
When Your Brain Burns Out by Noon How Structure Can Help You Work With It
From The Neurodivergent Connection / The Curious Storyteller by Reid
May 13, 2026 · 51 min · Season 19 · Episode 3
About this episode
The episode discusses neurodivergence, leadership, and the impact of trauma on work and identity through a conversation with Blaz Merlot.
When Your Mind Works Differently: Trauma, Leadership, and Finding What Fits If you’ve ever felt like your brain doesn’t follow the same map as everyone else’s, this conversation will likely hit close to home. In this episode, I sit down with Blaz Merlot to talk about what it means to move through the world feeling different, and how that can shape the way we lead, work, and understand ourselves. We get into the tension between structure and individuality, why some environments feel calming while others leave us drained, and how trauma can affect the way we think, react, and function day to day. What stood out to me most is how Blaz connects his path from a difficult childhood to West Point, then into business leadership and coaching. We also explore a question many people quietly carry: Is this just how my mind works, or is it connected to what I’ve lived through? That part of the conversation opens up a much bigger one about identity, resilience, burnout, and how to build a life that actually fits your brain. About the Guest Blaz Merlot is a former military officer and West Point graduate who now helps service-based founders build stronger systems, reduce overwhelm, and lead…
People in this episode
Host: Reid
Guest: Blaz Merlot
Topics covered
- neurodivergence
- leadership
- trauma
- identity
- burnout
- structure
- individuality
Keywords
- neurodivergence
- leadership
- trauma
- burnout
- structure
- identity
- resilience
- work
- individuality
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: West Point
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