#8 Burn It Down, Build It True

What if the dream you built doesn’t feel like your life? We open the door on a painfully honest truth: you can hit seven figures, buy the picture-perfect house, and still carry a quiet ache that the next milestone won’t fix. That’s the hedonic treadmill at work—dopamine-fueled highs that fade fast—plus the social media illusion that tells you scaling is the only story worth telling.

I share how my business mirrored my brain chemistry—designed around launches, spikes, and “bigger” as a strategy—and why it finally collapsed under misalignment. We dig into brain DNA and the role of dopamine in the chase, the diminishing returns of money on happiness, and the heavy toll of comparison and documentation on high achievers and healthcare professionals. Then we pivot from diagnosis to design: five practical priorities that help you step off the treadmill and into a steadier, more meaningful life—health, relationships, experiences over things, meaningful challenges, and keeping money in perspective. You’ll also hear a powerful moment from a Chicago workshop where “I want eight figures” became “I want $500k and peace,” and why that shift might be the bravest metric of all.

This conversation is a reset for anyone stuck in perform-and-prove mode. If you’ve been building what the feed tells you to want, consider this permission to define “enough,” clear your plate, and rebuild around your nervous system and values. We’re choosing work that compounds gently—like podcasting and writing—and measuring success by days that feel human.

If this resonates, tap follow, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review—it helps more people find their way off the treadmill and into a life that actually fits. Thanks for joining me and allowing me to be vulnerable. What I thought I wanted really isn't what I wanted and now I'm building a business on my terms. Have you ever experienced this in life?

Note: This podcast episode is sponsored by Dr. Rewire's Brain DNA test. Learn more at Unshakeablebrain.ai. If you're a practitioner and you're interested in adding this at-home lab test to your toolkit, go to Unshakeablebrain.ai/expert.

I, Dr. Kylie, no longer work with clients in any endeavor. If you'd like more support for your health, I recommend working with the physicians at the EllieMD telemedicine platform. To get started, go to https://elliemd.com/?bp=drkylie. For health and wellness experts looking to provide this resource to your clients, get started at https://elliemd.com/join-us/?bp=drkylie.

Thank you for joining the Unshakeable Brain community. Dr. Kylie