We need to have a sit-down. Right now.
It’s about the books. Not the ones you cook for the taxman. I’m talking about the internal ledger. The one keeping track of your energy, your focus, your will to get out of bed and run this operation.
I’ve been looking at the numbers. And lately? You’re light.
You feel it. The grind. The hustle that never ends. You wake up, and you’re already tired. It feels like you’re running a protection racket on yourself, only the payments keep going up and you’re running out of cash.
That isn’t just “stress,” pal. That is burnout.
It’s a hostile takeover. Inside your own head.
Picture a rival crew muscling in on your territory. They start small. Shake down a few of your businesses. Maybe you snap at your wife, or you stare at the ceiling at 3 AM. Then they get bold. They start torching warehouses. Suddenly, you can’t focus. You don’t care about the score. Every phone call feels like a threat.
When the Feds Kick in the Door
You let that crew run wild, and they don’t just take a cut. They take the whole neighborhood.
That’s when burnout calls in the heavy muscle: Depression.
Depression isn’t just “sadness.” It’s the Feds kicking in your door and seizing the assets. Full-scale lockdown. The color drains out of the world. The work that used to give you a thrill? Now it feels like a life sentence. The silence gets loud. Real loud.
You’ve been letting these goons walk all over you. Time to take the turf back.
This isn’t about feelings. I don’t care about your feelings. This is about strategy.
The Operational Checklist
Forget the pep talk. Here is how we fix it.
1. Secure the Perimeter
You got no borders. That’s your problem. Everyone has a piece of you—the boss, the family, the clients. You’re on call 24/7 like a convenience store.
Shut it down.
Decide who gets access and when. Turn off the phone. Don’t answer emails after hours. Your time is currency, and you’re handing it out like flyers on the street. Stop it. It’s your turf. You set the rules.
2. Get a Consigliere
You think you’re the only guy feeling the heat? You’re not. But you act like it. You hold it in like it’s a state secret. Sucker move.
You need a council. Someone who gets it. Not a shoulder to cry on—you need a tactician. A friend, a mentor, a pro. Someone to look at the map and tell you where the mines are. Secrecy is a liability. A smart boss delegates. He doesn’t carry the body by himself.
3. Pay Yourself First
Every earner kicks up a percentage to the boss. Well, you’re the boss. Where’s your cut?
I’m talking about maintenance. What charges the battery?
- The gym?
- An hour of silence?
- Building something in the garage?
Find it. Schedule it. Guard that time like it’s a shipment of diamonds. Because it is. It’s your sanity. It’s not a reward for good work; it’s the cost of doing business.
The Debrief
This isn’t a one-and-done deal. Burnout and depression are patient. They wait for you to get sloppy. They wait for you to drop your guard.
But here’s the thing they don’t know. You’re tougher than them.
You’ve weathered storms before. This is just another operation. You aren’t a victim here. You’re the Boss. Start acting like it.
Look in the mirror. That guy looking back? He’s the only one who can make the call.
So make it. Defend the empire.