Why Your Passion is Destroying Your Life (And How to Fix It)

Why Your Passion is Destroying Your Life (And How to Fix It)

From Finding Peak w/ Ryan Hanley by Ryan Hanley

March 19, 2026 · 59 min

About this episode

In this episode, Ryan Hanley discusses with Dr. Guy Winch the hidden dangers of passion and drive, and how they can negatively impact mental health and personal life.

Contrarian takes on power, leverage, and influence in the age of AI: https://ryanhanley.com/subscribe -- You've been told your whole life that passion and drive are the keys to success. What if they're actually the biggest risks to your mental health? In this episode of Finding Peak, I sit down with Dr. Guy Winch — internationally renowned psychologist, 3x TED Talk speaker (35M+ views), and bestselling author of Mind Over Grind: How to Break Free When Work Hijacks Your Life. We go deep on the uncomfortable truth about overworking, the hidden dangers of being "driven," and why your passion might be slowly amputating parts of your personality — one by one. If you've ever felt like work is hijacking your life, or if you've experienced that crushing emptiness after achieving a massive goal (like selling a company), this conversation is your wake-up call. We cover: → Why passion and drive are actually psychological risk factors → The "scurvy" of the modern entrepreneur (and how to avoid it) → Why you feel depressed after a big win — and how to prepare for it → How to stop work from invading your personal time → The difference between automatic coping and intentional problem-solving →…

People in this episode

Host: Ryan Hanley

Guest: Dr. Guy Winch

Topics covered

  • mental health
  • passion
  • work-life balance
  • entrepreneurship
  • psychology
  • success

Keywords

  • passion
  • mental health
  • overworking
  • entrepreneur
  • success
  • work-life balance
  • psychological risks

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Mind Over Grind

More episodes of Finding Peak w/ Ryan Hanley

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Finding Peak w/ Ryan Hanley podcast page.