How Curiosity Helped Me Manage Burnout
For so many of us in the construction industry, burnout creeps up fast and, at first, unnoticed. I didn’t realize it was happening to me until I stopped long enough to feel it. Thankfully, I learned how to manage burnout, and you can too.
Before The Curious Builder podcast started, I was running on fumes. The day-to-day had become more about timelines, punch lists, and transactions than creativity or connection. I was building beautiful homes, but I wasn’t building anything that fed me.
The Turning Point
When I went on Brad Levitt’s podcast, I didn’t know that one conversation would change everything. It woke something up in me. I’d been feeling this pull for a while: like there had to be more to our industry than blueprints and budgets. I missed storytelling. I missed those deeper, human conversations about what drives us to build in the first place.
That moment on Brad’s show was the spark. A reminder that I could create a space where those kinds of conversations belong. Where we could talk about business and failure, creativity and family, burnout and belief: all the things that make up this industry.
Finding Fuel Again
Starting the podcast re-ignited something in me almost immediately. Suddenly, I was curious again. Every guest brought a new perspective and a story that challenged or inspired me. That energy started spilling over into everything else. I showed up differently to interviews, job sites, meetings, and relationships. The spark was back.
The Internal Shift
We’ve now passed 100,000 downloads, which still blows my mind. But the biggest changes have been internal. The podcast gave me my voice back. It reminded me that I don’t have to stay in one lane. It gave me the courage to start The Collectives, to lean into teaching, mentoring, and building community.
If no one listened, I’d still do it. Because for me, it’s not about the downloads, it’s about the conversations. The podcast gives me space to pause and reflect. That’s something construction rarely allows.
Managing Burnout Through Curiosity
If you’re feeling stuck, burned out, or creatively depleted, you don’t need a podcast. But you do need a place to reconnect with your “why.” For me, that was storytelling. For you, it might be mentoring, teaching, or starting that side project you’ve been putting off. Follow the thread of what lights you up and don’t be afraid to chase it, even if it doesn’t fit the mold.
When we stay curious, we stay connected to what matters most.
If you’re feeling burned out, make sure to focus on wellness too!
Listening Changes Everything
Hosting The Curious Builder has taught me that real listening is one of the most powerful tools a leader can have. It’s reshaped how I connect with clients, my team, and my family. It’s made me more intentional, more patient, and honestly, more human.
So if you’re tired, stuck, or on the edge of burnout slow down. Ask better questions. Follow your curiosity. Because sometimes, that’s where the real rebuilding begins.
