In this episode of GoodEnoughChats, Mark Jennings talks candidly about the inner pressure to succeed, where it came from, and the devastating impact it eventually had on his health, relationships, and identity.
Mark shares how a lifetime of striving to meet other people’s expectations led to burnout, the breakdown of his marriage, and a complete collapse of confidence during a job in London. That, combined with pneumonia and a deep sense of emotional disconnection, left him barely functioning — and ultimately estranged from his parents.
But he also speaks honestly about what helped him get through it: therapy, long-distance running, writing, medication, and learning to be radically honest with himself and others.
This is a conversation about burnout, identity, and the slow process of starting again when everything you’ve built your life around stops working.
Here are the timestamps for each of the core questions we cover in the show:
0:00 Dan’s opener and overview
1:40 Intro to Mark
4:00 Why Mark came on the show
9:26 How was your last week?
13:02 How has your relationship with your mental health evolved?
47:25 Have there been any lightbulb moments for you?
1:10:24 What’s the most important thing someone going through this can do?
If you’d like to connect with Mark, you can find him here on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/markjennings/
For more info on GoodEnoughChats, visit:
https://goodenoughchats.com
If you’ve been affected by anything raised in this episode, please know you’re not alone. You can speak to someone at:
NHS: https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/mental-health-services/
CALM: https://www.thecalmzone.net/
Samaritans: https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/
Mind: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/guides-to-support-and-services/seeking-help-for-a-mental-health-problem/where-to-start/
