The Lies We Believe About Hustle—and the Leaders They're Burning Out
I used to think exhaustion was just part of the job.
As a business owner, I believed that if I wasn’t grinding, I wasn’t growing. If I didn’t outwork everyone else, I wouldn’t make it. And if I was tired, that just meant I was doing something right.
Turns out, I was wrong.
On the latest episode of the TrustBuilt Podcast, I sat down with Bryan Yates of Locomtiv Coaching—leadership coach, former endurance athlete, and someone who knows what it means to run on grit… and what it means to finally let go of it.
Let me be clear: this episode isn’t about slowing down or giving up.
It’s about doing the deep work that actually makes you stronger—mentally, emotionally, and as a leader.
From Grit to Grind to Burnout
Bryan has coached thousands of people, whether it be on the bike, in the boardroom, and everywhere in between. And one thing he sees again and again?
Leaders who are grinding so hard they can’t see they’re stuck.
We talked about the lies we tell ourselves about hustle. The false belief that pushing through at all costs is what makes us strong. And the deeper truth: real leadership doesn’t come from white-knuckling your way through the day, it comes from self-awareness, clarity, and trust.
Especially trust.
Trust in your team.
Trust in your systems.
Trust in yourself.
Without it? You’re just powering uphill… alone.
The Grind Trap (And How to Escape It)
Bryan and I dug into the real signs of burnout:
Saying “I want to fire myself from my own business”
Micromanaging your team because you don’t trust them
Losing sight of your impact and purpose
Feeling stuck in reactive mode, with no space to breathe, lead, or grow
Sound familiar?
Here’s the wake-up call: You can’t scale or exit your business if you haven’t empowered others to run it without you.
If it only works because of you, it won’t work without you.
Leading with Clarity and Courage
One of my favorite moments in this episode was when Bryan said:
“Most business owners don’t know what they stand for. And if you don’t know what you stand for, you can’t know what you’re pointed toward.”
That hit me. Hard.
Clarity and consistency aren’t just good business practices—they’re how you build trust. With your team, your clients, and yourself.
That’s the work we do at TrustBuilt.
We help you move from a grind-it-out operator to a trust-driven leader.
And this conversation with Bryan? It’s one of the best guides I’ve heard for how to begin that shift.
Watch Now
If you're ready to stop white-knuckling your way through your business…
If you're ready to lead with clarity, energy, and purpose again…
This episode is for you.
Check out “Leadership Burnout & the Lies We Believe About Hustle”
Ready to Break Free from the Grind?
Let’s talk.
Book a call with me: https://www.trustbuiltsolutions.com/contact
Like what you hear? Like, follow, and subscribe to the TrustBuilt Podcast wherever you listen.
You’ve already done the hard part—you built the business.
Now let’s help it run without burning you out in the process.
