Nick Jonsson

I became a very unhealthy person for the simple reason that I wasn't vulnerable. I didn't ask for help when I really needed it.

I became a very unhealthy person for the simple reason that I wasn't vulnerable. I didn't ask for help when I really needed it.

Yeah, absolutely. So why did I then cover loneliness? First off, I found myself quite lonely and isolated in my career. If you asked me at the time, would I be lonely and isolated? My answer would be no. But looking back at my corporate career, why did I resign in the end? Why did I burn out in the corporate career? It was because I isolated myself.

Yeah, absolutely. So why did I then cover loneliness? First off, I found myself quite lonely and isolated in my career. If you asked me at the time, would I be lonely and isolated? My answer would be no. But looking back at my corporate career, why did I resign in the end? Why did I burn out in the corporate career? It was because I isolated myself.

I was just too scared to be open, to be vulnerable, to ask for help. I was at the time a general manager of leading 72 hospitals and clinics in Indonesia, Jakarta. I wanted the next role. And for that, I tried to set myself up for success. I was not ready to talk. That left me lonely and isolated.

I was just too scared to be open, to be vulnerable, to ask for help. I was at the time a general manager of leading 72 hospitals and clinics in Indonesia, Jakarta. I wanted the next role. And for that, I tried to set myself up for success. I was not ready to talk. That left me lonely and isolated.

As I then started to research the subject and I interviewed other senior executives, I found that about 30% of the senior executives I interviewed in Southeast Asia also admitted that they would suffer from loneliness and isolation, either currently or have done in the past. So that tells us that this is a big problem.

As I then started to research the subject and I interviewed other senior executives, I found that about 30% of the senior executives I interviewed in Southeast Asia also admitted that they would suffer from loneliness and isolation, either currently or have done in the past. So that tells us that this is a big problem.

I think you could be right. It could be even stronger and even more challenging in the US. But already what I saw was we live in this world where we elbow our way up the top to that corporate ladder only to find ourselves at the top like how I did. And then I question it. I question myself. Why did I do this? I pushed myself so hard to get here. To get here for what?

I think you could be right. It could be even stronger and even more challenging in the US. But already what I saw was we live in this world where we elbow our way up the top to that corporate ladder only to find ourselves at the top like how I did. And then I question it. I question myself. Why did I do this? I pushed myself so hard to get here. To get here for what?

And that was the beginning of my fall, as it happens with many others, because we define ourselves in this work. We strive so hard. And then if we lose that, even by ourselves, by realizing this is not the right mountain I climbed, or that the company go through acquisition, or they lay us off, and then we lose our identity with that.

And that was the beginning of my fall, as it happens with many others, because we define ourselves in this work. We strive so hard. And then if we lose that, even by ourselves, by realizing this is not the right mountain I climbed, or that the company go through acquisition, or they lay us off, and then we lose our identity with that.

Yes, actually, I started my research around large organizations because I worked in a company with 1,400 staff myself. We can maybe call that the medium, but it's definitely not the startup for a small company. And that's what I wrote the book about. But as I then started to talk about this, more and more entrepreneurs came to me and said, Nick, this resonates with me as well.

Yes, actually, I started my research around large organizations because I worked in a company with 1,400 staff myself. We can maybe call that the medium, but it's definitely not the startup for a small company. And that's what I wrote the book about. But as I then started to talk about this, more and more entrepreneurs came to me and said, Nick, this resonates with me as well.

Running a small shop, I don't have anyone to speak to. No one can understand me. But however, I have investors who put on pressure. I have the board who really demand the results. Then this can be a very lonely affair. And we find, indeed, a lot of entrepreneurs finding themselves completely lonely, isolated, burnt out. And if we talk at the extreme end also,

Running a small shop, I don't have anyone to speak to. No one can understand me. But however, I have investors who put on pressure. I have the board who really demand the results. Then this can be a very lonely affair. And we find, indeed, a lot of entrepreneurs finding themselves completely lonely, isolated, burnt out. And if we talk at the extreme end also,

Yeah, we got to have safe spaces. If we are a man, for example, we need perhaps our men's group. We need some tribe where we can be open and honest and vulnerable, where we express our feelings. And then as professionally, we need to be in some organizations with other entrepreneurs, ideally entrepreneurs

Yeah, we got to have safe spaces. If we are a man, for example, we need perhaps our men's group. We need some tribe where we can be open and honest and vulnerable, where we express our feelings. And then as professionally, we need to be in some organizations with other entrepreneurs, ideally entrepreneurs

We're sort of building similar kind of organizations, not competitors per se, so that we can feel safe. And then we can discuss the work-related challenges just to get that sympathy and understanding from others and that we are there to support each other. If we don't have any of that, then it can be a very lonely affair.

We're sort of building similar kind of organizations, not competitors per se, so that we can feel safe. And then we can discuss the work-related challenges just to get that sympathy and understanding from others and that we are there to support each other. If we don't have any of that, then it can be a very lonely affair.