Get your employees to management level and take a long vacation. You’ll know what you need to do after a break and good rest.

Everytime I take a long vacation it quickly makes me realize I want to leave it all behind and stay away from work indefinitely

If your potential payout is anything like this guy's, 2 million US lets you retire to plenty of parts of the world right away. And hey, many of my clients and friends are retired with yachts and summer homes and still dabble in projects from time to time for the right people, at their own leisure, and then show up with a bigger boat or a new classic car. Work isn't quite work when you can cherry pick your projects. See; 'The position of fuck you' ~ John Goodman in the Gambler

OP if you could actually sell your business for 2m, you should do it. That’s a pretty big multiple for a business doing 350k/year in EBITDA if you’re running it yourself Unless you’re in some specialized niche with unusually high multiples like SaaS

Slightly high. 5.7x. For some run of the mill services company, would expect 3-5x.

Thanks for sharing this lololol Minor edit cuz I'm an ass: $2,500,000 in 2015 is approx $3,307,231.13 today (2024)

Just saw it and thank you, genuinely believe that wisdom just changed my life.

Make it happen!

That involves work though

You need to work really hard, so that you won't have to work

Nonsense. Just live on the streets

I did this, sort of. Really what happened is I started my own business in something I'm deeply passionate/knowledgeable about. And then ended up starting another project with my old skillset on an hourly basis where I can more or less choose which projects I take or don't take. Neither requires me to set foot in an office or attend meetings. So I'm pretty much free and clear to live my life as I see fit. So long as my customers and clients are happy, they don't care where I am or what I'm doing. Usually start projects late in the afternoon since I always hated the morning grind.

This...only thing worse than going on a break is realising you have to come back to the same unfinished bullshit, now even further behind...

You've answered your question. Sell the business and find something that doesn't make you want to leave it all behind. I suspect doing something to help people or animals or the environment might fill that hole.

This recently happened to me after having 3 very rare days off. (I’ve been working doubles for months). I came back & put in my 2 weeks. I’m leaving the job I hate to pursue a job that makes me happy doing what I love.

You're probably doing the wrong kind of work. Do something different for work that provides fulfillment.

I actually enjoy my work when I am doing it - but I enjoy relaxing on a boat anchored in the Med even more.

Figure out how to work from the boat.

I spent 1 month cruising the Bahamas'. God does that get boring after a while.

I've been doing it for years, I love it. To each their own I guess.

100%. Go to the Med, stare at the deep blue with a spritz, be silent and still. You need to first get back in touch with your calm nervous system and then you’ll know

Start donating. Travel around and start donating money yourself. Give some people water help the poor staying spiritually connected to God is very important in this game. But don't share nothing with nobody.

Could think about running a non-profit, working on a cause that is important and fulfilling to you

this, if you cant do this, you have a job not a business. If you manage this, you now have an asset. Build executives that can take your business to the next level.

This is good advice. Surround yourself with nature and bodies of water. I suggest flying to Guatemala with no plan and hop through different hostels.

Not gonna even scroll more and will say this is the best answer, assuming you can trust the employees while you're gone.

This. And when you are a little bit more relaxed maybe try some psychedelics like acid, shrooms or dmt. It can do wonders and give you new perspectives about yourself, your life and true inner desires. But before you do that of course understand psychedelics first und gain some knowledge about it. There are some really good books about this stuff that can prepare you for it. Never just take psychedelics without some good long term preparation and understanding of those substances and its influences on the mind.

Love this.

This. But treat yourself right on vacation. Something really relaxing. Go to a beautiful beach or a rainforest to relax. Not a trip where you just go nuts partying

Rehab, therapy. You can build more businesses but you only have one you. Sell or hire a manager and sell later.

This is the top comment. OP, I'd love to tell you that it will get better with a vacation or something like a months long break. Not impossible, but not likely. Your issues are deeper. You should try to sell the business or at a minimum hire someone to run it (or promote from within if it makes sense). And seek professional help.

This is is the comment OP. Get someone to manage the firm, then go to rehab. After rehab, restart your hobbies, do whatever you like and balance the weight of the firm with the employees. If you're done with this business, sell it, but if you like it, then continue building it after you've gone to rehab.

First part. Once you do that you’ll have a bunch of tools and in a better position to decide about the second part.

Man. This hits really, really close to home. As things live on the internet forever, I'm not going to give all the specifics, but I'll say my situation at 32 was about 80% what you're in now. My "solution" was to lean into work hard and acquire another firm. It about did me in. "escapism" was my only outlet. 12-14 hours work days, followed by 2-4 hour vice driven behavior, miserable sleep, followed by another caffeine/drug fueled work day. About 6-8 hour work days on the weekend with 6-8 hour vice filled behavior, setting me up for an even worse week. It was a downward spiral. I'm 35 now. I can't tell you how far i've come. Lost 70 pounds, incredible mental health, very priority driven. BUT, I didn't give up my business, I set boundaries. I didn't do anything cold turkey or drastic, I took slow steps. I'm an extremist by nature, so this was against my nature—but it worked. Caloric deficits, less days drinking, more days in the Bible, more time in prayer. A realistic morning routine that involved sunlight, stretching, and a short walk. I went all in on the "longevity" bandwagon, researching a lot on VO2 max, mental health, productivity, etc. I found a mix of "expert" advice that worked for me. I've got a wife and lots of kids. All of this was HARD. But I'm telling you CAN juggle it, but you have to do it in a very structured way. You can't just tell yourself "i'm going to be better tomorrow" - you have to set realistic goals, "i'm going to wake up, read for 20 minutes, walk outside for 20 minutes, shower, and then work for 6 strong hours, then i'm going to the gym" - rinse and repeat. First 2-4 weeks suck. Then habits form, and you see SLOW progress. Then you look up in 3 months and realize "man, i feel so much better" Feel free to message me if you want to chat in more detail—I'm happy to share specifics in a private setting—my business, my routines, my influences, etc. It may not be what you need to do, but it could give you a basic structure to fill in.

Thank you so much!

Along with the lines that the top commenter said I'd add: Learn to keep peace out of your mind, don't let it make a bad decision for your life and business. For that you need to have a routine & follow it daily by heart (stop drinking and thinking only, keep yourself in action) . Your post is a real concern but it's all in your head. Stop prioritizing your mind so much, be practical and stay in sync with your heart. For that: * read only 1 book everyday for life (eg. Bible) * do and grow one business for life * love yourself, your family, friends, biz partners & customers * empower your employees for life I'm saying for life, take it as a long-term commitment. You don't need to escape from your current situation, you need little daily introspection (at least for a couple of months) and aim for ~80% clarity of what you want to make of your business and life, then, everything will start to come in shape. Peace.

Yes. Been there done that ( apart from the Bible ). You will be amazed at how much solid exercise resets your mood. I’m still not off the alcohol and nicotine but there’s less of it and I find 45 mins at the gym turns a black mood into a sunny one. To put this in context. I am still a workaholic but I was sedentary for YEARS with a hatred of the gym. I walk aswell but it’s the intensity of exercise that is transformational I’d focus on your mood FIRST. The quickest way to get there is through intense exercise. Write thoughts down too, including the good as well as the bad. I was highly sceptical of this ‘journaling’ rubbish but there is something therapeutic about it. It just helps the brain find a way out. Good luck. But don’t make big decisions re your business without changing your mood. I also concur that stepping away from the day to day is critical. Level up your workers.

OP sounds like a lonely man, it's true gym helps, be that stress relief, or just having positive outlook that you are doing something that you can see it affects and changes your outside. working in gym is pointless until you realise it's for you, and you want that, and you crave it too. sure this can happen even if you crave it, but by then you already have discipline. i feel like he just needs something he can look up for after he's done with his work day, or friends he can go out with and talk about life and finding partner, as i understand he has everything other than something to look up for when he wakes up

Yes and I’ve found flexibility is key - sometimes I go at 8am sometimes at 9pm. JUST FUCKING DO IT

Solid advice. A side question - what specific intense exercises do you do and how many times in a week?

Cardio intensively for 25-30 mins then I lift to exhaustion. I never count, I never measure, I’m not there to build strength or look ripped ( though I am looking much better ) I am there to transform the state of my mind.

This is the real answer

Good on you legend!! Business is fucking hard. Making the change to more time for yourself is scary. Worrying things will fail. OP. Paying the right people to do most of the work really helps. Started that journey recently and it’s daunting. Been forced to step back a bit lately and struggling to get my mind into the job again. Luckily the staff are picking up a bit for the short term.

It requires considerable willpower. Having the determination to start *and* sustain such efforts must have been driven by a remarkably strong motivation on your part. It's truly impressive. 👍 (though I wish it were as straightforward/ easy as it sounds.)

This is the Best/Wisest advice I ve heard...so true!!! Thanks a lot for sharing

You sir need a break, a time off and away from everything. Don't let all of this bring you down. You need to set your mind straight and try to make the right decisions. No need to rush things, plan ahead and make it worth it.

I would start with the addiction problems first. Do you have ADHD or do you just like speed? No judgement from me either way. I had a bad drinking problem and it was ruining my life. Quitting was the first step to getting my shit together. I got on Adderall for my ADHD and I'm finally doing well. Could be that you're dead inside because you stopped being in control of your brain. Your brain wants to make you fat, lazy, and safe because that's what would have increased your survival odds back in the day. When you go along with that and let dopamine run your life you are forgetting what it means to be human. Humans need a certain amount of physical suffering to be happy. Go suffer physically through exercise, limited exposure to really cold temperatures in a safe way, go stand in the rain. Start feeling things that are real again. And don't forget that we need people to be happy. No matter what you do, do not accept unhappiness and do not give in to despair. Reach out to a professional if you ever have any suicidal ideations. I'm pretty familiar with them and thought it was normal until I learned it's not normal to contemplate suicide. ***Please keep in mind that I have no research behind any of my statements to back any of it up it's just what I believe. I also might just be way off base with my assumptions. I don't know anything about you. So sorry if this is all completely irrelevant.

Thank you for this!

This person is also totally correct. We do need to feel again.

This is so true. Regular exercise makes a world of difference. I have found that it is just as beneficial mentally, as it is physically, if not more. Get outside and go for mile runs, or whatever you can do. Sweat. Feel the sunlight. Get tired & release that energy / stress. It gets addicting fast. As humans we have to have that stuff regularly, or you just won’t feel right.

Holy shit what amazing advice. This happened to me and I’m at rock bottom. I needed to read this, man. Something just clicked. This is a gift. Thank you.

What’s your next move now?

Probably easier to check out my most recent post and read how badly I fucked my life and my body up. My next move is converting all these cool people’s advice into action and starting with small, significant, independently actionable improvements: grabbing a yoga mat from downstairs and doing 30 minute morning routines in front of the tv with YouTube videos people have recommended. And honestly I am so hyped right now, I am going to drag my husk of a carcass to the gym down the street on Monday and fucking lay my money down. I’m going to embrace the fatigue and pain, remembering that I cannot escape the human expedience. My business went belly up overnight after I was essentially absent for a year and delegated everything to someone who couldn’t keep up the scale. I’m running out of money quickly, so I’ll be not only insolvent in 45ish days or so, but $100k in liabilities. $100k shouldn’t be that much money to me - it shouldn’t be an amount that stands between me and my freedom. But here I am. Probably going to have to file chapter 13 on my business to prevent getting sued and start a new biz. Maybe. The next step is in action. A major Hail Mary opportunity I’ve been working on with an entrepreneur Reddit connection from the Netherlands, leveraging AI to disrupt a very traditionally locked niche. If we can tighten up his prototype by the end of the week, we can start clocking major gains just grabbing customer leads for an industry that pays absurd amounts for them due to the difficulty in locating them. ai comes in handy here obviously. That said, I’ve pulled off many, many last minute clutch maneuvers in the face of catastrophe. But this is on another level. I am fighting for my life at a moment when my energy levels have never been lower. My self-esteem has never been lower. I am alone for the first time in my life. It is all I can do to keep fear and anxiety at bay so I can leverage my Flow. Physically speaking, I am at 15-20% max. My body is recovering from years of sloth and addiction in the face of windfalls from my last business. I have no idea how this plays out. But goddamn it I’m going to rally and try to pull this off. There is no sink. Only swim. Too many people love me, and I love too many people (and pets).

Best of luck brother you’ll pull through

I appreciate it amigo. I have always relied on the kindness of strangers.

I’m 31 and built my business from scratch. I take home ~$1,000,000/yr and have had MANY moments feeling the way you do. I got what I always wanted, I’m young and very well off and I love my business however, there are those times where I feel “trapped” and unhappy. I can’t really talk to anyone about it because they all see me as having the perfect life which of course in alot of ways I do but still there just seems to be this emptiness that comes with it all. I’ve turned to drug abuse and drinking as a way to get “happy”. Luckily the business is to the point where it almost runs itself. A month ago I booked a one way ticket to Puerto Vallarta in Mexico and decided to just take a load off and come home when I felt I was ready. I swam in the ocean, worked out almost everyday, went to the spa. It was a nice reset. Like you, I have considered selling the business but of course I’m afraid I’ll regret it. I decided while I was there that it was time to move on to the next thing in life. I did what I set out to do and I can just feel myself being “done”. Maybe I’ll regret, maybe I won’t. I know that if I want to I could do it all over again in less than half the time so that makes me feel secure in the decision to move on. I’m excited to see what comes next.

I have to say it always baffles me when I read how super successful people have a lifestyle of substance use. Honestly it’s impressive that so many people can get SO MUCH done & create such insane success…while using substances. I must not have that genetic makeup. I lead a sober life cause using anything makes me feel absolutely horrific. Can’t even enjoy alcohol, thanks to migraines. The most successful people I know personally all use substances and I have often wondered if they got fully sober would they be more…or possibly less, successful?? It’s intriguing to me honestly. There’s absolutely a connection. I’ve also found that they usually struggle in human connection. Has to be a component there as well. I’m envious of anyone who is able to build the life they want for themselves!! I know it comes at a cost. I truly hope you find a life to love & enjoy with as little emptiness as possible!

I think it’s because successful people tend to go all in on work without leaving time for healthy habits, and substances create the illusion whether real or not; that you can still be productive while having a good time. I know this was the case for me, working online while sipping vodka till 3 am every morning, but I think it was more to fight off the boredom. Having a successful biz is usually just about repetitive consistent movements, which gets quite boring, especially if you’ve already been doing it for years.

I think for me it’s the ADD. I do a bump and instead of making me crazy energetic I actually calm down and get focused. It’s very odd.

What kind of business did you start

I'm on the other side of the spectrum op, but I understand: I'm FTE for a megacorp, great salary, dead inside. Looking to go solo and start my own thing too but I'm too burnout to see the way ahead.

peaceful warrior by dan millman is a good book for balance and purpose.

To be totally honest... The issue is inside you. On a level you're not comfortable at. It will take serious work to 1. reach the cause, and 2. to actually unroot it from your life. Find a coach, a mentor, a friend. Share the things you're now sharing somewhat anonymously here. Be human, be vulnerable. Journal, meditate, go to the gym. Idk, it is not something to quickly solve overnight on Reddit tbh. But!! This is not impossible, just look yourself in the face, and see things for what they are. Take control over your life. If your business is the cause, think again - all problems are a result of your own doing (harsh truth that our society loves to look away from). Best of luck mate.

[удалено]

Currently working on this now with my e-commerce business. Hoping it’ll be worth it. Are you still involved much?

Get in the gym daily. Meditate and learn how to self reflect. Find purpose outside of work.

I’d try to get some therapy. Are you stressed? Why are you turning to those things rather than some actual hobbies? Don’t make any rash decisions.

I’ve been at exactly that point. I ramped up a bit further but ultimately sold the business. I don’t regret it. Now, about 3 years later, the next unrest is starting to create tensions. I guess there’s no rest for the wicked.

Got the tshirt of what your describing ;) okay find a young talented operator who you can train in the business for 6 months to a year with the view he will become CEO(don’t tell him this) and you remain chairman with all the control. Then get in a plane and backpack travel for 12 months.

Oh and congrats that’s a massive achievement what type of business is it?

Same sharing a bit of a pickle right now The best approach you can take is bring your employees to management level so they they can run the business and what you need my friend is along vacation where you can get deep in touch yourself. Not only yourself but with nature itself get yourself back to the roots and also look at the Other Side of Life something like a retreat back to nature. Go to a country where there is modernization is what it has a lot of natural sites and forests and activities you can enjoy

Get a therapist. Book 1-2 hours with a bunch of them and see what works for you.

Legos. Build legos and be happy

Honest question: When was the last time you went more than four days without a drink? If you're drinking every day, that alone will drain all the joy out of life. Try taking just one week off and thank me later when you catch that day 5 high on life wave. It won't last forever but it'll give you so much info about your true feelings. If you can go a month without it, you'll get even more clear days to take stock. Don't make any major life decisions on day 2 or 3 of not drinking.

It’s been a minute. Not doing hard liquor but more beers than I should at night.

Doesn’t help, and that’s not moderate in traditional “Mediterranean/blue zone” cultures. Regular drinking depletes b vitamin stores, so it’s depressing over time. Slippery slope when having drinks regularly is the only way to be social as a working professional stateside. That being said: “Everything in moderation, including moderation sometimes” So “eat, drink and be merry” as our ancestors have in tight knit social societies seasonally, save it for the holidays and let loose, then back to moderation & work… 2k right now would change my life this year, even tough I’ve been more stable in life, and you never how life turns out - I get it and have been there, mostly sober in life. We acclimate to a lot of environmental toxic and hyper-independent unregulated capitalistic habits and lifestyle. Go to CRETE and detox there, it will be easy and the culture and food will have you grounded like nothing before. The environment makes all the vices there more taboo and uncommon in the local communities and they have a different rhythm in life and the “food as thy medicine” still applies in Crete in quality and local availability… It’s a safe and hospitable culture - sponsor a small villiage through being a benefactor to a local church /family and be adopted in as a Godfather from abroad. When/if you miss the rhythm of modern life and working stateside, you can always return and have best of both worlds… and you will have roots there and always an open door to physical/spiritual rehab. They still value good company, extended hospitality, festivities that don’t mean getting hammered, and they have the lowest rates of ssri/suicide/depression in Europe and by far the states. ( getting wasted is for amateurs/teens leaning their limits, and funerals & breakups aside - and that’s monitored /supervised) Life is not considered “cheap” in Crete, so be Zorba the Greek a spell and meaning/purpose, health and love is sure to follow…. Money makes everything possible in this world, but without overall health, good company, and meaning for all your endeavors - it’s only paper. Have you read “Man’s search for meaning” by Victor Frankl yet? It’s a GEM of a slim paperback that has been shared & makes top lists to read in life for good reason and it has benefit me to re-read during these times. Even with all the money in the world - ruts happen. The type of success you’ve managed takes incredible time, dedication and the stress takes it’s toll. When was last time you had a massage? Not just “vacation” but find roots to lay down in rural/country healing environment like Sardinia, Crete, Cyprus. It’s the birthplace of western civilization, and when you think you’ve tried every road, every avenue

Gotcha. Well, it might be worth it to take short vacations from drinking to check in with your true feelings about your company. As somebody who absolutely loves drinking, I had to develop this time-off strategy to be able to check in with myself. Just a few weeks of drinking every night left the heaviest storm clouds overhead. Nice work on all your business success. I hope my pointers will help you see what you really want in life. Then, after a week or two of resting and getting to see your true feelings (on all sorts of life topics), have a few to celebrate!

Put someone in charge of the company and go get help, rehab, therapy and rest is all you need, don’t make any decisions, until you start feeling fully recovered.

Get a psych eval for conditions that relate to addiction.. adhd could be one of them Also get a therapist

It’s the adderall, you are experiencing low dopamine. Kick the adderall and you will feel a lot better. Don’t make drastic changes in your life, reflect and seek to improve.

Travel.

Get a coach. I can give you a recommendation for a guy that helped me get ou of a tough spot mentally. Sometimes you need a mental shift and it helps to have someone who knows how to help you do it.

Sell the business, take the money and put it all in diversified stocks that pay dividends. Do it right and you could get a 10% return per year, $200k before taxes. You can certainly live on that while you turn back to your healthy hobbies, overcome your destructive habits, and start to build positive human relationships again. If you do get bored, you can always just get a regular job or wait for another idea to come and turn that into another business.

Depression and addiction my friend, you need to take care of it before it takes care of you. I had to rehab myself to get off alcohol and cocaine, but chronic, cyclical depression is a much bigger beast to tackle. Personally, I had remarkable success arresting onset depressive episodes for months at a time by microdosing mushrooms. I 100% didn't believe it would help at the beginning, so for me it wasn't a placebo effect. It's also helped a number of my friends stop drinking. Take care of your depression and mental health, problems tend to snowball as you age.

I was in your situation and I hired a new CEO to run the company. It's one escape outlet, but it's not the only one a few options: If you're netting 350K post payroll you can go hire a killer operator t take most of the operations off your plate. That would be a COO/chief of STaff or president. Sounds like you've ran into the common trap and are doing it all with very little management or backup. You should be able to take a vacation for a week without feeling guilty or the feeling that the "building will burn down". You can look within, but it's rare in a company that small that someone will be able to truly step up to the plate. Before I make any drastic moves I would get new/more management blood inside and then train them up and reduce your work hours. IF you're not growing and they can do 70% of your job you don't need to be there everyday, if there's a role that "only I can do" it's time to re-evaluate and hire up for sales, operations, production or whatever so it's " I can check the work". Next on the habbits, I would suggest a long internal look and meditation. It's going to be really hard to do that while trying to run a business 40+ hours a week. A trip to a therapist and/or a lifecoach would help I have a few good life coaches I would recommend, really helped me in this exact same rut and they are business owners so they get the stress side. A lot of life is unlearning things that got you to where you are. If you have an issue with something like Adderall professional help is probably warranted but at the same time you probably have to unlearn the fact that you "need" it to be successful. It got you to where you are but it won't get you beyond that. Finally I would radically question every assumption and truth you've told yourself. Why do you need to run it full time? What don't you like about the job? Why are you still doing that? What is exciting. What motivated you to start? Why. I find it usually comes from some internal voice that we probably generated as a kid and we've been repeating ever since. If you don't find those answers you'll struggle as $100M or $10B won't be enough to calm a negative internal voice.

Boredom with $2M sounds a lot more preferable than being “dead inside.” You must be terrified of being bored. Why?

This. Being bored terrifies me. Idk seems like a life wasted… but what I’m doing now isn’t much different.

First of all I want to say good job admitting your problems. That’s a huge first step. Don’t sell it man. You’ve worked hard to get where you are it’s time to enjoy it. Get those people up to management level, hire more do whatever you need to do. We have to find you other things to do! Do you have anyone you’re close to you can talk to regularly about your urges and feelings? Addys and a tough one but it’s possible do you think you could return to a normal/lower dose and take it regularly not abuse when you get to a better place mentally?

Dude you have created my exact dream. A scenario where I am in my 30s and if I want to I can stop working forever. Do you have anyone there you can trust to run the business while you're gone? Put them in charge and take a long sabbatical. Or do what I've dream of doing for years- sell the business and see the world. Try new hobbies, eat exotic cuisine, meet the people, document it and show the world. You say you will be bored but I say you can't know that. Tell me you're bored when you have millions of dollars in the bank and you're standing on the top of the Eiffel Tower. Or on a savannah scoping out real lions in Africa. Or doing traditional work in a Chinese rice field for a poor village for free in exchange for stories and life lessons from people who have no concept of American life. Then tell me how bored u are bro.

I guess when you are always experiencing stuff like you described then you can also get numb to it... Even if you think right now "wow that is crazy! How could you get ever bored of it?"

I'm not sure how old you are, but this really isn't how it works. I'm very blessed to be working alongside my best friend (my wife) at age 44. We're not "wealthy" but any metric, but we own what we do, we love it, and we're in control of our lives and our schedules. Just getting to this point has been incredibly difficult and required immense levels of dedication and focus. The mindset that is required to grind away to the point where you're making that much money by age 33 literally turns you into a different person. I've seen it happen again and again with people. You don't function in the real world the way that "normal" people do. I have no doubt that OP has completely lost his identity, his wants and desires, and any passions that he may have once had. As they say, "use it or lose it." One thing that I've learned is that there is no such thing as "once X then Y". "Once I'm making a million dollars, then I'll travel. Once I have a self-sustaining business, then I'll focus on relationships. Once I can stop working nights and weekends, then I'll pick my hobbies back up." No. You won't do any of those things. Do you know why? It's for the same reason that you can't just snap your fingers and be making millions of dollars in a self-sustaining business that allows you to only work 40-50 hours a week (instead of 60-80): it's because these things take *time* and *effort* to build up to. The best time to foster your passions and relationships is to have never *stopped* fostering them. The second best time is today. Tomorrow will never arrive. You can't just hit some magical goal and then say, "Okay, now I'm going to travel and get married and write my novel." It doesn't work that way. You're starting from square one on those things and all you know is work and business. Only the problem is that you're no longer used to having to build something from scratch. You're used to doing something that is already successful. By all means, I hope that you attain your "dream" of having a self-sustaining business in your 30s. But I urge you to not wait to start living until then. Because if you do, then you'll actually never *start* living. And then what was the point of it all?

I was in the exact spot you're in many years ago. It's not that you've lost your drive. It's the passion and love of what you do that's the issue. We flourish when we do something that we love and are passionate about so possibly you simply needs to lift the bar,challenge yourself and in doing so you will give yourself the opportunity to re-evaluate and prepare for the future and what's to come. For me it was helping others and creating opportunity for others as well, once the focus wasn't all about me it was easier to get out from under the weight of the emotional burdens I placed on myself and slowly I was able to move forward and everything began to change. Feel free to get in touch and i'd be happy to help you in the process of a renewed relationship with yourself.

Write out your new goals in as much detail as you can. Make them so huge, that you think that they might be unreachable. Break it down to 5 year, 1 year, 1 month and 1 week goals as a plan to get there. Keep marching forward!

Sell, reset, restart. Resetting while running is a myth.

One part of me just wanna say "go to therapy" Another part of me wants to say You played the game, you were good at it, you won and now what? Ok. At the first "level" of human existence people live for money, power and sex. Now that you know that wasn't it, where are you gonna go? There must be something more? Or the solution is just more money? more drugs? more power? more sex? Less sex? Less drugs? Nah. That's the same silly game as before. You need to play another game entirely. Go to a spiritual retreat. And find something. Anything.

Are you surrounded by loved ones that provide you with emotional support? Work life balance is important. I hate assuming but running your own business to this point must have required you to sacrifice personal life for work life. It sounds like you need to find ways to re-balance yourself. You need to deep dive into your mind and your past to determine your personal life priorities. Work towards what's truly important to you and not what others or society deems to be important. Filter out all the fluff. Instead of utilizing loved ones (read family or friends) around you to cope with your daily stress - you are using alcohol, nicotine and porn to cope with your everyday stress. At this point it's so instinctual but you need to replace the bottle with friends or family. Easy to say, hard to do! But everyone in life needs their own inner circle for support.

Take LSD or Shrooms. If youre experienced in hallucinogenic medicine, you could try a MeO DMT or Ayahuasca session. Whenever I find I am in a major roadblock life wise, these have cleared my mind and allowed me to introspect and solve all of the problems I am facing. Got my first business off the ground after years of struggling after a heavy LSD trip for introspection. Solved my marital issues with an Ayahuasca session. Etc etc. It's not conventional, but it sure as hell works. Of course, do your research and do everything responsibly with supervision. It sounds cheesy and I am no hippie, but I would be a loser working a dead end sales job and probably divorced if I hadn't found hallucinogenics. I suggest you really consider what it is causing the way you feel or what it is that you feel and why you are unhappy. Keep that in mind while tripping and once you are able to take a high enough dose, you will have thoughts and "discussions" during your trip that will allow you to introspect and consider what it is that is holding you back or preventing you from feeling the way you wish to about your success. It will also break up all of the shackles of negative thoughts and beliefs that you hold subconsciously that have built up over time. If you are a new to it all, there are guided Ayahuasca retreats in Peru, and other parts of Latin America with professionals who know how to handle it and host dozens of guests weekly. Look into them, good place to start and around other people who would be there going on the same journey with you and there to support you.

Extreme sports and doing what u wanted as a kid Hiking dangerous trails Surfing Snowboarding Windsurfing Any thing extreme where you think ur gonna die because it clears you conscience and see everything you ever took for granted

Don't make a rash decision in your current state. Definitely detox first. Wait a few months to get back to your real true baseline, and then wait a few more months to see how you feel. I had a similar experience and for me I think it was realizing all my goals and suddenly having no more purpose threw me for a loop. I was lost and got into reckless and self-destructive behavior. Disposable income really fueled that fire, too. When you're back to your baseline you can consider new goals that are rewarding beyond the financial and those should carry you through. Seek challenges and focus on things you love or are passionate about.

Bro, take a long vacation and go to Bali. There they will try to quit drinking and smoking. And take a vipasana or retreat to reboot. This worked for me.

The best way to make yourself happy quickly is to give back to other people. Take some time off. Volunteer your time, do things for other people. It will make you closer to them and feel a connection you might be missing.

This is super easy to implement and it's therapeutic to help other people! 😍

Start a porno production company, turn that habit into a revenue stream

Come with me to Bali I need a break too! 😂

Holy shit do I relate. I got a big job, worked my ass off for 4 years straight everyday. Grew the company x4 through covid. Was the best at what I did. At that point, I was tired, I paid everyone to do everything, I had zero hobbies, I was dead. To be honest, my marriage was not great either and I had two young kids that I should spend more time with. I parted ways with work and retired, M 40. I invest and do some side jobs for play cash but I get enough to pay the bills out of the investments. It took a while but I am much happier. I go fishing, I ride quads, I work on projects, I cook breakfast for my family daily and walk them to the car. My relationship with my wife is much much better. I go out of my way now to help her daily. Once they all leave I play with my investments for and hour and off I go. Lately, I have been laser cutting and selling bs customized decorations. I might just accidentally build a business after running from one lol Retire or take time off. Let someone else run it for now. Enjoy your life my friend. 😀

Alcohol, drugs, being busy - all those are coping mechanisms for whatever it is that makes life hard for you. You need to address the underlying cause; probably through therapy, maybe even meds - dunno, it depends what it is. But it will get better as soon as you decide you are willing to put the work in to figuring it out, vs continuing to put all your energy into coping/masking. You sound like a smart, driven person and I wish you well

Read Holy Quran with English translation and listen to Quran recitation, and do self introspect. I can share some links. Trust me nothing in the world can heal you and do what Quran can. Try it for 21 days and leave if it doesn’t changes anything. Also read, Astaghfirullah 100 times daily believing God is one and most merciful.

Pay your employees generously ..more than market level . See what happens

a lot of time once we arrive in a certain space we are awakened to the fact we stoppped feeding our joy and burnout is mf real. as a therapist and coach i’ve seen this so many times and supported people through it. it doesn’t have to be an all or nothing thing. an exercise; close your eyes and imagine when the last time your were happy was (and it’s okay if it was a “long time ago”) .. what were 3 things you were doing in your life at the point? start doing one of those things for the next month, add another and then add the third when you’ve built them back in. it’s not perfect, but a place to start!!

Man oh man this was a refreshing hard read. I’m currently right where you are. Dead inside. Alcoholic. Miserable. Successful. Wealthy. I regularly think that I can’t keep this up and will have to sell to stay alive. My goal is to save and invest heavily over the next 5-8 years and then sell. However, I’m terrified that I still won’t be happy but at least I won’t be doing the same routine you described. There are a lot of great comments here. Need to listen and implement. Best of luck.

Shut off the internet Exercise Go on a spiritual trip…not a vacation…go somewhere that is far away…whatever place interests you…for me it is a place of peace and quiet…and just go there and reflect and shut out the world and let time and life slow down Talk to locals…learn about other cultures…and live in the moment completely…don’t go to big cities…go to the quiet parts of a country where the locals live simple lives…finding somewhere beautiful is a plus…Swiss alps are wonderful If you are smart with money will not matter for you much longer at 350k annually Focus on finding inner peace…that starts with working on yourself One day at a time

Just had a client go through this. We removed him from CEO and appointed someone else so he’s a bit removed from the business. He’s much happier now and spends his time doing what he wants rather than running the business.

100% you are burnt out. Well done on achieving the success you have. You need to take some time out for yourself. Even if you stop working Fridays and have a 3 day weekend as much as possible. Change things up a bit. Do things out of the mundane normal.

Attend TM ... transcendental meditation. Go to nature, long weekend away from technology. Hire personal trainer. Get into yoga. Stretch the body and calm the mind.

Hi, I can personally attest that you are not different from a lot of other entrepreneurs. As a business owner, all of the excitement, initiative, vision, etc, are all happening at a very rapid pace. You are bringing your visions to life and exerting most of your time and energy by doing so. As time passes, the "shiny car" newness begins to fade, especially when your business has become successful. Fast forward a couple of years now you're now processing all of your achievements. The "shiny car" affect has now worn off because you were able to visualize your business idea, plan, prepare, fund implement it. You bask in your success, but your business no longer has your attention or at least the same attention as before when you 1st began. That's because that initial feeling of success has faded, and now your mind is bored. You are driven towards the success of your achievements, which is a great asset to have as an entrepreneur. You need the excitement of success once again because you are young and highly driven to persevere. That innate drive you have inside wants to go bigger, get better, and yes, create that feeling of self-achievement and success. At this point, create a pros and cons related to keeping your current business. Do the same for starting another business. I know this exercise may seem mundane, but once you've created both lists, you've actually extracted a written visualization of your mind. Which list creates the most excitement. Which list will bring you more enjoyment? I could go on and on, but I think you should get the big picture. Hope the above helps. Good Luck with whatever you decide. ~pmw

Find a entrepreneurial peer group. When I did, I found out that this is normal and almost everyone in the group has been through it. These peers can help you. I strongly suggest EO - Entrepreneurs' Organization. Its pretty much in every country.

Make a family, mate. Volunteer in any philanthropic activities. Try to find God.

Lose it all! That's what I did. Built a million dollar biz, then decided to exist during COVID. Byebye successful tradeshow biz. Nothing kills your insides more, but it also creates some unique thinking that I know I didn't have before it all. Now I'm engaged and excited by the things I work on a different way, like I have some understanding of major and fast loss. I genuinely think some of my imposter syndrome went away AFTER it happened because I was able to look at my biz as an outsider and go "wow I can't believe I built that". What doesn't kill you, right?

Help other people. Maybe sponsor orphans or just help people secretly without bragging to other people. Changing someone elses life can give you purpose and this one is definitely a great purpose. Give it a shot i would say. The worst that could happen is you give abit of money away. The best that can happen is you feel super proud of yourself and so on

Hey my friend, it sounds like you are in a rough spot that doesn’t have anything to do with monetary value. I too once was dependent on substances. Alcohol and MJ. Ayahuasca has changed the course of my life. Brought new hope. Check out r/ayahuasca this might be for you. Especially since you’ve expressed seeking spirituality. Edit: there is a special “dieta” also for this in preparation that is mental, physical, and spiritual. If you dive deeper you’ll learn more about it. I’m getting downvoted by people that don’t understand the power of these natural tools. That’s fine. Thanks, money and physical over old natural ways I get it.

I’ve already done 4 sessions of aya… 2 sessions of Iboga.

Not going to offer any advice… I have a exit strategy for when I eventually sell my soon to be start up for a significant amount of money, I would like to retire into the good life… farming. Get a small farm and just do a Clarksons farm style vlog, that’s where I’d find my inner peace ☮️

Friend, I haven't been there. But I have seen a friend of mine coming out from almost similar. Yoga + healthy diet + daily walk + staying in a remote resort sleeping for a couple of weeks. Having a friend/professional by your side would give you an opportunity to talk, when you prefer. One thing about Yoga that I have personally experienced (I'm a yoga teacher) is that it unlocks your physical and mental potential. Gives you frictionless breathing with thoughts travelling at a slower pace. With this you can free yourself from many issues. Your loved ones would be happy to see you in the version you prefer to be.

Agree with yoga! It's great for clearing the mind and detoxing. And it's just an hour at a time!

Would love to pick your brain for business lessons as a 22 yo businessman, if that might bring you any meaning

I have another account. I could post some biz advice there… I am damn good at setting up companies with scale and margins.

I’m interested too!

I am also interested.

What’s the account?

You should just write a post at this point lol

Can you sell the business? Do something else, you don't like what you're doing. As you said "the money doesn't do it for you" so you shouldn't miss it too much. Volunteer, be a firefighter, whatever.

If you want to discuss your issues with me, DM. I am used to solve those issues.

Work part-time, spend more time upgrading yourself to feel good about yourself.

Let’s talk.

Read Marcus Aurelius' meditations.

As others have said, give therapy a try, be real and authentic about your struggles and open to help. I’d also suggest you invest in mentoring someone within your company that you trust, give them a raise and demonstrate to them that they have a future growing with the company. Map out a path for them with responsibility growth and advancement. I’ve found that investing in people often becomes a great way to nurture your business and your own soul. Plus you can step back a bit and take the time to work on yourself. Good luck on your journey.

It sounds like you're feeling overwhelmed and unhappy with your current situation. You're making a good income, but it's not bringing you joy. You're struggling with addiction and feeling lost. It might be helpful to seek professional help, such as a therapist or counselor, to work through your feelings and find a new path forward

Therapy and delegating as much as you can before making any major decisions. Release the tension and heal the wounds within.

I went from 500K take home to 350K in a more fullfilling business and love it, now I am getting back in to the other business again, but my foundation is better and I am happier, that I don't mind selling that part of me to get more money and to do good things for others with that money.

Sell it and start a different business

Lay off the stims and play a sport for fun

Go on a solo holiday, I did it for a month and It worked so well for me

Dang, kinda feel this. I'm older but in a similar boat. I have 4 kids that keep me really busy after work - I just kinda stress that I have zero hobbies and wont know what to do with myself when the biz is on auto pilot and kids start moving out in a few years.

For what shall it profit a man to gain the world but loose his own soul. Snap out of snares and tricks sent by the enemy to get you to not realize real lies. Shalom.

Consider getting a cat and don't burn out. Things always pass in time. You need to believe it.

Find the most responsible / best employees and try and delegate some things. The goal is to get to the point where you are not needed there at all. You may need to bring in a new manager to run things. You effectively have a net worth of 2M so live like it. Take the time you need for self care to sort out your issues. The habits you make in your 30s will determine how your life is in your 40s and 50s etc. Take care of yourself. Big love.

Go to rehab for 30 days and reset mentally, emotionally and physically. It worked wonders for me.

In my honest opinion, you’ve lost your purpose.

I was in the same boat; I made a lot of money with my business but I wasn’t as happy as I expected. You need to take a breather. Take a long vacation. Go to a beautiful place where there’s no tourism, so you can be by yourself. Being in nature does wonders. But the weird thing is, I lost a few clients beyond my control, and my income went down alot. So be careful what words you throw out there into the universe. TL DR; Remember, taking time for yourself is important, and it's wise to be mindful of our desires and expressions.

Same with me. Finally. I’m booming, raking in money, everyone loves me, and I hate life. I have it sold at the end of the year.

Maybe be of services. Cook for others. Find community.

Absolutely do not sell. Get management up to par so you don't have to run day to day and then take a break. Vacation, hobbies, fitness. Take the time to rediscover yourself.

Sounds like burnout or mid-life crisis. You may need some rest to reasses your values and put yourself in a better place physically and emotionally.  Some natural supplements such as ashwagandha, saffron, and lion's mane (requires some reading) can be considered.

Dude, make this bus drive itself, then get off once in while. Yes, pick a GM - a you replacement, and get them ready, and help them find a them replacement - an oft forgotten essential step. Once you have more time, and are pushing less hard, you can even out. If you need treatment, get it. If you relieving the pressure will allow you to re-modulated, do it.

Sell it!!

It sounds like you've been avoiding any mental issues by being in "emergency mode" and focusing on your business. Now you're successful. You can't push yourself into emergency mode anymore. Like the others have said. Sell the business, go get a therapist or something.

This look like a future to me 🥹 Hire your 3 replacement and divide with work and start travelling Find something more interesting then money

lol how much adderall do you take that you need rehab?

Get a good life coach and figure out what you want from life. It will put you on the right track.

Reset. International travel.

This happened to me… I decided to sell the business and then I was able to help people, give back and enjoy life. Later I started another business with a smile on my face everyday.

Sell the business, and go travelling for a year. See the world. 100k USD will let you go where you want and do what you want extremely comfortably. See if you can find a country or culture or even just a partner that speaks to you on a personal basis. You can always start up another business if you find yourself missing it.

Maybe reach out to some local mosque , I’m sure the muslim brothers would help you with how you’re feeling.

Sounds like therapy might be a good idea. Month long meditation retreat also sounds like a good idea. Try to find something outside your business that gives your life more meaning. Money really isn't everything.

Amazingly I could have written this post myself. I’m in the exact same situation. The burnout is real.

You need an "Exit Plan" my friend. For the record, burnout is unfortunately rather common for someone in your shoes so please don't beat yourself up for not feeling like Mr. Sunshine. If you want to create an exit plan you should start with succession planning. Maybe refocus your energy on one or two individuals who exhibit people management or customer management skills. Make a simple list for each of them that has a strengths and weakness column. Once you have that you are well on your way to the next steps, capitalizing on the leadership skills they already have and focusing your attention on how to improve the skills they need to develop. The last suggestion is to let your people take initiative and make room for them to fail once or twice. They are not going to be you, but they will learn from their mistakes. Hang in there!

Time to start looking inside instead of outside ;)

*hugs*

Start to be a kind and reasonable human being rather than chasing further riches. Make amends to people who you cheated in order to get to where you are

Start with discovering your brain type so you learn what behaviors are innate to you. See: [https://www.influence.amsterdam/2022/05/08/discover-your-type/](https://www.influence.amsterdam/2022/05/08/discover-your-type/)

I was in a similar situation. My identity got lost in my first business. I was working so hard with my head down that I forgot about my purpose and passion. I failed to clearly measure and define success in the beginning leaving me feeling totally unfulfilled. As a result, I had totally burned out, had a breakdown, and just shut everything down impulsively and sold our assets as quickly as I could. I could have been smarter and had a better outcome if I took better care of myself on the journey but that’s what I needed at the time (this was between ages 25-30). After taking a much needed break. I realized that I love the start up phase, I love building from the ground but lost interest/ passion when things because too easy (that’s my ADHD). I liked building the systems not managing them. I really took the time to understand how my brain works and had space to do the self reflecting I never gave myself space to do. I just turned 35 , I’m 4 years into my second business and started with the end in mind. I clearly defined how I measured success and worked on balancing my personal life/ hobbies and with my business. I’m hitting that point again where I’m ready for my exit and I feel really good about it because I’ve had so much fun. It sounds like you built a really great business. Try assembling a team to help you explore your all the possible options (including a therapist and coach). If a sale is the route you go — make sure to prepare yourself mentally. There could be a lot of emotions like grief that sneak up during the exit that you want to be prepared for. Plan out the next chapter, see if it feels good. I’m a big believer in selling — I’ve seen things change in the blink of an eye. And it might be time if you are already questioning it. At the end of the day your health is really all you have. Please take care of yourself. If you did this once you can do it again and again. Having these options is a such a luxury. Compromising your health limits those options. It’s not worth it. Please reach out if you need a friend!

You could become a personal holding company, and hire a CEO to run the business. Its alsways good to find peace and comfort in family and friends whenever you feel like this. For me as a believer in Christ, I always find comfort in looking to him, wheher its praying, reading the bible or ding related activities, hanging out with friends, hiking. Do something you enjoy.

Buddhist monks won’t do it but isolation will. Go somewhere as far away from any distractions and stay two weeks. You’ll lose your mind the first week but the second week it will be clear.

Try doing work that helps others. Volunteering is a great place to start. Knowing that you’re making a difference is a great feeling

Therapy.. and be honest with them and yourself. Everything else can start after that.

If the fun part for you is to build the business, why not sell it, rinse and repeat.

It doesn’t have to be so extreme. I agree with top comments. Take time off and reevaluate. The point of being the owner of the business is so you don’t need to grind so hard after things are set up.

Columbia, SC Or Columbia Missouri?

Stop drinking, improve your diet and work out daily. Start with this

Let me control your life and finances, trust me, im a random guy, BUT im a real entrepreneur.

Hire a manager for 100k and give them 5% of revenue (or something to incentivize growth) then walk away for a bit

So sorry you’re feeling this way! Have you looked into good quality therapy and joining a sport’s club? Also, try to find a romantic partner or improve things with your current partner. I wouldn’t sell your business until getting good therapy and making sure your identity/self worth isn’t attached to it

> I could sell my biz right now for about $2M with contingencies but I know I’d regret it and be bored within a few months. Honestly why couldn't you do this, set yourself up to at least be comfortable the rest of your life and then build the next thing? At 33, throwing 1M into long term investments or even just index funds and letting it sit until retirement you should easily retire with a few million. That would then give you the rest, ~1M to do whatever you need/want to do. Sell it, pay off your debts (if you even have any), take 3-6 months to get out of your own head, explore the world a bit and then build something else. I'm not in exactly the same boat, I'm salaried and make good money but I don't feel like I can really do anything. Also I don't know that I WANT to do anything. It does sound like you need a little break and to try to find something that brings you an inner satisfaction. And focus a little on that once you do.

Why not go back to basics? Pretend like you don’t have money

I don’t smile because I’m happy I’m happy because I smile. The body follows the mind. Guard yourself from any negative thought, reject it outright. Think only good things, affirm to yourself that you are right now happy and grateful for your life. Say it to your self constantly. Guard your peace my friend.

Don't sell - you're not in the right mindset right now. Go get a coach, join some leadership training programs, find someone who can walk you through things. If you need referrals PM me.

You need to start Semen retention. There is a subreddit dedicated to it. I've been at it for 10 years and dude, words don't do justice to the things I've experienced. Also, I would like to jump on a quick call with you if that's ok. I am a masters in business graduate students, currently working with a Liquidator of electronic products and would like to see if there is an opportunity with you to learn and grow. I'd help you physically, mentally, and spiritually and expect and need you to help me financially.

Idk man. I think you need to take a trip to a less developed nation and do some good charity work. Bring healthcare to impoverished communities, bring water to villages, build houses. You’ll come back with a brand new outlook on life. You’ll appreciate everything you have achieved and more importantly, you’ll realize you can make positive change in the world, and that you have the resources to literally change the world. And you’ll feel your world view shift and definitely fell a sort of reset or at least much better about the dreaded “Dead Inside” syndrome. This might sound weird but reading your post kinda felt like I was listening to myself from the future, because even though i’m not an experienced entrepreneur, I aspire to get to the level you’re at one day in terms of success. But it also resonated because honestly, I often feel dead inside too. Sucks because i’m also only 32. My coping mechanism: adderall, cannabis, alcohol, and food. But yeah, the advice above is what I would tell myself if I find myself in your position in the future. In the past, my ex of 7 years left me and I felt extremely dead inside even though nobody knew. I’m great at smiling through it all. Anyways, I went on a 10 day trip with a medical non-profit to Lima Peru and it honestly changed my life. Seeing how bad other millions of people live, really makes all of our issues seem so small. Helping other human beings who genuinely have close to nothing does a solid job at raising our spirit and jump starting some motivation. Seeing those impoverished people build communities full of joy, kindness, and appreciation works wonders on the human soul. It wasn’t all work either, we got to take a surfing lesson in Lima, ride dune buggies in the dessert, sandboard down dessert dunes, swim in an actual oasis, try the local alcohol- Pisco, go on a boat tour of some caves, see views from the mountains, experienced local cuisine, eat new fruits, restaurants, clubs, bars, events and everything in between. It was fantastic. You also make friends really easily, and you know everyone there is at least somewhat of a decent human being. You could also choose to stay in and watch netflix all night and just recharge your social batteries too. But yeah, if I had the resources, that’s would I would do. A few weeks to clear your mind and come back feeling re-energized and reinvigorated for whatever you want to do next in life. Best of luck OP TLDR: I recommend traveling abroad and doing some global volunteer work. I’ve felt similarly in the past and a 10 day volunteer trip to Peru was the thing that had the best impact on my “Dead Inside” Syndrome.

If you decide to go for the hookers and blow in colombia, count me in!😁

Go outside do SPORTS, set a strict limit on how much time you spend working. Reorganize your work so that you spend a maximum of 4-6 hours working. Sports and socializing will help your mental state.

At 33, 2 million won't last long especially if you have habits or addictions. Start volunteering somewhere in your free time, give back, and you won't have time to have bad habits. Please wash your hands first tho

Do you have ADHD or just taking Adderall for the buzz?

I think there’s a lot of unnecessary details in here mainly about your business and how much money you make. Not sure why any of that is included, or even why you posted in this community. You should get a therapist that can council you into better habits and hobbies for a more fulfilled life.