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.

1. 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.
2. 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).
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.

1. "You can't build a new future on old foundations."
2. "When worth is the paycheck, you never clock out."
3. "My nervous system is not impressed by my calling."
4. "A holy mission with an unhealthy pace ends in a crash."
5. "If I need you to like me, I cannot lead you."

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2. Full Episode Show Notes & Transcript: www.leadwithjim.com/podcast

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