Adam helps high-growth leaders scale smarter, without burning out. His philosophy: Energy is the edge.
The Vacation We Almost Skipped (and Why It's Already Changing Everything) ✈️
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Please forward this to a high-impact leader who needs the energy edge. If this was forwarded to you, get plugged in here. ⚡ QUICK SPIN:For years, we made time for trips. But not for vacations—the real kind. The kind that doesn’t just “relax” you, but resets your entire system. This week, we finally booked one. LA → Tahoe → Napa → San Francisco. No work. No almosts. Just family. Just presence. Just pause. And before we’ve even boarded the plane, I’m remembering a hard-earned truth: Your best ideas don’t come from grinding harder. They come from walking away, on purpose.
🛠️ MY TURN:Before kids, we traveled with purpose and freedom:
Since then? Life’s been full...but tight. Weekend getaways. An Alaskan cruise with our firstborn. 13-hour drives to visit my in-laws in North Carolina. But a real vacation? One that restores, resets, and rebuilds your energy as a leader? That’s been years in the making. And here’s the moment that changed everything for me: 🛫 Mid-pandemic, we took a trip with a small group of good friends to a beach in Mexico. Just a few days. Just to breathe. Just to stop performing and start listening. And when I came back? 🔥 I left a 20-year corporate career 🔥 I launched my energy-focused coaching practice 🔥 I became an author 🔥 A speaker 🔥 A podcast host 🔥 And a builder of something entirely on my own terms None of that was in motion before that break. It all started with the space I gave myself. 🧠 THE DATA BACKS IT UP:
🎙️ A CONVERSATION THAT STUCK:Last week, I was talking with my friend and collaborator, Elizabeth McWhorter. We were reflecting on this truth: “Most solopreneurs don’t skip breaks because they can’t afford them. They skip them because they don’t think their business can survive their absence.” That hit me. Because that’s exactly how I’ve felt many times...especially when the work feels fragile, or the visibility is loud, or the calendar is packed. But here’s what I’ve learned: Walking away isn’t a risk. It’s a return. 🤗 YOUR TURN:
👊 Let’s TalkI coach high-performing leaders who don’t need more strategy. They need protected energy and space to think again. This vacation reminded me that rest isn’t optional. It’s the most productive move you can make. Let’s build something that works because you can walk away. Cheers, Adam P.S. 👉 Want to comment or share this post? Join the conversation on LinkedIn.
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Adam W. Barney
Adam helps high-growth leaders scale smarter, without burning out. His philosophy: Energy is the edge.
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