Episode Summary:
We usually end the year with a victory lap. We talk about the wins, the revenue, and the growth. But if we’re being honest, the most important lessons usually come from a face-plant.
In this final episode of 2025, Jim Burgoon shares the "Ugly Truths" of the past year. From realizing that his "discipline" was actually fear dressed up as productivity, to a major health crash that came from ignoring his body's limits, Jim holds nothing back.
If you want to walk into 2026 with a new foundation instead of just a new calendar, this episode is for you. We are leaving the hustle, the people-pleasing, and the burnout in 2025.
Key Takeaways:
- Hustle is a Wound: If you can't rest without guilt, you aren't a high performer—you're a high-functioning captive. Jim admits how his "work ethic" was often just a way to avoid processing the grief of losing his mother and sister.
- Calling ≠ Invincibility: Your nervous system is not impressed by your calling. A holy mission with an unhealthy pace still ends in a crash (and sometimes an autoimmune diagnosis).
- Performance Kills Leadership: You cannot lead people you are secretly trying to impress. If you are addicted to approval, you will manage reactions instead of building trust.
- Belonging vs. Proving: Your best work happens when you stop trying to earn a seat at the table. You don't find your voice by forcing it; you find it by standing in it.
- Trust Your Intuition: Trauma can make you second-guess your gut. Jim shares why you must stop "logicking" your way out of red flags—if it feels off, it usually is off.
Favorite Quotes:
- "You can't build a new future on old foundations."
- "When worth is the paycheck, you never clock out."
- "My nervous system is not impressed by my calling."
- "A holy mission with an unhealthy pace ends in a crash."
- "If I need you to like me, I cannot lead you."
Resources:
- Join the Newsletter: www.leadwithjim.com/nl
- Full Episode Show Notes & Transcript: www.leadwithjim.com/podcast
Connect with Jim
- 🌐 Website: www.leadwithjim.com
- 🎙️ Ask a Question: leadwithjim.com/ask
- 📱 Instagram:
