Why Your Passion is Destroying Your Life (And How to Fix It)

Why Your Passion is Destroying Your Life (And How to Fix It)

Author: Ryan Hanley March 19, 2026 Duration: 59:07

Contrarian takes on power, leverage, and influence in the age of AI: https://ryanhanley.com/subscribe

--

You've been told your whole life that passion and drive are the keys to success.

What if they're actually the biggest risks to your mental health?

In this episode of Finding Peak, I sit down with Dr. Guy Winch — internationally renowned psychologist, 3x TED Talk speaker (35M+ views), and bestselling author of Mind Over Grind: How to Break Free When Work Hijacks Your Life.

We go deep on the uncomfortable truth about overworking, the hidden dangers of being "driven," and why your passion might be slowly amputating parts of your personality — one by one.

If you've ever felt like work is hijacking your life, or if you've experienced that crushing emptiness after achieving a massive goal (like selling a company), this conversation is your wake-up call.

We cover:

→ Why passion and drive are actually psychological risk factors

→ The "scurvy" of the modern entrepreneur (and how to avoid it)

→ Why you feel depressed after a big win — and how to prepare for it

→ How to stop work from invading your personal time

→ The difference between automatic coping and intentional problem-solving

→ Why action creates passion — not the other way around

→ How Gen Z's short-term thinking is creating a mental health crisis

Stop grinding yourself into the ground. It's time to build a life that actually sustains you.

This is the way.

Connect with Guy Winch

📘 Get Dr. Guy Winch's book, Mind Over Grind: https://amzn.to/4dfXCBJ

🌐 Learn more about Dr. Winch: https://www.guywinch.com/

--

Contrarian takes on power, leverage, and influence in the age of AI: https://ryanhanley.com/subscribe



This show is part of the Unplugged Studios Network — the infrastructure layer for serious creators. 👉 Learn more at https://unpluggedstudios.fm.

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Ryan Hanley hosts a conversation that lives at the intersection of ambition and practical reality. Finding Peak w/ Ryan Hanley is built on the idea that meaningful progress-in business, in personal development, in life-often requires a slightly unreasonable perspective. Each episode delves into the mechanics of power, not as an abstract concept, but as a tangible tool for building something worthwhile. The discussions explore leverage, examining how individuals can amplify their efforts and influence to create disproportionate results. You’ll hear from guests who have applied these principles in diverse fields, dissecting their journeys, their strategic decisions, and the mindsets that allowed them to push beyond conventional limits. This isn't about quick fixes or superficial success stories; it's a deep, often challenging, look at the frameworks that enable exceptional outcomes. The podcast provides a space for nuanced dialogue where ideas from education, self-improvement, and raw business strategy collide. Listeners will find themselves equipped with new ways of thinking about their own goals and the paths to achieve them, all through conversations that are as substantive as they are engaging. Tune in for a regular dose of actionable insight from those who operate at the edge of what's possible.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Finding Peak w/ Ryan Hanley
Podcast Episodes
Why 99% of Leaders Are Invisible (And How to Fix It) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:48
While everyone else is drowning in the noise, I'm cutting through it like a laser. In this video, I'll show you the exact FIRE framework that ignites influence and the SIGNAL template that turns strategy into execution.…
Beyond the Grind: What True Success Looks Like in 2026 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:56
I was checking Slack at 11 PM, feeling guilty about lunch breaks, and thinking "grinding harder" was the answer to everything. I was miserable. This show is part of the Unplugged Studios Network — the infrastructure laye…
Franchise Secrets: From 0 to 326 Units in 18 Months | Aaron Harper [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:16
In this episode of Finding Peak, franchise mogul Aaron Harper dismantles the conventional wisdom that you need to be passionate about your business to succeed. This show is part of the Unplugged Studios Network — the inf…
The Banking Secret Billionaires Don't Want You to Know | Chris Naugle [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:28
Ryan Hanley and Chris Naugle explore the journey of entrepreneurship, resilience, and the concept of being your own bank. This show is part of the Unplugged Studios Network — the infrastructure layer for serious creators…
How One Simple Word Is Destroying Your Company | Natalyn Lewis [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:20
Performance coach Natalyn Lewis reveals why most teams get stuck in endless cycles of resistance and how one simple word is sabotaging your company's growth. This show is part of the Unplugged Studios Network — the infra…
I showed up. What happened next changed everything... [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:13
Hanley reflects on his recent trip to Greenville, South Carolina, where he attended Mick Hunt's Lead Loud series leadership event. This show is part of the Unplugged Studios Network — the infrastructure layer for serious…