Episode 235: Stop Saving Your Best Life for Retirement with DJ diDonna

If you’ve been running hard, holding everything together, and quietly wondering, Is this really the life I want? — this episode is for you. Today, I sit down with DJ DiDonna, Harvard Business School Senior Lecturer, founder of The Sabbatical Project, and author of Big Time Off: The Transformative Power of Sabbaticals and How to Take One. DJ has spent more than a decade studying what happens when people step away from work — not to escape their lives, but to finally pay attention to them. And what he has found will change the way you think about burnout, ambition, productivity, and your calendar. This conversation is about the power of a real reset: why vacations often aren’t enough, why high achievers wait too long to pause, and how extended time away can help you reconnect with your identity, purpose, relationships, and direction. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why burnout is not a personal failure — it’s a signal The difference between a vacation and a real sabbatical How time away can reset your identity, purpose, and priorities Why your biggest breakthroughs rarely happen when you’re grinding harder How to make extended time off feel practical, not impossible This episode is your permission slip to stop treating exhaustion like a badge of honor. Hit play — and learn why stepping away may be the most strategic move you ever make. Plus, I Dare You listeners get free access to the Atomic Habits-inspired Toolkit, created to help you reset, refocus, and build habits that move you toward the life you actually want. Get your free Atomic Habits Toolkit at idareyoupod.com. Follow DJ: https://djdidonna.com/ www.thesabbaticalproject.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/djdidonna/