I Finally Got It Back

I Finally Got It Back

The energy.
The drive.
The fire to build.

Four years ago, I had it all.

That unstoppable, 24/7 flow where work didn’t drain me — it fed me.
I was building something I loved, surrounded by momentum, purpose, and possibility.

It felt like I’d cracked the code — doing work that mattered, with people I cared about, building something bigger than myself.

Then… I lost it.

Not all at once.
It faded — quietly.

Through burnout, bad boundaries, and losing sight of what actually mattered.

The passion that once gave me energy started taking it away.
And for the first time in my life, work made me feel empty.

The Fade

At first, I didn’t notice it.

You tell yourself you’re just tired.
You push a little harder.
You tell yourself it’s temporary.

But eventually, that spark — that thing that used to light up your entire being — starts to feel like work.

The more I pushed, the more I lost myself.

I was saying yes to projects I didn’t believe in.
Working with people who didn’t energize me.
Trying to meet everyone’s expectations but my own.

Until one day, I looked up and realized:
I wasn’t building anymore.
I was burning out.

The Climb Back

It took me four long years to find my way back.

And honestly, I wouldn’t trade those years for anything.
Because they taught me what really matters.

I rebuilt from the inside out — my energy, my peace, my joy in creating.

And the biggest unlock?
I started investing as much energy into my personal life as I used to put into my work.

Here’s What Actually Helped

I caught up with old friends.
The kind of people who remind you who you were before all the pressure and titles.

I found my hobbies again.

I think I fished over 100 days one year — no agenda, no phone, just quiet.
I snowboarded a ton. Learned to ski again too.

I moved to Montana for 6 months.
In the dead of winter.
House swap, middle of nowhere, snow everywhere — and it was amazing.
It gave me space to think, reset, and slow down.

I joined a tech company — the first and only time I’ve ever been on someone else’s payroll.
After a decade of running my own thing, it was a wild change.
But I loved it.
I got to see how another team operated — how structure, process, and leadership can make or break a business.

We moved across the country to be closer to family.
It grounded me.
I realized how much I’d been missing by chasing everything out there instead of nurturing what was right here.

I consulted on projects that were interesting to me.
If it wasn’t? I didn’t do it.
No guilt, no overthinking — just alignment.

The Best Thing That Happened

I got married to the most incredible woman — my best friend, my partner, my biggest supporter.

We built a life that feels calm and full at the same time.
And now, we have a beautiful 1-year-old daughter.

She’s curious, super smart, and full of life — and somehow, she taught me more about energy, joy, and balance than any book or business ever could.

That’s when I realized:
The “fire to build” doesn’t just come from business.
It comes from life.
From love, laughter, and purpose outside of work.

Then It Happened

After all that time off the hamster wheel, I started to feel it again — that pull to build.

So I followed it.

I started a new project with my brother.

And within 60 days…
We made more money than I had in the past three years.

But here’s the thing — the money wasn’t the best part.

The best part was that it felt fun again.
It felt easy.
It felt aligned.

That’s when I knew: I’d found my fire again.

What I Know Now

I used to think ambition and alignment were the same thing.
They’re not.

Ambition is the fire that gets you started.
Alignment is what keeps you from burning out.

Now, when I build — I build slower.
More intentionally.
With the right people.
And for the right reasons.

I don’t chase everything anymore.
I chase what feels right.

Back, But Different

It’s been four years.
And I can finally say — I’m back.

But this time, it’s different.

I’m building from peace, not pressure.
From clarity, not chaos.
With ambition — but also alignment.

If you’ve ever lost that spark — I get it.
You can get it back.
And when you do, it feels even better the second time around.

Because this time, you know how fragile it is.
You protect it.
You cherish it.
You build differently.

P.S.
If you’re in that low right now — the fog, the burnout, the “I don’t feel like myself anymore” phase — you’re not broken.
You’re just being called to realign.

Give yourself time.

Do the things that make you you again.
The spark comes back — and when it does, you’ll never take it for granted again.

-Parker Burr