Succeed without burning out: the key to sustainable leadership

“ It is not strength, but perseverance, that accomplishes great things. “

Samuel Johnson, 18th-century English writer

Your startup’s biggest enemy: a burned-out founder

Whether you’re running an SME or a start-up, as the founder or CEO, the key person… is you.
It’s not the crisis, the competition, or even a bad product that poses the first threat to your startup. It’s you. Or more precisely: your burnout. The kind that creeps in silently, clouds your judgment, weakens your relationships, and eventually drains your energy completely.

In a world that glorifies 80-hour workweeks and grind culture (that obsession with constant effort, where every non-working minute is seen as a weakness), we forget the biggest risk: charging ahead when your tank is already empty.

Being always present is not leadership

Wanting to do everything, decide everything, validate everything—that’s often what you think you should do. But an overwhelmed founder is rarely a good decision-maker. And we French are often masters of micromanagement.

The real pressure doesn’t come from deadlines. It comes from having to make decisions in uncertainty, without clear markers. When you’re tired, you make poor choices. You tolerate the unacceptable. You miss weak signals—and that’s when real risks arise!

You’re not a machine: unplug!

Constant hyper-connection, the “always on” mindset, gives the illusion of control. But needing to be reachable at all times is a trap. It fuels reactivity—not clarity. You must relearn how to carve out blank spaces in your schedule, “green corridors,” non-negotiable time blocks. Take real vacations. Feed your big-picture thinking and creativity. Allow yourself to be unreachable—even for just one hour a day. Because making smart decisions requires mental space first.

The body speaks before you do

Insomnia, headaches, irritability? Your body knows before you do that you’ve crossed the line. Ignoring these signs is choosing programmed exhaustion. Quality sleep is the foundation of your clarity and decision-making.

Sometimes you need to seek answers elsewhere. I often encourage my clients to try psychomagic acts, inspired by the work of Alejandro Jodorowsky. The idea? Use symbolic rituals that speak to the unconscious to clear negative energy and trigger deep transformation.

And importantly: the act must always end positively—with transformation. These acts spark genuine, personal commitment—sometimes liberating.

Here’s a simple psychomagic act if you’re feeling frustrated or angry: sit quietly with a glass of water. Take 2 or 3 blank sheets of paper and write out your thoughts and judgments—about yourself or others—that social norms prevent you from saying aloud. No filter, no censorship. Let it all out. But don’t reread them. Do it as many times as needed to empty your mind. Then tear up and burn the pages in an ashtray, gently water the ashes, and pour them at the base of a plant you love—symbolically feeding something positive.

Work on your relationships like you work on your product

A great product isn’t enough if your relationship with your board, co-founders, or partners falls apart. And this is one of the most overlooked areas in early-stage ventures. Working in tandem is powerful—but risky. Tension, frustration, misalignment: if unspoken and unmanaged, they explode.
Hold regular check-ins. Create space for honest feedback, conflict resolution, and set a clear framework for who decides what. And revisit it regularly.

Your relationship is a strategic foundation. If it cracks, the whole structure wobbles.

CVs are not your bosses

The relationship with investors is often fraught. Some founders over-adapt their strategy to please. Others get defensive and shut down. Neither approach helps. A good founder listens without submitting. Defends their vision without arrogance. Says no when needed—and knows why. And above all, they understand that their role is to translate the complexity of the field, especially when some VCs have only a theoretical view.
Stay aligned with your direction. You’re the pilot, not the passenger.

Coaching, support, balance: structure your personal ecosystem

A well-supported founder is a CEO who can last. I encourage my clients not to rely on just one coach or support system.

Some international profiles, for example, benefit from dual coaching—one coach in France and one in the U.S. Why? To better manage cultural gaps, decision-making rhythms, and implicit expectations. This creates consistency and breathing room in a world where everything is constantly shifting.

Personally, I work with several coaches—sports coaches, supervisors, and strategic coaches. Whatever the size of your company, the loneliness of the CEO is real.

Own your ambition without sacrificing clarity

Starting a business or a startup takes a bit of ego, even megalomania—and that’s okay. It requires a spark of madness to rally a team, investors, a market. But that madness must be structured. What transforms ambition into a sustainable business is your ability to channel your energy, protect your clarity, and choose your battles over the long term.

In summary

Take advantage of your vacation to truly disconnect. Set clear boundaries: who can contact you, how often, in which time slots, and in what situations.

Your startup, your company, your business—that’s you. Your energy, your decisions, your relationships. The product, the market, the funding—everything stems from you.

Taking care of yourself isn’t a luxury. It’s strategy. And often, it’s the only real difference between those who scale or last… and those who burn out.

#vacation #clarity #endurance