A Near-Death Wake-Up Call for Leaders
A conversation with Daniel Paulin about when your body forces a conversation your ambition has been avoiding.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Other networks
I didn’t expect a hospital bed to be the thing that finally shut my mouth.
But when your heart starts doing shit it’s not supposed to do, the noise disappears fast.
This conversation wasn’t planned.
It wasn’t strategic.
It wasn’t “content.”
It was two men sitting inside a question most leaders avoid until it’s too late:
What if the life you’ve built is impressive… but wrong?
After a legitimate health scare, I sat down with Daniel Paulin to talk about the things we usually keep buried under productivity, performance, and outward success—mortality, fatherhood, faith, ambition, legacy, and the cost of living out of alignment for too long.
This episode isn’t about burnout.
It’s about avoidance.
And the price we pay for it.
The Real Question This Episode Asks
Not “How do I optimize my life?”
But…
“What am I pretending not to know?”
Because here’s the truth we keep dancing around:
Most leaders aren’t exhausted from effort.
They’re exhausted from hiding.
Hiding behind titles.
Hiding behind “providing.”
Hiding behind the thing they’re good at—even when it’s slowly killing them.
Connect with Daniel Paulin
Website: https://dannyzzzz.com/
What We Actually Talk About
“Success doesn’t mean you’re aligned. It just means you’re rewarded.”
Not tactics.
Not frameworks.
Not hacks.
We talk about:
The moment your body forces a conversation your ego’s been dodging
Why success can still be a form of self-betrayal
The dangerous comfort of doing what you’re paid for instead of what you’re called to do
Fatherhood and the moments you don’t get to reschedule
Faith—not as performance, but as grounding
Why “I’ll deal with this later” is a lie that compounds interest
What stop hiding actually means when you still have responsibilities, kids, and real bills
This isn’t inspiration porn.
It’s a mirror.
“Your body will force the truth if your mind keeps avoiding it.”
The Rub
You don’t get unlimited wake-up calls.
Sometimes you get a whisper.
Sometimes you get a warning.
Sometimes your body grabs the wheel.
This conversation is about listening before the cost goes up again.
If this hits, don’t keep it to yourself.
Share it with someone who’s been “doing fine” for too long.
And if you’re not subscribed yet—this is exactly why this work exists.
This is the way.
Hanley
