On the days when your mind is foggy, your body is tired, and your energy runs thin, leadership feels heavier than usual. In this honest, unpolished, and deeply human episode, Jim speaks from a place of real exhaustion to answer a question every faith-driven creator and leader faces: What do you do when your capacity is low, but responsibilities remain?

If you're navigating chronic illness, mental fatigue, autoimmune flare days, or simply the weight of life, this conversation will steady your spirit. Jim unpacks the cultural pressure to be “always on,” the internal guilt that rises when your body shuts down, and the spiritual discipline of learning to rest from God rather than working for rest.

Through Scripture, lived experience, and pastoral insight, this episode helps you see low-energy days not as failures, but as sacred opportunities to practice presence, stewardship, and honest dependence on the Holy Spirit.

This is a grounding conversation for leaders who don’t need inspiration—they need permission to be human while remaining faithful.

Your Body Is Not the Enemy

Learning to steward your body—especially on flare days or low mental health days—is part of your leadership, not a distraction from it.

Rest Is Not a Reward

Scripture teaches us to work from rest, not toward it. Rest is a gift, not something you earn through productivity.

Trauma Shapes Our Relationship With Rest

Many leaders resist rest because early experiences linked stillness to judgment, punishment, or shame. Healing begins with naming that truth.

Leadership Happens in the Middle, Not the Mountaintop

True growth is formed in ordinary days, not peak inspiration. Steady obedience builds strength long before visibility arrives.

Faithfulness > Visibility

Your quiet, imperfect obedience means more than public impact. Influence is shaped in unseen places.

God Meets You in Your Limitations

Your weakness does not disqualify you from God’s presence or calling. It often becomes the very place where dependence deepens.

Small Acts of Faith Carry Real Weight

On low-capacity days, the most powerful thing you can offer is the simple, honest “yes” you have right now.

• “You don’t have to be inspirational to be faithful.”
• “We keep trying to earn rest, when rest was God’s gift in the first place.”
• “Leadership is shaped in ordinary moments, not just inspired ones.”
• “Your tired ‘yes’ may carry more weight than your strongest declaration.”
• “Faith doesn’t require fanfare. It requires presence.”
• “Your body is a temple. Stewardship begins with honesty about your limits.”
• “God’s power is made perfect in the places you feel least capable.”

• Genesis 2:2–3 — God’s rest as a gift for His people
• Matthew 11:28 — “Come to Me, all who are weary…”
• 2 Corinthians 12:9 — “My power is made perfect in weakness.”
• 1 Kings 19 — Elijah’s exhaustion and God’s gentle care
• Luke 16:10 — Faithful in little, faithful in much
• Psalm 23 — “He makes me lie down in green pastures”

1. What is one thing I can do at 30% today?

Choose an achievable, realistic action that honors your body and your...

What does it take to lead when you feel like you're falling apart? In this raw and unfiltered conversation, Jim sits down with Richard Kaufman—The Comeback Coach, a veteran, and a Christian leader who has navigated a 36-year recovery journey, bipolar disorder, and a past suicide attempt to build a life of profound impact.

This episode is a masterclass in resilience for any leader who feels broken, burnt out, or alone. Richard shares his powerful story of how a moment of crisis became the catalyst for his calling, how he manages his mental health moment-by-moment, and why true coaching comes from scars, not just certifications. Discover the practical strategies he uses to avoid burnout while working 18-hour days, the power of honest conversations in healing, and how to find God in the middle of your deepest pain.

• Lead From Your Scars: A true "Comeback Coach" is someone who has been through the fire and can guide others through it, not someone who has only read the map.
• Manage Mental Health Moment-by-Moment: Your diagnosis doesn't have to be your identity. Learn to accept what you have, but rule it—don't let it rule you.
• The Power of Honest Conversation: The key to navigating mental health is having people in your life who can call you out on your patterns and hold you until the demons go away.
• The Myth of "Hustle": You can work intensely without burning out by building intentional seasons of deep rest and learning to pour from a full cup.
• Faith in the Anguish: Sometimes the most powerful prayer is simply "Help." Jesus wept, and understanding His pain gives us permission to be honest with our own.

• "It's hard for me to, for somebody to call themselves a coach if they've never done it before... If you've never been through the hard times and had to come back from it, don't tell me that you're a life coach."
• "It's okay to slow down as long as you don't quit."
• "You cannot pour from an empty cup."
• "I know what I have, but I rule it, it doesn't rule me."
• "If you're unbreakable, then He can't help you."

• John 11:35 ("Jesus wept.")
• The Serenity Prayer
• Matthew 6:8 (He knows what you need before you ask.)
• Jeremiah 18 (The Potter and the Clay)

• Who is the person in your life you can have a truly honest conversation with about your mental health?
• Are you trying to pour from an empty cup? What is one way you can intentionally rest and refill this week?
• In what area of your life do you need to pray the simple, honest prayer: "Help"?

• Richard Kaufman's Free Book Offer: [Insert Link Here]
• Richard's Podcast: Vertical Momentum Podcast
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Do you have a brilliant idea or a clear calling from God, only to find yourself stuck in a cycle of procrastination and perfectionism? This isn't a character flaw—it's self-sabotage, and it's one of the most common struggles for Christian leaders, entrepreneurs, and creators. Jim Burgoon reveals that this behavior is often a symptom of a much deeper wound: self-abandonment.

In this episode, discover why it feels safer to control your own failure than to risk public success. Learn to spot the three biggest warning signs in your life and uncover a simple, 3-step biblical path to break free. The solution to getting unstuck isn't trying harder; it's healing the wound that makes you trade your divine calling for the temporary comfort of hiding.

• The Illusion of Control: Self-sabotage isn't about wanting to fail; it's about controlling the outcome to avoid the pain of public failure or rejection.
• The Deeper Wound: The behavior of self-sabotage (procrastination, perfectionism, people-pleasing) is a symptom of the deeper wound of self-abandonment.
• The Esau Principle: Trading your God-given purpose for comfort or approval is the modern-day equivalent of Esau trading his priceless birthright for a bowl of stew.
• The 3-Step Healing Path: Overcome the cycle with a biblical framework: Reconnect with your purpose, Re-Anchor your identity in Christ, and Re-Engage with small, faithful actions.
• The Power of Small Beginnings: Breaking the paralysis of self-sabotage doesn't require massive leaps, but tiny, intentional steps that invite God into the process.

• "You don't self-sabotage because you want to fail. You self-sabotage because it gives you the illusion of control."
• "Perfectionism is nothing more than self-sabotage in fancy clothes."
• "Every time you say 'yes' to the wrong thing, you are implicitly saying 'no' to your own calling."
• "The problem isn't that you are lazy... The problem is that we've learned to be okay with abandoning ourselves."

• Genesis 25 (The Story of Jacob & Esau)
• Proverbs 24:16 (Though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again.)
• Ephesians 2:10 (We are God's masterpiece, created for a purpose.)
• Zechariah 4:10 (Do not despise the day of small beginnings.)
• 1 John 1:5-7 (Bringing things into the light.)

• Which of the three warning signs (procrastination, perfectionism, or people-pleasing) is most active in your life right now?
• What "bowl of stew" (comfort, approval, avoiding fear) are you tempted to trade your calling for?
• What is one small, five-minute action you can take today to re-engage with the project you've been avoiding?

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Are you living in "functional burnout"—doing the motions but feeling empty inside? This episode is a lifeline for Christian leaders, entrepreneurs, and creators caught in the cycle of hustle culture and over-functioning. Jim Burgoon breaks down the signs of burnout, shares his personal experience with trauma and C-PTSD, and reveals why you can't just "rest your way" out of exhaustion.

Discover a powerful 4-part framework for recovery, learn why Jesus is the ultimate model for stress management, and understand the difference between being "fixed" and being "made whole." The antidote to burnout isn't a vacation; it's a return to relationship and the presence of God.

• The Reality of Functional Burnout: Most of us are operating in a state of exhaustion, where we can "show up and smile" but feel empty on the inside.
• The Myth of Rest: You can't simply rest your way out of burnout; true recovery requires retraining your nervous system to move out of constant "fight or flight."
• Jesus as the Model: Jesus rested, withdrew often, and slept in the middle of a storm—proving that proper boundaries are biblical.
• The 4-Part Recovery Framework: Recognize the warning signs, Release expectations (others' and your own), Rest (which is an active verb), and Rebuild with healthy boundaries.
• The Antidote: The solution to burnout is not a vacation, but a return to the presence of God, where the joy of the Lord becomes your strength.

• "If you ignore what you are feeling, eventually what you are feeling will become the reality that you live in."
• "Resting is not optional. Resting is obedience."
• "Burnout recovery isn't about running away from responsibilities. It's about returning to relationship."
• "Your healing starts when you realize that you are not broken and you don't need to be fixed, but you need to be made whole."

• Psalm 23 (He makes us lie down...)
• Nehemiah 8:10 (The joy of the Lord is my strength)
• Matthew 11:28 (Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened)

1. Which of the four recovery steps (Recognize, Release, Rest, Rebuild) do you need to focus on this week?
2. What high expectation have you placed on yourself that you need to lower to a "reasonable standard"?
3. What does "partnering with Jesus" look like for you in your current season of exhaustion?

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Are you tired of chasing the myth of "work-life balance"? In this game-changing episode, Jim Burgoon reveals why this popular concept is a perfectionist trap that leads to exhaustion, and offers a powerful, biblical alternative: living in your divine rhythm. Blending psychology and scripture, Jim explains how to shift from a life of anxious control to one of surrendered peace. This episode is a lifeline for any leader, entrepreneur, or creator who is ready to stop juggling and start living with purpose, presence, and a sustainable pace.

• Balance is a myth; rhythm is reality. Life happens in seasons, and trying to give equal weight to everything at all times leads to failure.
• Balance is about control; rhythm is about surrender. True peace comes from walking in step with the Spirit (Galatians 5:25), not from managing every detail perfectly.
• A need for control is often a sign of an unhealed nervous system. Chasing balance can be a trauma response, an attempt to feel safe and worthy through productivity.
• Priorities drive productivity, not the other way around. When you focus on your God-given priorities for the season, the most important things get done.
• Jesus didn't live a balanced life; He lived a prioritized life. He modeled a divine rhythm, showing us how to sleep in the storm and move with purpose.

• Galatians 5:25: The call to "keep in step with the Spirit" is the foundation of a life in rhythm.
• Luke 10:40–42: The story of Martha and Mary illustrates the critical difference between anxious "doing" and peaceful "being."
• Genesis 1-2: The creation story reveals God's own pattern of purposeful work followed by intentional rest.
• Isaiah 26:3: "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you." Peace comes from focus on God, not from perfectly juggling life's demands.

• "Balance is a nice word for perfectionism, dressed up in productivity language."
• "You can sleep in chaos when you live under the divine rhythm."
• "The myth of balance is more about you, your ego, and your control, and not about what God wants to do in you and through you."
• "If we think everything is a non-negotiable, then nothing is a priority."

1. What are your 3–5 non-negotiables in this season of life and leadership?
2. What can you pause without guilt for the next 30 days?
3. What distractions are keeping you from your mission—and how can you remove them?

The modern leadership mantra is to "hustle" and "optimize." But the Kingdom model is counter-cultural: presence over productivity. As a leader, your greatest asset isn't your ability to manage a schedule, but your ability to maintain your connection to the heartbeat of God. A leader in rhythm can discern the right "yes" and the right "no," and can lead their team from a place of overflow, not from the dregs of their own energy. This is the only path to sustainable, impactful leadership.

• Next Episode: Recognizing and Recovering from Burnout — Finding Rest in God’s Presence.
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What happens when God asks you to walk away from everything safe and start over?

In this deeply honest conversation, leadership coach and consultant Shylla Webb joins Jim to share her powerful story of waking up at 3 a.m. with a clear word from God: “Resign.” That single moment launched a journey from burnout and fear to holistic, Spirit-led leadership.

Together, they unpack what it means to integrate faith into your leadership, navigate the unknown with courage, and transform betrayal and heartbreak into gratitude and growth.

If you’ve ever wrestled with fear, burnout, or obedience to your calling—this episode will remind you that God’s direction is always tied to His protection.

• Hearing and obeying God’s call, even when it doesn’t make sense
• Transitioning from security to surrender
• What holistic leadership really means (beyond buzzwords)
• Healing from betrayal and setting healthy boundaries
• Redefining “protection” and learning discernment
• Using gratitude as a tool for growth
• Daily practices to stay grounded in faith and purpose

This episode is a masterclass in faith over fear. Shylla’s story reminds us that the Holy Spirit still speaks, that obedience is costly but worth it, and that miracles often hide inside ordinary moments of surrender.

Scripture echoes her story:

• “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” — Proverbs 19:21
• “We walk by faith, not by sight.” — 2 Corinthians 5:7

Shylla Webb is a leadership coach, consultant, and keynote speaker specializing in holistic leadership and burnout resilience. After two decades in education, she followed God’s prompting to step away from her secure career and start Inner Matter™, a leadership consultancy helping organizations build emotionally intelligent, spiritually grounded cultures. She equips teams to lead with authenticity, compassion, and courage—bridging the gap between professional excellence and personal wholeness.

🌐 Website: innermatter.net

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In this raw and deeply personal episode of The Unshakable Life, Jim shares his talk from The Mountain Summit, where he opened up about grief, trauma, and the cost of running from pain. Through faith-filled storytelling and practical truth, Jim reveals how avoidance keeps us stuck, how grief really works, and how healing becomes the foundation of the legacy God wants to build through us.

If you’ve been numbing out, overworking, or pretending you’re okay when you’re not — this message is for you. It’s an invitation to stop running, start feeling, and finally begin rebuilding your Unshakable Life.

• Why running from pain only multiplies it over time
• The difference between being healed and being healing
• How grief, trauma, and faith intersect in the rebuilding process
• Why boundaries are sacred acts of stewardship, not selfishness
• How to shift from chasing motivation to building meaning
• What it really means to leave a legacy that outlives you

Jim reminds us that healing begins when we stop striving and start surrendering. Real strength isn’t found in pushing harder—it’s found in allowing Christ to meet us in our weakness. As Jim says:

1. Avoidance steals legacy. You can’t outrun what you haven’t healed.
2. You don’t need to be healed to help—just healing.
3. Time doesn’t heal wounds—truth and presence do.
4. Boundaries are sacred. Every “no” to something unhealthy makes room for God’s “yes.”
5. You are the cycle breaker. Your courage to face pain changes the generations after you.

1. What pain have I been running from that God is calling me to face?
2. How have I used productivity or service to avoid dealing with my emotions?
3. What would it look like for me to say “no” to something that drains my peace this week?
4. How can I invite Jesus into my healing process—today, not someday?

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• Using GPT for deeper Bible Study: https://youtu.be/VflG29Hx_Xw
• Youtube Video of Jason Upton Singing: In The Silence

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What do you do when life throat-punches you for the 50th time and you feel like staying down? In this episode of The Unshakeable Life, Jim Burgoon gets brutally honest about exhaustion, burnout, and failure—and the one thing that keeps us standing when everything else crumbles.

Drawing from personal stories of ministry wounds, entrepreneurial failures, and even the grief of losing his mom, Jim shares why falling doesn’t disqualify you from God’s calling. Instead, Scripture reminds us we may be struck down, but not destroyed (2 Corinthians 4:9). With raw honesty and practical tools, Jim helps you reframe resilience, stop pretending you’re fine, and discover the courage to take your next small step with God.

If you’ve been wrestling with the question, “What’s the point of getting back up again?”—this episode was made for you.

• Why failure and falling don’t remove you from God’s plan.
• The danger of “I’m fine” platitudes and how to be real before God.
• How to anchor yourself in God’s presence when you feel abandoned.
• Why resilience isn’t instant—it’s small, courageous steps forward.
• How silence, prayer, and Scripture renew your strength in dark times.

• 2 Corinthians 4:9 — “Persecuted, not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”
• Isaiah 40:31 — “Those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength.”
• Psalm 46:10 — “Be still, and know that I am God.”
• Ephesians 6 — “After you’ve done everything, stand.”

God has never expected perfection—He has always promised presence. The Bible doesn’t say we won’t be knocked down; it says we won’t be destroyed. The difference between despair and hope is whether we believe that truth in the middle of the struggle. Jesus Himself fell under the weight of the cross, yet He got back up to finish the work set before Him. That same Spirit now strengthens us to rise when life feels unbearable.

• What’s one area in your life where you’ve been pretending you’re “fine”?
• What’s a small, courageous step you could take this week to move forward?
• Who in your circle needs to hear your honesty so you don’t walk alone?

You may be knocked down, but you are never abandoned. Stop pretending you’re fine, anchor yourself in God’s presence, and take one courageous step at a time. God doesn’t need you to sprint—He just calls you to keep standing.

Breath Prayer: “Lord, I am weak, but You are strong. Help me rise again.”

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• Using GPT for deeper Bible Study: https://youtu.be/VflG29Hx_Xw
• Youtube Video of Jason Upton Singing: In The Silence

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