“What price are you willing to pay for success?” - Why this book matters.
“What price are you willing to pay for success?” - Why this book matters.
This question has haunted my journey as a business leader, though it took me years to truly face it. The entrepreneurial dream is painted with visions of achievement and power, but behind every “successful” CEO lies a story of silent struggles, sleepless nights, and, in some cases, devastating breakdowns. For decades, I maintained the polished facade of strength—until, finally, I couldn’t any more.
One memory remains vivid in my mind. I had left my office for what would be the last time for quite a while, convinced I’d never return. I remember the instinct to go back and retrieve a small notebook locked in my desk—filled with details too important to leave behind. I knew, on a deep level, that I wouldn’t be sitting at that desk again anytime soon. That day marked both an end and a beginning: the end of my pretences and the exhausting “always strong” performance, and the start of a journey that would transform my understanding of what success truly means.
I never planned to write this book. Like many entrepreneurs, I chased the dream of business success, driven by ambition, pride, and a sense of purpose. But in a world that glorifies relentless hustle, I found myself—and my mental health—on the brink. This book is both a memoir of that journey and a guide to help leaders like you navigate the realities of business without sacrificing well-being.
The Reality of Leadership Today
There’s a mental health crisis among business leaders—a crisis that’s well-known but rarely discussed. Research indicates that entrepreneurs are twice as likely to suffer from depression compared to the general population, with leadership often correlating with higher rates of anxiety, substance abuse, and burnout. In a culture that celebrates “hustle,” these truths remain whispered secrets in boardrooms and left unaddressed in business schools.
The silence is costly—not only to leaders but to the companies and teams who depend on them. When leaders suffer in silence, the impact reaches every corner of their organization. Acknowledging and addressing mental health isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity. The myth of the invincible leader does more than harm individuals—it undermines the sustainability of success itself.
The Struggles Behind Success
In my thirty years of business experience, I’ve witnessed countless leaders grappling with:
The crushing isolation of leadership positions
The constant pressure to maintain an image of unwavering strength
The paralysing fear of showing any sign of vulnerability
The relentless toll of decision-making and responsibility
The constant expectations to be the strong powerful Man that I have always been perceived to be - the one with all the answers and the one who everyone looks up to.
For women in leadership and for “minority groups” (more on that later on), these challenges often come with an additional layer of complexity, woman are still often in a position of having an extra step to “prove” themselves and justify the salaries of their male counterparts which is something I can never get my head around but we will discuss that later in the book. The truth is that the same goes for minority business leaders and first-generation entrepreneurs. Each group faces unique pressures that compound the already significant mental health challenges of leadership.
As we move through this book I will delve deep into my personal journey as someone who now knows that I have mental health conditions and as someone who has lived what so many of you who read this will relate to. This book is not intended to say that everything I draw from my own accounts will happen to you, but rather to help you understand the journey I have been on and, if you are anything like me you will know understanding helps to learn, the steps you can and should take even if you think “I´m fine, just stressed” to prevent the same happening from you and in doing so build a better work-life balance, a healthier and better you and in turn a happier, healthier and more productive team and business.
My Journey
I spent decades building and growing businesses while battling “depression”, “anxiety”, and more recently “alcoholism” (at least that´s what the Doctors said but more on that later). It wasn’t until age 42 that I received my first major accurate diagnosis: bipolar disorder. This came just after the revelations of ADHD and Autism. Each diagnosis was both a challenge and an illumination—helping me understand patterns that had influenced my entire career.
Now I know you may be thinking “I don’t have ADHD or bipolar so I can put the book down” but I urge you not to, even if you are coping just fine because this book is about prevention rather than cure and highlights the importance of self-care in your role and even more so, within your organisation, suggesting ways to improve the mental health of everyone in your organisation and in turn directly improve the performance of any organisation willing to think from a different angle.
The path from that office breakdown to writing this book has been anything but linear. It’s been a journey of discovering that many of the traits I once viewed as weaknesses—my sensitivity, my intensity, my different way of processing the world—could become sources of strength when properly understood and managed and probably did help me to get to where I am today.
Why This Book Exists
This book isn’t just another business guide. It isn’t about pushing through at all costs or perfecting your productivity. Instead, it’s about something transformative in today’s business landscape: authentic leadership that embraces the full human experience, including mental health.
My hope is that this book will serve as both a roadmap and a companion. You’ll find personal stories, case studies, practical strategies, and reflective exercises. Use it however it best serves you—read sequentially or return to sections that resonate when you need them. My experiences may mirror yours, and while every journey is unique, I believe there is value in understanding, connecting, and ultimately reshaping our approach to success.
This book exists because:
Too many talented leaders are suffering in silence
The business world needs a more honest conversation about mental health
Success shouldn’t come at the cost of our well-being
The next generation of leaders deserves better tools and greater understanding
Mental health is overlooked in the workplace in general, and as leaders we not only have a duty of care to protect the mental health of those who work with us and for us, and in doing so, in changing our views and values we can undoubtedly see increased productivity and a happier and better-working team.
Who This Book Is For
This book is for:
The CEO who feels outwardly successful but inwardly lost
The entrepreneur trying to stay afloat while fighting inner battles
The board member who questions if they can keep up the act
The aspiring leader who wants success without losing themselves
The HR professional striving for real change in workplace culture
Anyone who believes that mental health and business success should go hand in hand
Anyone who leads a team of any size and in any way
What You Will Gain From This Book
This book won’t solve all your challenges or provide a magic formula for perfect mental health. What it will do is:
Show you that you’re not alone in your struggles
Provide practical strategies for managing mental health while leading
Help you transform your challenges into sources of strength
Guide you in creating more mentally healthy workplace cultures
The business world is changing. The old model of the invulnerable leader is crumbling, making way for a new paradigm of authentic, human-centred leadership. This transformation isn’t just necessary—it’s inevitable. The question is whether we’ll lead this change or be led by it.
On a final note, as I move into the meat of the book I want to clarify one point which is that I will use the terms CEO & leader throughout the book but in using it I don’t just refer to white collar corporate chair people. I use it for ease but it applies to you whether you are a CEO, a Manager, a Supervisor or in any role of responsibility. It applies to the self employed and it applies to anyone who has a working life where they face daily challenges and expectations.
Let’s begin this journey together.
