Get off the wrong train early | Leadership, endurance & authenticity | Charlie Sarmiento

In this episode of the Bee Formless™ Flow Driven CEO Podcast, I sat down with José Carlos “Charlie” Sarmiento to explore life, leadership and business from the inside out, and what it means to keep moving when the path asks more of you than comfort can give. What opened up for me was how many people stay on the wrong train for too long because stepping off feels costly or uncertain, even when they know it is not aligned.Jose shared his journey from corporate finance executive to ultra-endurance athlete to founder of VTX Athlete, and how he sees life and business through the lens of an ultra. There are highs and lows, moments to run, power hike, walk, and moments where the smartest thing you can do is stop, refuel and reset. That feels especially relevant in leadership right now, because so many people still equate endurance with constant pushing, instead it's knowing how to manage your energy, remember your why and not lose yourself.It also brought something else into focus, fear is not always the thing to avoid and sometimes fear is the doorway to where your power actually is. Jose spoke about fearing finance, then studying it, fearing the leap from executive life into entrepreneurship, then taking it, and fearing the scale of endurance, then building capacity for it. The Shape Shift in motionThis conversation marked a shift from proving, pleasing and pushing endlessly, to building from truth, endurance and doing it all with heart.This is how that shift unfolded through the Bee Formless™ methodology:LEARN (Letting go)✨ Life, leadership and business all move like an ultra. There are highs, lows, recovery points and long stretches that test your why.✨ What you fear can often point directly to where your next power lives.✨ Constant motion is not the same as real progress.UNLEARN (Reimagine, create & reshape)✨ Unlearn the belief that endurance means endless pushing without pause.✨ Reimagine authenticity as taking off the masks, not performing what feels acceptable to everyone else.✨ Reshape the old systems that only reward the visible top one percent and build something more accessible, sustainable and true.RELEARN (Test & implement)✨ Create non-negotiable blocks for what matters most and build your life around what you are truly committed to.✨ Pause when needed, trust your intuition, and make decisions from the heart as well as the head.✨ Use your past, your failures and your fears as material for designing what comes next.ACTIVE RECOVERY (Reflect & reset)✨ Where are you still staying on the wrong train because getting off feels too uncomfortable?✨ What fear might actually be pointing you toward your next layer of power?✨ Which masks are costing you energy that could be used to build something more true?About Jose SarmientoA sports-tech founder of VTX Athlete, a platform connecting athletes with funding and brand partnerships.Where to find more 🌐 https://vtxathlete.com🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/charliesarmiento💭 Where are you being asked to stop pretending, trust your own path and step into what is true for you?If something is shifting for you, begin your Strategic Shape Shift, with a Diagnostic.https://calendly.com/beeformless/strategicshapeshiftdiagnostic#endurance #entrepreneurship #authenticity #mindset #sportsbusiness #beeformless #flowdrivenceo #humanpotential #ultramindset