The Unburdened Leader

Quick-fix solutions abound for mental health challenges. As leaders, we’re fed the same advice over and over again. Generic one-size-fits-all “thought work” designed to alleviate our gloom and get us back on the road to success.But that generic advice comes up short. And much of it further stigmatizes mental health struggles, failure, and doubt to the point where people fake it until they make it and then end up face down in a serious mental health crisis. We as leaders and business owners have a responsibility to offer something other than quick fixes or bandaids. We have to do the work to create spaces for the nuances of life to show up. We need to make mental health a priority in our businesses. How we all approach mental well-being can shift the stigmas around struggle while honoring the whole person with as much care as our bottom line. Today’s guest joins me for an important and nuanced conversation about the intersection of entrepreneurship and mental well-being, from his perspective as a long-time entrepreneur and someone who has had to reclaim his relationship with his mental health.Jason Van Orden helps authors, academics, and speakers turn their “intellectual equity” into new streams of scalable income and a business model that amplifies their work. As a consultant, trainer, and strategist, he draws from more than sixteen years of experience, including creating multiple successful brands, launching over 60 online courses, teaching more than 10,000 entrepreneurs, earning seven figures in online course sales, and generating 8 million downloads of his podcasts. His mission is to help visionaries with impactful ideas to connect with the people they serve best and the problems they can most uniquely solve.Listen to the full episode to hear:* What Jason discovered when decided to get vulnerable about his struggles with mental health after ten years of hiding it* What he realized staying silent was actually costing him in his life and relationships* Why it’s important to acknowledge that mental health is a journey, with no magic bullet solutions* How the emphasis on mindset and positivity in entrepreneurship spaces negatively impacts mental wellbeingLearn more about Jason Van Orden:* JasonVanOrden.com (https://jasonvanorden.com/)* Connect with Jason on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonvanorden/)* Instagram: @jasonvo (https://www.instagram.com/jasonvo/)* Facebook: @jasonvo (https://www.facebook.com/jasonvo/)Learn more about Rebecca:* rebeccaching.com (https://www.rebeccaching.com/)* Work With Rebecca (https://www.rebeccaching.com/work-with-me)* Sign up for the weekly Unburdened Leader Email (https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5ececca2ff83f400265bbaab)

Show Notes

Quick-fix solutions abound for mental health challenges. 


As leaders, we’re fed the same advice over and over again. Generic one-size-fits-all “thought work” designed to alleviate our gloom and get us back on the road to success.


But that generic advice comes up short. And much of it further stigmatizes mental health struggles, failure, and doubt to the point where people fake it until they make it and then end up face down in a serious mental health crisis. 


We as leaders and business owners have a responsibility to offer something other than quick fixes or bandaids. We have to do the work to create spaces for the nuances of life to show up. 


We need to make mental health a priority in our businesses. How we all approach mental well-being can shift the stigmas around struggle while honoring the whole person with as much care as our bottom line. 


Today’s guest joins me for an important and nuanced conversation about the intersection of entrepreneurship and mental well-being, from his perspective as a long-time entrepreneur and someone who has had to reclaim his relationship with his mental health.


Jason Van Orden helps authors, academics, and speakers turn their “intellectual equity” into new streams of scalable income and a business model that amplifies their work. As a consultant, trainer, and strategist, he draws from more than sixteen years of experience, including creating multiple successful brands, launching over 60 online courses, teaching more than 10,000 entrepreneurs, earning seven figures in online course sales, and generating 8 million downloads of his podcasts. His mission is to help visionaries with impactful ideas to connect with the people they serve best and the problems they can most uniquely solve.



Listen to the full episode to hear:


  • What Jason discovered when decided to get vulnerable about his struggles with mental health after ten years of hiding it
  • What he realized staying silent was actually costing him in his life and relationships
  • Why it’s important to acknowledge that mental health is a journey, with no magic bullet solutions
  • How the emphasis on mindset and positivity in entrepreneurship spaces negatively impacts mental wellbeing


Learn more about Jason Van Orden:



Learn more about Rebecca:



Resources:



What is The Unburdened Leader?

Meet leaders who recognized their own pain, worked through it, and stepped up into greater leadership. Each week, we dive into how leaders like you deal with struggle and growth so that you can lead without burnout or loneliness. If you're eager to make an impact in your community or business, Rebecca Ching, LMFT, will give you practical strategies for redefining challenges and vulnerability while becoming a better leader. Find the courage, confidence, clarity, and compassion to step up for yourself and your others--even when things feel really, really hard.