
nice key points.
So it's also nice.
And I always love checking forplagiarism because I'm satisfied
with my job.
For example, in this case, thistranscript right that I did had
(30:35):
only 2% plagiarism, which wasstill present in another episode
of Mind Online.
So that's the reason, by theway, and even if they say that
up 20%, it's still great andstill so, 2% plagiarism and 5%
(30:56):
for AI generated patterns, whichI'm really proud of.
I'm really proud to see that95% is mine.
How do I do that?
Then?
I do use Grammarly.
That 95% is mine.
You know how do I do that.
Then I do use Grammarly, which,yes, provides AI correction,
but that doesn't change what Imentioned before.
(31:18):
You know, it doesn't change mysoul, basically.
Also, it has a powerful toolfor review suggestions and my
personal corrections, especiallyto make the transcript entirely
my own.
So that's very important.
And this is especiallyimportant because if I don't
recognize a word right, or Idon't know how to pronounce it,
(31:42):
or, let's say, I've never usedit before, then I remove it from
the script.
Listen, I could reach this levelof awareness only by
recognizing my limits.
Okay, I recognize my limit.
Recognize your limit, guys.
(32:03):
In my case, it's that myEnglish is not perfect and I
have to be honest with myself.
That's okay.
The key is to find ways toimprove without feeling
overwhelmed or burnout.
So ask yourself this kind ofquestions, all right, questions
(32:23):
like okay, okay enough.
So what are my limits?
And the answers will lead youto freedom.
Now let's wrap up.
Today we talk about my personalstory, with burnout, the signs
and the small but powerfulshifts shifts, sorry, that are
(32:46):
help me recover.
We explore how staying onautopilot for years can drain
your energy, guys, and howsetting boundaries is truly
essential and how choosing oneplatform, especially one focus,
can give you the clarity to growwithout burning out.
(33:06):
Now I want to hear from you howdo you recognize the signs of
burnout in your own life, guys?
What practices or small shiftshelp you recharge and move
forward?
Share your story with me onSubstack.
I would love to know and connectwith you, of course, and if you
found value in today's episode,make sure to subscribe so you
(33:30):
never miss an update.
And, even more important, guys,share this with a friend who
might need a reminder thatburnout doesn't mean you're
broken, okay.
It simply means it's time for areset, and I want to leave you
with this marketing tip today.
I'm sure it will be helpful toyou one day.
(33:52):
Content may be king, butremember engagement is queen.
Okay, remember that, whetheronline or offline, a real
connection is what keeps usmoving forward, guys.
So keep creating, keepconnecting and keep moving
towards your own version ofsuccess.
Thank you so much for beinghere on journey to success.
(34:14):
And remember, together we arebuilding a life that chooses joy
, one step at a time.
I'll see you in the nextepisode.
Cheers, guys.
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