I’ve learned this the hard way.
You can’t look after anyone else if you can’t look after yourself first.

For a long time, I thought putting myself last was the right thing to do.
I thought showing up for everyone else, taking on every responsibility, and never saying no was what leadership looked like. But it’s not. It’s burnout disguised as selflessness.

When you keep pouring from an empty cup, eventually you’ve got nothing left to give , not to your family, your business, your friends, or the people who rely on you. You end up showing up half-present, half-effective, and half-alive.

You can’t give energy when you’ve got none.
You can’t guide people when you’re running on fumes.
You can’t lead with strength when your body and mind are falling apart.

I’ve had to learn to put myself first not out of ego, but out of necessity. Because when I’m strong, when I’m disciplined, when my head is clear, everything around me runs better. My family feels it. My work benefits from it. My world operates because I do.

Taking care of yourself isn’t selfish, it’s leadership.
It’s making sure you can keep showing up for the people who need you, not just today, but for years to come.

So if you’ve been running yourself into the ground trying to hold everything together , stop, step back. Take stock.

Move. Eat properly. Sleep. Breathe. Recharge.
Because the truth is simple: if you fall apart, everything you’re trying to hold up goes with you.

Put yourself first — not because you don’t care about others, but because you care enough to make sure you can keep showing up for them.

Your world only works when you do.

Huge love and High 5’s
Johno