Step Up Your Game: Personal Development for Entrepreneurial Success

As entrepreneurs, we often fall victim to "hustle culture" and prioritize our work over our own well-being. We push ourselves to exhaustion, sacrificing sleep, healthy habits, and the personal connections that re-energize us. But what happens when our bodies can't take it anymore? When we hit rock bottom, our health begins to suffer, which impacts every facet of our professional and personal lives.

My Emergency Call for Personal Transformation

My emergency call came when I was lying helpless on an airport floor.

Feet shuffled around me. A bystander asked if I was all right, to which I responded, “I’m fine, I’m just resting,” refusing to admit the truth. I was 37 and had literally run myself into the ground.

I was at the helm of a growing company, working around the clock, consistently stressed, and putting my own health low on my priority list. During this lifestyle of nonstop work, I began to experience lower back pain that gradually worsened. I told myself I didn’t have the time to take care of it. The pain gradually intensified to the point where I was having trouble getting out of bed and sitting at my desk for a prolonged period. Eventually, it hurt to move, period.

I was en route to Chicago from Dallas when the final straw broke the camel’s back. (And in this case, I was the camel.) I could barely walk as I exited the cab and entered the airport. Once inside, I leaned on the wall for stability. I eventually psyched myself up enough to push off the wall and hobble onward to the security checkpoint—resembling, I imagined, the Tin Man running out of oil.

It was at that moment, mid-stride, that my back gave out, and I collapsed. Splayed on the grimy airport floor, I was unable to move for what felt like minutes. I tried to roll over and help myself up, but I couldn’t find the strength; finally, someone from the security staff came by to assist. Next thing, I was on a stretcher in an ambulance on my way to the emergency room. I stared wide-eyed at the ambulance ceiling, thinking, What the hell am I doing to myself?

I was treated at the hospital for a herniated disk that was pushing against my sciatic nerve. I was released from the emergency room and continued my journey home the next day with a new outlook on my work, life, and health. It was clear that I needed to make a change or face the consequences: declining health, limited function, and maybe even a stress-induced heart attack.

I realized I had been neglecting my mental and physical health for far too long and this needed to change. Change didn’t happen overnight. Instead, I paced myself by taking small steps that built upon one another over time. I found this approach much more manageable than if I’d tried to completely overhaul everything at once.

I established wellness as a core Purpose Pillar. I gradually incorporated self-care into my life, from meditation and improved eating habits to regular exercise and sleep optimization. By prioritizing wellness, I became a better leader, entrepreneur, friend, family member, and, most importantly, a better version of myself.

I am not alone in my purpose-driven quest of equipping up-and-coming professionals with the tools to succeed. There are a lot of leaders sharing their experiences with entrepreneurs to help them grow personally and professionally. For example, Mike Apostal, the Co-Founder and CEO of Factor, who successfully sold his company to HelloFresh, has a remarkable story about his journey to becoming a Start-up Athlete and the positive impact it had on his life.