Mind, Body, and Business

I am CEO of a growing company called Human Design. We have worked with some of the biggest brands and celebrities on the planet. Nike, Adidas, Twitter, LeBron James, Cindy Crawford, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Tim Ferriss to name a few. I feel aware that there are expectations that I should have it "all figured out". But I don't. At all. And I'll let you in on a secret: No one does. I am about to be very vulnerable right now. Here goes:

There is a lot of stigma around mental health. It's this taboo thing that no one ever talks about. It's probably more of a taboo in business since everyone is so "buttoned up" and focused on saying the right thing and wanting to sound "smart" or "put together" to impress their client or boss. The truth is, we all have vulnerabilities. We are human.

At age 31 I was diagnosed with two different mental disorders. This was all while juggling being a husband, father, and business owner. That's a lot to keep track of. My diagnosis was more of a relief to me than something demoralizing. I always knew I had something inside of me that I needed to figure out. So, putting a name to what I was experiencing only helped me start solving the problem. I had never been diagnosed properly in the past. I had been to therapy before, but I basically got lucky more recently and found a therapist who knew their shit. After that my life has completely changed.

My biggest fear when I was diagnosed was that it would make me look weak, incapable, or unintelligent. I'm sure a lot of people can relate, even without mental illness. Everyone has their own shit to deal with. I was still doing my thing: progressing, solving problems, and creating. Things had only changed for the better after I had gotten the proper treatment.

I've spent my entire career progressing, creating and innovating under the dark cloud of my mental illness. I think a lot of us have something inside of us that we have to push aside to move forward in our career. I would argue that a lot of people have to put up a front just to get through their day. It doesn't mean anyone who is dealing with something difficult or painful is less capable than someone who is not. Some of us just have to work harder at it.

What I wish for everyone is that they can feel comfortable being vulnerable and embrace their shortcomings in the workplace. I have said for years that the most courageous thing you can say in a work environment is "I don't know". It is vulnerable, honest and allows everyone to move forward and solve problems more quickly. Being vulnerable is a strength, not a weakness. Show your vulnerabilities. We embrace this at Human Design and move forward together.

Our society as a whole doesn't seem to understand mental illness unless we experience it. And we don't know how to talk about it with someone who has. This needs to change. When I told my business partner about my diagnosis his reaction was "Really? I don't believe it.". What he meant was that he had never noticed anything out of the ordinary with my behavior. John had my back, 100%. I had told someone, and the world didn't collapse, nor did my business.

There is no shame in being vulnerable and seeking help. For anyone out there who is struggling with something, just know that you are not alone.