Most entrepreneurs are still employees.
The only difference is that they became their own boss… and their own worst manager.
You didn’t start a business to work longer hours and feel less free.
But that’s where a lot of entrepreneurs end up.If you’ve been feeling drained, unfocused, or stuck inside your own company, this episode of The Full Stack Podcast will hit home. Ted and I break down how to stop operating like an employee and start living like an owner. Someone who manages energy, not hours.
The Real Trap: The Employee Mindset
When you first start a business, it’s easy to think freedom means working whenever you want. But soon, “whenever you want” turns into all the time.
That’s the employee mindset in disguise.
It’s reactive. It’s task-based. It says, “If I’m not doing something, I’m not valuable.”
The owner mindset is different.
It’s proactive, not reactive. It’s about making decisions from clarity, not urgency.
It’s not about doing more. It’s about doing what matters most, and having the energy to do it well.
The truth is, your nervous system is running your business more than your mind is.
When you’re stuck in fight or flight, you make short-term choices that drain you.
When your system is regulated, you make long-term moves that grow you.
Why Rest Isn’t the Answer
A lot of people try to fix burnout by resting more.
But resting and rejuvenating are not the same thing.
Rest is passive. It’s checking out. It’s Netflix, scrolling, and doing nothing.
Rejuvenation is active. It’s walking barefoot in the grass, breathing deeply, dancing, stretching, laughing, connecting.
Rest numbs your system.
Rejuvenation recharges it.
One of the fastest ways to recover energy is to move it.
That means tuning into your body and asking, “What would feel energizing right now?”
Sometimes it’s stillness. Sometimes it’s motion. Sometimes it’s a walk, a breath, or a conversation.
Learning to listen to that signal is energy mastery.
Energy Management Over Time Management
Productivity culture teaches you to manage your time.
But energy management is what actually creates results.
A simple tool we talk about in the episode is the Green/Red audit.
Here’s how it works:
Take a look at everything you do in your business and put it into one of two categories.
Green tasks give you energy. They light you up. You feel stronger after doing them.
Red tasks drain you. They make you tired or resentful, even if you’re good at them.
Your goal is simple: design your calendar so your week is mostly Green.
Delegate, automate, or delete the Red.
Every task you keep that drains you costs more than time. It costs presence.
When you protect your energy, your performance skyrockets.
You don’t need motivation. You just need alignment.
The Nervous System Hack: Honoring the Seasons
High performers burn out because they ignore their natural rhythms.
Nature has cycles. So do you.
Dr. Joe Dispenza calls it the “window of tolerance.” The wider it is, the more stress you can handle without collapsing. One way to expand that window is to honor your inner seasons.
Think of your year like nature:
Winter is for reflection and strategy.
Spring is for planting new ideas.
Summer is for creating and launching.
Fall is for integration and harvest.
If you try to live in summer all year long, you’ll eventually crash.
Your nervous system needs downtime to rebuild capacity.
When you align your business rhythm with your biology, everything flows easier. You create from presence, not panic.
Micro Habits for Daily Energy
The small things matter more than people think.
Energy mastery isn’t one big shift. It’s a series of micro decisions repeated daily.
Here are a few we talk about in this episode:
- Breathwork: Conscious breathing lowers your heart rate and resets your state in seconds.
- Sunlight exposure: Start your morning outside. It regulates your circadian rhythm and improves focus.
- Movement: Don’t save movement for workouts. Stretch, walk, or move throughout the day.
- Caffeine as a tool: Use it as a “break glass in case of emergency” performance enhancer, not a daily crutch.
- Silence: Take time each day to be still. Without inputs, your system finds balance again.
When you stop chasing energy and start cultivating it, your body becomes a renewable source of power.
The Future of Education and Energy
We also talk about something I’m deeply excited about: The Full Stack School: our new community that’s redefining what learning looks like.
Most online programs are designed for spikes of engagement followed by drop-off.
Our approach is different. We’re building for longevity and transformation.
This platform is where entrepreneurs, coaches, and creators learn to master themselves before they master their businesses.
It’s not about information. It’s about integration.
If you’ve ever felt like you were learning nonstop but not evolving, the Full Stack School is built for you.
The Real Secret to Success
Success isn’t about how much you can do. It’s about how much energy you can sustain.
If you want freedom, you have to stop working for yourself and start working with yourself.
Your nervous system is your business partner.
Your calendar is your training ground.
Your breath is your reset button.
Once you learn to own your energy, you finally own your time.
Timestamps
01:36 The secret to a positive, high-intent online environment
04:20 Building a community instead of a program
14:35 How the employee mindset ruins the entrepreneurial life
17:00 Owning your boundaries and schedule
18:57 The Green/Red energy audit
22:35 Rest vs rejuvenation and how to prevent burnout
28:14 Nervous system regulation and the window of tolerance
30:26 Honoring your internal seasonal cycles
38:04 The breath as the master lever for performance
40:26 Daily systems for high performance