Recognizing Burnout: My 10-Year Struggle

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.

Chapters

• 0:00 My Surprising Burnout Diagnosis
• 3:29 Signs of Burnout I Never Noticed
• 9:05 Three Types of People on Life's Journey
• 15:36 Setting Boundaries to Protect Your Energy
• 23:59 Recovery Strategies That Actually Work
• 30:20 Accepting Limits and Finding Solutions
• 34:44 Reconnecting with Joy and Purpose

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

This is a very funny story, guys, because I had a conversation with Chachi PT a few weeks ago and I honestly don't even remember how we ended up in that discussion. But there was a moment when it said yes, fabio, you were in a burnout situation for years. Yes, fabio, you were in a burnout situation for years. And initially, you know, he estimated that I had been in burnout for six years. Then I also shared my entire story. I said but are you sure? So I shared a story. You know, the one that you can see on my soup stack. Actually, you should check it out. Just go, you know, at journeytosuccessclubsoupstackcom in the about section. And anyway, after I paste my story in ChartGPT, after I told my story, it confirmed that I had actually been in burnout for at least 10 years. Like I was shocked. Now it may be less. He said it said I experienced burnout only 10% of the time, but I was shocked. I was shocked and asked how confident it was about this judgment, you know, and he estimated that roughly a good, let's say, 75-80%, that's how much sure was, and that was a huge number for me.

Speaker 1: 1:47

Now, listen, we should not rely entirely on AI. All right, you can make mistakes and everything. But let's be honest, it is one of the most intelligent beings right now. So let's say it's partially correct. Let's say that maybe a good 50 percent right is is right about this. Uh, uh, this statement about myself. Even then, I'm still shocked because I thought I was doing well.

Speaker 1: 2:22

Honestly, yes, I've experienced so many migraines in these years that I was afraid of having a mental breakdown. That's also true, and the journey I've had has not been easy. I didn't figure out everything in one year, guys. In fact, it took me more than 13 years because, by the end of the story has not been easy. I didn't figure out everything in one year, guys. In fact, it took me more than 13 years because, by the end of the story, I didn't have a clear vision and, yes, this brought me to some frustration. I felt like Nemo from Pixar, you know, lost in a big ocean. So I knew I wanted financial freedom, but I didn't know where to start.

Speaker 1: 3:07

I'm sure many of you can relate to me, which is why I decided to talk about this story of burnout. I want to break down a couple of things and wrap up this episode for you guys, for us, knowing that you have gained valuable knowledge and haven't wasted your time with me today. Hi guys, my name is Fabio from Journey to Success, and Welcome. Today we are going to talk about the story of burnout, what the signs are and how your current approach helps with recovery. Maybe you have experienced burnout, 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 the right direction to lead you guys, to drive you, to guide you towards your journey to success. Now let's start. Let's discuss some of the layers that contribute to burnout. These layers were present in my experience and if you are on a similar journey, I'm sure we are addressing the same issues, okay, so, first of all, it's a bit ironic Because during this fascinating conversation with joshua pt, he said uh, based on what you share about feeling isolated, exhausted and running on autopilot for years, it looked like classic signs of burnout, so mental fatigue, low energy and the sense of detachment from your usual motivations.

Speaker 1: 4:45

And so he said that. And then I was a little bit touched, kind of. So he noticed that the conversation touched me and there was a moment he said this it didn't mean you were permanently broken and I was shocked. I said but how am I supposed to talk with an AI? What do you mean? This phrase is so human? So, anyway, he said but how are you supposed to talk with an AI? What do you mean? This phrase is so human? So, anyway, he said it didn't mean you were permanently broken, just that your system was overloaded and needed a reset. You have been taking steps to recover by focusing on substack, setting boundaries and reconnecting with meaningful work and relationships. Okay, that was his answer basically. So let's break everything down and revisit the signs that point to my burnout. Evidently. And my current approach has helped with my recovery, guys, even though I implemented automatically without realizing until I had this brainstorming session with AI. And in this case, the AI anyway does a good job about something because it can effectively structure what we experience without an emotional layer that obscures our judgment. Okay, so this is very important. Plus, if you have been on the same journey, it can help you a lot. So signs that pointed to my burnout and eventually can help you, chachapiti says, can help you.

Speaker 1: 6:23

Chachapiti says to me you felt like you were on autopilot for years, simply going through the motions without real engagement. Now, burnout or not, it is true. I dedicated over 13 years to my journey, guys, you, you know always changing and reinventing myself. I like the balance and strangle to do anything well, even activities I was passionate about, you know, even starting and finishing a video game that sometimes used to take me six, seven or eight months, or even important tasks that I delayed. Same phrases like I don't have time to practice the car now, for example, you know, because now I'm starting to practice to drive again. Or I don't have time to learn Dutch, now you know. Or I used to choose very, very, very short indie games because I was afraid to invest, to spend so much about my time when I'm actually I'm, a video gamer.

Speaker 1: 7:39

It's important to realize yourself professionally yes, very enough, but it's also important to fulfill yourself, you know, and reconnect with your childhood space. So the truth is that I spent so much time trying to figure out what to do with building the version of myself, uh, overall, that I ignore anything else. Okay and uh. For that, I want to give a big thanks to lois mohret, the fiance the fiance, you know, future wife. I want to give a big thanks to Lois Mogret, the fiancée the fiancée, you know future wife. I want to thank her because she supports me and especially because she tolerates this part of myself, this crazy creative part of myself, and I really appreciate that truly, really appreciate that truly. And I'm just realizing now that I was chasing something that did not yet exist because I did not have a clear goal yet.

Speaker 1: 8:55

And this also involves the people who love you. Remember that anyway. Still, in this contest, you know there are three types of people. The first group are individuals that accept their current situation due to societal expectations, such as education, jobs and family. Okay, so they normalize their lives to a minimum level and are content as long as they believe they are happy. So if you are genuinely happy in this space, I mean, that's perfectly fine for me. I won't judge you. However, if you are not, then we need to talk about it, all right?

Speaker 1: 9:41

Number two, the second group. So this group has a dream and invest energy and time in it. So they often have a clear vision from a young age One goal, one purpose to which they dedicate all their energy. And these individuals are also successful in their personal lives because they know how to balance their passions, their hobbies, such as video games or sports, you know, whatever. And then there is the third group, and this is where I find myself.

Speaker 1: 10:13

So, like many of you, I had different dreams, but societal and familial expectations directed me away from what I truly wanted. Expectations directed me away from what I truly wanted. So one day I just realized this wasn't going to work and I knew it was time for me to reinvent myself. And if you are in this space right, if you are in this group I emphasize with you, because I've faced similar hardships and I know how hard it has been for you as well. Okay, and indeed, connecting to our main point, it's true that you can feel like you are on autopilot. For years, I felt like I was a candle that had been burning its works for years and years. Guys, if that is the meaning of burnout, you know. Again, I get that now truly, because when I look back, I'm not surprised.

Speaker 1: 11:20

It took so long to understand my path, more than 13 years to 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 our journey, right, but let's say I I didn't expect would have taken so much. But it's clear now. It's clear because I didn't have a clear goal. So it also makes sense, you know. But it also makes sense that this process consumes a lot of time and energy at the same time.

Speaker 1: 13:03

So, anyway, once you finally understand your 2.0 version of yourself which can take years, I hope for you know the next step, anyway, is figuring out how to move forward and achieve your goal. So the good news is that, since you strangle a lot in the beginning, when you begin working towards your goal with a clear vision can actually become much easier. And it is where I'm, I am right now. So right now I'm in a situation where, uh, I know what to do, I know how to do, have a clear vision about my present, my future. So I have just to go forward. So just keep going and it will be worth it, because it's going to be easier once you are over. You know that situation where, uh, the situation where you had just to figure out your second version of yourself. Then you have just to practice habits and being consistent and then you can reach the finish line. Another point he said.

Speaker 1: 14:21

Judge Abiti said emotional fatigue and isolation were big in your case, especially strangling to connect meaningfully with others. So there is definitely some true in this. I mean, there is definitely some emotional fatigue that comes from trying to navigate my job and figure out what and how to achieve my purpose, you know, which often leads me to avoid making connections because I recognize that my time was valuable, is valuable. It's different, of course, when I find someone with a shared experience or a person who overcame before me like an entrepreneur or another example someone from the same cultural background, you know, like someone, some Italian dude who lives in the Netherlands. But I have to say, generally I don't have trouble making connections in those situations. But I understand what JapGPT might suggest, that I don't put much effort into relationships that don't feel rewarding. I mean, I focus on making connections only in case those connections help me grow and develop.

Speaker 1: 15:52

Okay, and most of you can say, yeah, okay, very enough, that's what you are paying to choose a different level. So when you try to figure out how to grow your mindset to a higher level in your potential field, you end up closing the doors to other people and listen. I can agree with that. Plus, I feel very comfortable in my own bubble. You know, just leaving me alone is fine, I'm good, okay, I'm good with myself myself, but here 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 and I'm still behind in learning Dutch, because I've been focused on figuring out my own path. You know my personal journey, but now I'm facing the consequences of that. I sometimes struggle to understand the people around me and, yes, I feel isolated in a country where I actually feel at home. So it is hard, it is truly hard, so you need to be careful with that. Another one setting boundaries, setting boundaries so I didn't used to set boundaries.

Speaker 1: 17:17

It is important to avoid, you know, always being there for others at the cost of your own energy. I have to thank my family for this, because whenever they ask me for something, I felt pushed to say yes, you know. However, say yes often means guys, I'm willing to spend my energy and my time on you, and if I have my own projects to work on, I might end up procrastinating those for your sake. That's the meaning. Okay, in a more personal growth way, I'm not saying you should always say no. Instead, it is essential to evaluate your energy level and consider whether spending time with someone is truly valuable to you or not. Additionally, guys, if it leads to procrastination on something important, even if with lovely people, right, you need to understand if it is worth at that moment to do something with this person. If it is worth at that moment to do something with this person. For example, while I was preparing this episode, my mother-in-law texted me asking if I want to go for a walk.

Speaker 1: 18:29

I was so busy that you know like I had to record an episode, writing another one, recording again, then creating guides for my Subst-stack mentorships on on fiverr and activating my email marketing. A few years ago I would have said yes, actually, even though I missed her and honestly, it's been a long time since we last 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 to be uh on what I do to in in a way that I could and I can personally grow.

Speaker 1: 19:26

So it's crucial to set your boundaries, because your energy, your time and your life belong to you. You have to understand that, at the same time, creating too much isolation can lead to unfortunate consequences. Understand that, at the same time, creating too much isolation can lead to unfortunate consequences. So it's important to achieve a little balance in in in anything you. You do understand it cannot be easy and I never truly had balance in my life. But remember, any excess can bring challenges in the future. Okay. So if you acknowledge that and are okay with the consequences, then you can move forward. There is no problem. For example, I have not learned Dutch yet, despite being here for years. But now I feel out of place. So I take that as a lesson and I know that I should do something about it.

Speaker 1: 20:23

Another one is feeling unmotivated by previously inspiring time, still by child-shippity. That was the statement towards myself. So if you don't feel a sense of satisfaction over time, guys, it's common to begin feeling discontent. Okay, I recall a year when I hosted multiple guests on my podcast and, despite having many lovely interactions, I eventually lost the joy in it. I couldn't enjoy anymore. It could have been have been due to the process or maybe my choice of topics, I don't know, but eventually I decided to move to solo podcasting and people say that solo podcasting is more complicated to grow. But the truth is I'm enjoying. I'm enjoying more now and I'm not concerned about increasing my audience.

Speaker 1: 21:22

Okay, this is a more general issue. Aiming toward the goal simply because wants inspire you is not enough. If the inspiring factor is not strong enough, okay. Remember that, for example, aiming for thousands of followers on Instagram because of a viral reel can lead to demoralization if it doesn't work out okay, which is often the case. Another point, another key point, was the frustration or stagnation, despite consistent effort. And also true, I've been in the same position for over a decade. So what's the solution here? Choose something you genuinely enjoy. When you enjoy what you're doing, guys, you won't feel frustrated or dormant, you know, and time will fly by. For, for example, if you love to write and one day decide to become a writer, pursuing the dream shouldn't decrease your enjoyment unless your perspective shifts shifts from passion to monetization and, of course, if money doesn't come yet, it can lead to frustration. Okay, now how my current approach helps recovery.

Speaker 1: 22:53

Chachapiti said focusing on Substack gives you control and allows for authentic expression without the pressure of short-form content. To put it simply, we often want to be everywhere but end up not succeeding anywhere. It is essential to choose a place where you truly belong and focus your efforts. Whether online or offline, it doesn't matter. So, building your community on a single platform helps reduce overwhelm and, you know, in this way you can conserve. You can save also your energy. So once you are familiar with the platform and know your community, guys, you can still evaluate your energy levels and decide to explore other options.

Speaker 1: 23:37

But just but later. I mean not straight away, don't do straight away, don't don't try out any social media all together. Yes, in my case I'm still posting my weekly soundbite on instagram. The soundbite, I don't know if you know, are short audio content in MP4 form, you know from the podcast. And yes, sometimes I also share photos on Facebook and I also schedule hundreds of quotes for weeks. But the real community I'm focusing on is on just one specific platform. That's soup stack and you can also notice from my engagement in my notes there that's pretty high. You know, and this was a mistake I made for years.

Speaker 1: 24:34

Guys, being focused on more than one platform is not truly advisable, not in the beginning anyway. Okay, I mean at least until you figure out how to grow on that specific platform. And then, of course, it's up to you if you want to dedicate again time, energy, to a second platform. Then we have another one, he said, engaging deeply with a smaller, positive community provides a meaningful connection. So this is the second point. Yes, we are still in a, in a current approach. That helps, uh, helps me to recover a little bit from my uh, from my burning out. So, guys, engagement is important. Okay, a phrase you may have here, or maybe no, well, a lot of people that come from uh, digital marketing and online marketing generally, they know these phrases Content is king. But they often forget the most important one Engagement is queen. Content is king, engagement is queen.

Speaker 1: 26:07

You have to engage to grow your community. It doesn't matter if it is online or offline. You have to engage to grow your community. It doesn't matter if it is online or offline, you have to engage on one platform. Can you imagine, yeah, you just have two shops, physical shops, and you're just one person, how can you engage with both clients, with both shops? You cannot, of course. You are going to end up, you know, concluding nothing in both shops. You cannot, of course, you are going 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 know if today would be different, actually, but at least I say this to you in this episode.

Speaker 1: 26:50

Another key is focusing on creating content about things that genuinely excite you, helps to keep your motivation high, and we previously discussed this guy so right on the frustration or stagnation key. So when you choose something, you need to choose something where you know you can enjoy a way 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 the last key about the approach of recovery is recognizing and respecting your limits. That helps rebuild energy and clarity, and I know it's hard to not only to recognize your limits I mean, it's not hard to recognize your limits, but I know it's hard to want to recognize your limits because we often don't want to acknowledge them. The moment we do that, we might feel less capable than others, so we tend to pretend this limit don't exist. But the truth is something I've been learning over these months also is that the more you accept your limits, the more you can find solutions and alternatives that will boost you, lift up you.

Speaker 1: 28:32

You know I want to give an example and I want to be honest, if you listen to all my episodes from the beginning, all right, you will notice different versions of my approach to podcasting. So sometimes I used to read stories, other times I relied on content generated by AI, but then I felt guilty because I felt like an imposter. So there was a time when I recorded my own content only via some keynotes, you know. So, like like, I used to read some 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 did that as well. I try out a lot. So what is the point here? I knew I had something to say still something to say to the world, but the way I delivered my message didn't match the fluency of most English speakers. So how did I become more grammatically fluent? Well, I didn't. I'm sure I improved in these years, but not towards a native level, of course.

Speaker 1: 29:58

You know I write everything down, everything. That's my trick, even now, as I say this, it's because it's written and I'm practicing natural speaking. I guess that is a voice actor, does you know? So meanwhile, I read my own transcript, totally natural, and I feel in my own space in this way and it is also efficient because I cut nothing in post-production. If it happens, guys, it's literally marks, a couple of cuts, you know Marks.

Speaker 1: 30:38

And I decided to write my own transcript instead of relying solely on AI Because, you know, ai shapes your persona when we talk about creative writing. It did with me. It used to shape my persona, my words, my meaning, my entire soul in the writing. So I couldn't see myself. So I'm sure you know what I mean when we talk about creative writing. You know, and I only use AI to wrap up and make a call to action. That's it. And in this case, it just makes a reassume for me with some nice key points. So it's also nice.

Speaker 1: 31:24

And I always love checking for plagiarism because I'm satisfied with my job. For example, in this case, this transcript right that I did had only 2% plagiarism, which was still present in another episode of Mind Online. So that's the reason, by the way, and even if they say that up 20%, it's still great and still so, 2% plagiarism and 5% for AI generated patterns, which I'm really proud of. I'm really proud to see that 95% 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 I mentioned before. You know, it doesn't change my soul, basically. Also, it has a powerful tool for review suggestions and my personal corrections, especially to make the transcript entirely my own. So that's very important. And this is especially important because if I don't recognize a word right, or I don't know how to pronounce it, or, let's say, I've never used it before, then I remove it from the script.

Speaker 1: 32:55

Listen, I could reach this level of awareness only by recognizing my limits. Okay, I recognize my limit. Recognize your limit, guys. In my case, it's that my English is not perfect and I have to be honest with myself. That's okay. The key is to find ways to improve without feeling overwhelmed or burnout. So ask yourself this kind of questions, all right, questions like okay, okay enough. So what are my limits? And the answers will lead you to freedom.

Speaker 1: 33:35

Now let's wrap up. Today we talk about my personal story, with burnout, the signs and the small but powerful shifts shifts, sorry, that are help me recover. We explore how staying on autopilot for years can drain your energy, guys, and how setting boundaries is truly essential and how choosing one platform, especially one focus, can give you the clarity to grow without burning out. Now I want to hear from you how do you recognize the signs of burnout in your own life, guys? What practices or small shifts help you recharge and move forward? Share your story with me on Substack.

Speaker 1: 34:24

I would love to know and connect with you, of course, and if you found value in today's episode, make sure to subscribe so you never miss an update. And, even more important, guys, share this with a friend who might need a reminder that burnout doesn't mean you're broken, okay. It simply means it's time for a reset, and I want to leave you with this marketing tip today. I'm sure it will be helpful to you one day. Content may be king, but remember engagement is queen. Okay, remember that, whether online or offline, a real connection is what keeps us moving forward, guys. So keep creating, keep connecting and keep moving towards your own version of success. Thank you so much for being here on journey to success. And remember, together we are building a life that chooses joy, one step at a time. I'll see you in the next episode. Cheers, guys.