Transition Master

Portugal & International | Present

I help founders, leaders, and high-performing professionals break free from burnout, self-sabotage, and uncertainty so they can reconnect to clarity, energy, and purpose. Through 1:1 coaching and immersive 4-day retreats, I guide clients to transform old narratives, release emotional blocks, and build bold new visions for their life and business.

Rooted in my background as a creative director and corporate leader, my approach blends strategy, storytelling, emotional intelligence and embodied coaching techniques.

Founder & Coach | Freedom Path Coaching & Retreats

ECCO

Explored how human psychology, decision-making, and emotional drivers shape consumer behavior. Learned how inner narratives drive external choices - a principle I now apply in coaching leaders.

Global Digital Research & Development Lead

Supported leaders and teams with core energy coaching, cultural awareness, and conscious leadership practices. This role was a bridge: bringing my coaching methodology into a corporate setting.

People and Culture Coach

Worked on global UX and customer journey strategies. What stood out wasn’t the data, but the human stories behind the data - reinforcing my passion for helping people unlock clarity and purpose.

Online Consumer Experience Specialist - UX

ESSENZA HOME

Led creative strategy and brand storytelling for global lifestyle collections. Beyond trends and aesthetics, this role was about shaping vision, guiding teams, and inspiring emotional connection with audiences.

Highlights:
	•	Defined seasonal narratives & visual identity that resonated worldwide
	•	Managed external creative talent and multidisciplinary teams
	•	Oversaw storytelling from concept → campaign execution (photo, film, digital)

What I discovered: My greatest strength wasn’t just in producing campaigns - it was in helping people align with clarity, confidence, and purpose under pressure. This realisation became the foundation for my coaching work.

Creative Director – Marc O’Polo Home & Esprit 

Energy Leadership Coach | Leadership Trainer | R&D Expert

I believe success without soul will always leave you restless.

I learned that the hard way - burning out in a top-tier creative role, disconnected from my family, and trapped in a life that looked great on paper but felt hollow. At 3am one night, something cracked.

That rupture became a doorway. I walked away from my role as a Global UX Lead, left behind the cycle of overwork and self-sabotage, and began the real work: building a soul-rooted life in Portugal with my family.

Now, I guide founders, leaders, and professionals through that same threshold - the moment when outward success no longer matches the inner truth.

My clients are often intuitive men and women (35–50) in leadership or entrepreneurship who feel:

• Burnt out, restless, or stuck in cycles of overwork
• Successful on the outside, but disconnected inside
• Ready to step into a deeper way of leading and living

My Work: A Three-Part Journey

1. Foundation (Online Coaching)
We create structure and clarity - breaking patterns of self-sabotage, burnout, and victimhood.

2. Core (Deep 1:1 Containers)
We go beyond surface-level strategy into soul-level recalibration - releasing old identities so you can lead with clarity, courage, and self-trust.

3. Expansion (Immersive Retreats)
For those ready to go further, I co-lead exclusive 4-day retreats in Portugal - an accelerated environment where breakthroughs are embodied and new visions anchored.

Clients often tell me the shift begins with my voice - like something inside them finally unblocks. That’s because this isn’t therapy or quick-fix strategy. It’s deep identity work. Emotional reset. A return to your true power.

If you feel the pull, send me a DM with “UNMUTE” for my free 7-Day Voice Activation Series - designed to help you reclaim your voice, your truth, and the power you’ve been holding back.

Daniel Philip Wilcock

So here goes...I feel it's time to share something pretty vulnerable about my journey so far. 

Over a year ago, I chose to leave my life in Holland behind with 3 young daughters, a wife, and a vision to live simpler in Portugal surrounded by nature.

The first few months, everything was what we had hoped for. My wife and daughters were really enjoying the slow pace, open culture and nature, we even got chickens - ALOT (there's such a thing as chicken math, go check it out).

But the one thing that was the hardest for me was how I felt. I went from being a corporate leader to suddenly an entrepreneur, depending on my next client to survive.

Daily I was waking up with my head racing, mind full, tight chest, and a million things to do - but not seeing the effort reflecting back in my bank balance.

I was chasing that next strategy... squandering the resources I did have on the next smart business coach or smartest GPT strategy to save me.

It did not. (I'll go into 'why nots' in another post).

Instead, I ended up just losing the capital I did have, feeling more disappointed with myself.

so I let go.

Let go of the expectations that were in my 'corporate head' thinking I had to prove something, and instead decided to cut the noise fully and spend a few weeks off to simply FEEL into what my body was telling me... the doubt, the fear, the sadness, the weight I was holding.

And you know what?

When I finally sat with the sadness and let the tears fall, a lightness came.

A sense of relief, followed by a clarity.

In that moment I realised that my life and business can only feel amazing if my feelings and thoughts line up with my actions.

The choice to leave our safe life behind in Holland was a brave one and a move only few do, but I failed to realise in the process that I did not give myself the time or chance to regulate my nervous system. 

I was living in a dysregulated state for so long, I had no clue that it wasn't me.

I'm saying all this because I see SO many founders take the action, start the business, hoping to feel more alive and free - only to find themselves more stressed, working harder than ever, on the verge of burning out.

The game changer for me was when I learned to regulate my nervous system, so I could finally think, feel, and act in a more stable and clear way.

Enabling me to be present for my kids, have time for my wife, and actually feel like I enjoy the place I live in.

Now I'm more passionate than ever to help founders like me who are stuck in dysregulated patterns, not knowing how (or if it's even possible) to change it.

If this resonates with you, I've spent months developing a 5-minute nervous system assessment to help you identify where you are right now in your own life and business and will give you honest feedback directly as to what I recommend as a next step, based on my experience.

(link in the comments)

P.S. I sincerely hope you get your body and life back too, your family needs you.

Daniel Philips

Somatic Business Coach for HSP, ADHD & Neurodiverse Founders | Your sensitivity isn’t the problem - dysregulation is | I help you regulate and build without burning out | Free nervous system assessment

I moved to Portugal to escape burnout. Instead, I found a wake-up call.

A few years ago, my family and I left everything behind.

Sold the house. Packed the van. Drove south with three small kids, chasing mountains, freedom and a slower pace.

Within months, the fantasy crumbled, and the business that worked back home wasn't working anymore. 

The clarity I expected turned into uncertainty and financial pressure, and that familiar tightness in my chest was back.

I came to realise that you can't outrun a dysregulated nervous system.

The same patterns that drove me to burnout as a UX Strategy Lead at a global fashion brand followed me to the Portuguese mountains. 

The hyper-vigilance, the overworking, the inability to rest even when exhausted.

Portugal didn't fix me, instead it exposed what I hadn't yet dealt with, and that exposure became the most valuable education of my life.

I've now come to realise that entrepreneurship is a nervous system sport.

The uncertainty, the financial risk, the constant pivoting, the loneliness of building something from nothing while raising a family - it all demands regulation in a way most of us were never taught.

Most founders are operating in survival mode 80% of the time, making decisions from a reactive state rather than a strategic one. 

I was no different.

So I started treating my nervous system like an athlete treats their body. 

With daily maintenance, recognising my limits and building in recovery, as well as learning to make decisions from a grounded place.

Now I help other entrepreneurs change the internal patterns that keep our heads and bodies stuck in survival mode, even when we've built the life we dreamed of.

The mountain views are beautiful, but my real breakthrough was learning to look inward.

Sunday evenings in Portugal hit different vs my old life back in Holland.  

This morning we collected wild mushrooms in the mountains. 

now sitting next to the fire, preparing for the week ahead.

Three years ago, I was drowning in back-to-back meetings, 
checking emails at midnight, convincing myself that's what success looked like..

Today, success looks like knowing when my nervous system needs nature.
When it needs silence.
When it needs to move slower to think clearer.

Building a business around how you're actually wired 
instead of how you think you should be..

That shift has been incredibly important for me and my young family. 

They now have their father back, and I’ve saved my marriage. 

Here's to a week of working with your unique nervous system design, and a weekly rhythm that enriches your life - not goes against it 🙏🏻❤️

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11:47pm. Amsterdam. December 16th. 2019.


Laptop glow on the ceiling. My wife and daughter asleep. I'd just bought another "this will change everything" course.


Not because I needed it. Because I was buzzing. Restless. Looking for a hit to save me from sitting with my feelings...


Trying to outrun a life that looked noble and kinda perfect on the outside. But inside I was numb to everything that should have made me happy.

To compensate I was skipping from course to course. Opportunity to opportunity.

Always learning, always busy, always doing what the gurus told me to do.

It looked proactive. Honestly, it was a classic distraction strategy.

I was living a reactive life - led by "shoulds," stuck in my head, disconnected from my body's signals to rest. Stop. Breathe.

Slowly running myself and my marriage into the ground.

The cost showed up at home first. The "I'm too busy" snap every time my wife asked something. Presence replaced by productivity.

At the time I was a leader in a global church. Supposed to have it together.
Inside, I was a hell of a mess.

I often turned to p*rn to soothe a nervous system out of check. 
only compounding the guilt, shame and failure I felt inside.

11:47pm was the moment where I could no longer handle the double life I was living.

So I shouted to myself in the mirror that moment in frustration and tears.

How the hell can I support others if I can't even support myself?

The next morning, I chose to be honest with my wife. Asked her forgiveness and support.

That was the moment I finally took responsibility for my mind, my body, and the stories still keeping me stuck.

You’re surrounded by family this Christmas, and you've never felt more alone.

I know that feeling.

Sitting at the table in my own house (beautiful home, kids being kids, work going ok) watching my wife share goofy moments with her father, mum and brothers.

Everyone I loved was right there.
Yet I felt completely alone inside my own skin.

I remember thinking..

Maybe January will fix this.
New year. Fresh start. Better approach.

But I’d thought that before.
Multiple Januarys. Multiple fresh starts.

And every December, I ended up in the same shitty place.

Same nagging buzz in my head.
Same numbness in my bones.

That quiet 'off' feeling pulsing underneath the Christmas lights.

But back in Christmas 2019, it was different.

I decided to stop long enough to feel what I’d spent a lifetime outrunning.

I went back to the 6-year-old me on the floor.

Who was watching tennis on the TV.
Parents screaming in front of him.
Holding his knees. Bracing for impact.
Trying to disappear without leaving the room.

I sat with him and asked what he needed to say back then...
the thing no one let him say.

STOP YELLING. I FEEL SCARED.

Then I told him the things he needed to hear:

You’re not too much.
This isn’t your fault.
You don’t have to disappear to be safe.

Something loosened in my chest that day.
A tight grip I didn’t even know I’d been living with.

For the first time in years, I could take a full breath.

Because I finally stopped abandoning myself.
the same way I’d learned to do it for everyone else.

I was addicted to being the reliable one.
The man who always showed up.
The one holding it all together.
The father. The founder.

All while numbing the ache in my gut.
and quietly waiting to be exposed as incompetent.

An imposter. A fraud.

If you’re feeling that gap right now... 
between the 'christmas hype' and the loneliness inside.

this might not be a 'season' problem.
Or a planning problem.
Or a motivation problem.

It might be the cost of a childhood where no one came looking for you
when you went quiet.

The more capable you are, the longer you can ignore that your life doesn't fit anymore. 

until one day, your body completely contracts.  

last week, I sat with a woman who looked successful on every metric - work coming in, respected in her field, financially stable. 

but inside? she was unraveling at speed. "I feel like such a mess," she said. "I should have this figured out by now." 

she wasn't a mess. she was waking up. 

the exhaustion you can't fix with rest? 
the decision paralysis that won't go away? 
the flatness where nothing feels exciting anymore? 

To be clear, this is NOT burnout, it's a sign that your soul is trying to get your attention. 

I wrote about what happens when you finally stop ignoring it.

She wasn't a mess. She was just finally waking up to the fact that she'd been living someone else's definition of success. A week back, I sat across f

Open article: Last Tuesday, a woman told me: "I feel like such a mess. I should have this figured out by now." by Daniel Philips • 5 min read

Last Tuesday, a woman told me: "I feel like such a mess. I should have this figured out by now."

I can't shut off.

That's what most burned out founders tell me in our first conversation.

"I'm always on edge." "I work all the time but nothing moves forward."

I get it. I lived it.

Some years ago, I was sitting in the Portuguese mountains, overlooking a view I'd dreamed about for years back in Holland.

The kids were running around with our collection of chickens, with the puppy chasing behind, living their best life.

Carefree.

Yet, all I could think about was: how do I stabilise my business this month?
My chest was tight, my mind racing.

Revenue was unstable, and I'd convinced myself that if I didn't spend every waking minute on my laptop, hustling...reaching out....chasing... I'd miss my numbers.

I was working 8am to 10pm most days.

Checking my phone at the dinner table, any moment possible... Snapping at my wife and kids like I was always in a rush to get somewhere.

Even though there was nowhere to go.

My body felt like it had to constantly run to and from something just to stay alive.

To provide. To survive.

What I didn't understand back then was that restlessness, and edginess I felt, that inability to switch off... it wasn't a discipline problem.

It was my nervous system stuck in survival mode.

You see, when you're constantly stressed, your body interprets every business challenge as a life-or-death threat.

A quiet inbox feels like danger. 
A dip in revenue triggers the same response as being chased by a predator.

Your nervous system doesn't know the difference between a missed sales call and a physical threat, so it keeps you in fight-or-flight.

All day. Every day.

The real problem wasn't about me working too much, with the idea that working 4 days instead of 7 would solve it.

It was because I was working from a dysregulated state and justifying it as normal, necessary 'entrepreneurial' behaviour.

No amount of productivity hacks would fix that.

Adding another system or GPT strategy is like focusing on installing a new update on your SatNav, whilst your car is running on fumes and about to break down any moment.

If this is hitting home for you, I built a quick assessment to help you see what's actually going on.

Takes 5 minutes, and shows you where your nervous system is stuck in survival mode, along with what to do about it.

DM me 'SYSTEMS' and I'll send you the link.

I was snapping at my kids while living in paradise....

Working 8am-10pm. Chest tight. Mind spinning.

The problem wasn't my business strategy or work ethic. 

It was my nervous system.

I just published a newsletter about why capable founders stay stuck + 
the 90-minute process that shifts it.

Read here.

I was working 8am-10pm in what people call paradise. Portugal. Mountains. Freedom. The reality: phone at dinner, snapping at my kids, chest constantly

Open article: The Regulation Gap (why smart Entrepreneurs often stay stuck) by Daniel Philips • 3 min read

The Regulation Gap (why smart Entrepreneurs often stay stuck)

Your overwhelm isn’t mental. It’s mechanical.

Founders tell me all the time:
“I know exactly what to do…I just can’t seem to do it.”

That's not discipline problem
Nor lack of willpower.
And won't be solved by finding another smart AI hack.

The problem is that your Nervous system is overloaded and does not know how to decompress. 

This week’s newsletter breaks down the moment a client realised he wasn’t inconsistent - he was dysregulated.

And what happened when we reset his system in real time.

If you’ve been feeling scattered, reactive, or stuck in loops…
Comment RESET and I’ll send you the information for the 1:1 90 min deep dive I'm doing with a few founders in January.

Most founders think the hardest part of growth is strategy. OR discipline. OR picking the right business guru who promises “10k months in 30 days.” Bu

Open article: Your overwhelm isn’t mental - it’s mechanical. by Daniel Philips • 3 min read

Your overwhelm isn’t mental - it’s mechanical.

As a Highly Sensitive Entrepreneur, I used to think I just needed better boundaries.

Turned out, I needed better regulation.

And after years of working with other founders, I see the same pattern emerging, they know what they should do....take breaks, set boundaries, work less.

But when they try.. their body won't let them.

When they sit down to rest, their chest tightens. 
When they close the laptop, anxiety floods in.

And that was me in Portugal... I had all the time in the world. Mountains. Freedom. Space.

But I couldn't access any of it, because my nervous system was still running on a scarcity operating system.

But after going through this season of rewiring myself, I now know that when your nervous system is dysregulated, rest used to feel dangerous, and when I slowed down triggered alarm bells.

Because my body used to interpret "not working" as "not surviving."

So I kept grinding, not because I wanted to, but because my nervous system wouldnt let me stop. I was wired.

And I certainly learnt one thing for sure, that you cannot think your way out of a dysregulated nervous system.

You have to train it.

Like an athlete trains their body, you have to teach your nervous system that it's safe to downregulate.

Making that quiet inbox, a welcome thing instead of a panic attack. 
So that you feel like rest is actually productive, not dangerous.

This is the work I do now with founders who are barely holding on.

I tell them to forget about time management hacks and productivity systems you were sold, none of it works until you regulate your nervous system first.

Instead, I help you recognise the difference between actual threats and normal business challenges.

So that you can build the capacity to stay grounded under pressure instead of reactive, and make strategic decisions from a state of calm, not panic.

Because the fastest way to burn out isn't working too hard.
It's working from a dysregulated state and never coming back down.

So you're recognising yourself in this, I built a free 5-minute assessment to show you exactly where your nervous system needs support.

DM me 'REGULATE' and I'll send it over.

Some neurodiverse founders are not held back by strategy…they’re held back by something much more covert.

It’s the real reason so many brilliant, neurodiverse founders keep saying:

“I don’t have time.”
“I should be able to do this myself.”
“What if I can’t follow through?”
“I’m too overwhelmed to think about this.”

Most founders treat these as 'mindset issues.'

They’re not.
They’re nervous system signals....

And unless you know how to read them, they’ll keep you stuck in the exact same January → February → March loop you’re trying to escape.

In today’s newsletter, I break down:

• why these objections show up
• what they actually mean in your body
• and how to finally create capacity instead of pushing harder

Read the full article below.

If you’re hesitating, read this. Most founders don’t hesitate because they’re unsure. They hesitate because their nervous system is unsure. And the ob

Open article: There’s a version of you your current nervous system can’t access yet. by Daniel Philips • 2 min read

There’s a version of you your current nervous system can’t access yet.

“Why do I crave free time… but shut down the moment I get it?”

This was one of the most confronting things I uncovered in a recent founder reset session.

Not procrastination.
Not laziness.
Not a motivation problem.

A nervous system caught in volatility - trained to survive in chaos, and panic when he was at rest.

His brain said: “I want spaciousness.”
His body said: “But… what if it’s not safe?”

Todays newsletter breaks it down:

- Why you can’t switch off even when you want to
- The hidden pattern behind overwhelm cycles
- And the exact somatic shift to bring brings clarity back online

Let me tell you about a neurodiverse client who, on the outside, looked capable and calm… but inside, everything was running too fast. Brilliant mind.

Open article: Why your system can’t follow through (even when you want it to) by Daniel Philips • 4 min read

Why your system can’t follow through (even when you want it to)

Not all excitement is created equal.

I learned this in a session with a client last week.

He was a creative founder describing two different moments in his life:

Moment 1: Going from 2K to 100K in crypto. The rush. The high. "I'm finally escaping."

Moment 2: On a film set in Europe with an amazing team. He was in pure flow. Time was disappearing.

Both gave him goosebumps.

But when I asked him to feel into the difference?

He said something that stopped me:

"The crypto goosebumps were short. like a spike...On the film set, goosebumps were long, deep, more intense. That one felt like a deeper satisfaction. This felt like... myself."

The Crypto journey for him showed volatility ie
Manic highs..crushing lows...adrenaline-fuelled... isolated and short-lived.

The Film set with friends showed radiance ie
Grounded aliveness. Sustainable. Fills you up. Connected. Present.

Most burned-out founders are addicted to the volatility because their nervous system learned that volatility = normal.

So they keep recreating it:
 → Revenue swings that wreck them
 → Overworking then crashing
 → Chasing the next strategy to "save" them
 → Saying yes to everything, then collapsing

It can 'feel alive' for a moment, but it's not sustainable.

Radiance is different.

The founder described moments of real connection for himself:

A dinner with friends where he felt fully himself, a men's gathering where he spoke his truth, coaching sessions where his chest opened and his shoulders dropped.

His body responded differently.

Here he experienced 'no quick rush'

Stating: "Everything just feels safe. I don't need to have all the answers. I am at peace."

For him, it wasn't about choosing 'to hustle' or 'to rest'
It was actually about choosing between volatility and radiance.

With volatility feeling like:
 → Tight chest, racing mind
 → Checking numbers obsessively
 → Trying to control the uncontrollable
 → Shaky legs, panic, 'I need to turn back time'

Radiance feeling like:
 → Chest open, throat relaxed
 → Time disappearing
 → Being fully present
 → 'I can just be myself here'

Because your nervous system will ALWAYS pull you towards what feels familiar.

If volatility is familar, you'll keep recreating boom-bust cycles.
If radiance is familiar, you'll build sustainably.

So which pattern are you feeding?

The i've created a Founder Regulation Assessment shows you in 5 minutes.

You can take it here → https://lnkd.in/ePrZAVNX

Your body already knows the difference, the question is whether you're listening.

- Dan

The day after I told my wife I'd been using p*rn, I went looking for answers.

Cacao ceremonies. 
Church events. 
Men's circles. 
Breathwork. 
Journaling. 
Therapy.

I read the books. Did the courses. Showed up in all the right rooms.
And sure, some of it helped. Temporarily.

But the noise never stopped.

A low, constant weird hum in my body... like something was always 'off' in me, even when my life looked 'right.'

Even when I was leading a global church. 
Even when I was standing on stage, being praised for how wise and spiritual I seemed. 
Even when I had a beautiful wife and a newborn in my arms.

Especially then.

Because I couldn't fully feel the joy of my first child being born. 

Couldn't look my wife in the eyes for too long without wanting to look away.

The shame sat between us like a third presence in the room.

I thought I had a discipline or habit problem.

What I didn't understand yet was that I wasn't trying to solve a man's problem.
I was still functioning like the 6-year-old version of myself.

Why? well I grew up with an alcoholic mum and a dad who didn't know how to father.

I still remember sitting on the floor, tennis on the TV, while they threw things and screamed at each other in front of me.

I discovered something magical that day.

If I could pretend I was inside the program (if I could disappear into it) I couldn't be harmed.

That became my superpower.

At school, I was the kid who felt too much. Got bullied. Picked apart with words.
So I learned to hide... Numb... ...Accept what was happening and escape later.

Bedroom. TV. Video games. Eventually p*rn.

Because my nervous system didn't know any other way to feel safe.


Fast forward 30 years.
Same pattern with a different packaging.

Still escaping. Still numbing. Still dissociating - just now with a title, a platform, and spiritual language that made it look holy.

And no amount of clever thinking was going to fix that. No men's circle. No ceremony. No 'performance of authenticity.'

Because you CANNOT smart your way out of a childhood wound.

You have to go back and meet the kid who learned that disappearing was safer than being seen.

So I went back to that place, to finally stay long enough to feel what I'd spent my whole life outrunning.

You don't recognise yourself anymore.

The goals that used to drive you feel hollow. 
The strategies that always worked... don't. 
The version of you everyone knows feels like a costume you can't take off.

Nothing's technically broken.

But something inside you just stopped.

This is an identity death.
And it's the most terrifying (and sacred) threshold you'll ever cross.

The next article I wrote dives deep into this - are you ready?

There's a specific moment in transformation that no one warns you about. It's not the decision to change. It's not the moment you know something needs

Open article: The sacred collapse - when your old identity stops.  by Daniel Philips • 6 min read

The sacred collapse - when your old identity stops.

I watched a founder go from 2K to 100K in crypto.

Then back to 10K. Then 3K.

They were lying awake at night thinking: "I need to turn back time."

But the real problem wasn't the crypto.

It was their nervous system recreating the exact volatility pattern it learned in childhood.

Boom. Everything's great..... Bust.....Everything's collapsing. Repeat.

This is called the boom-bust trap.

And most burned-out founders don't even realise they're stuck in it.

They think it's about:

- Bad timing
- Wrong strategy
- Not disciplined enough

But it's none of them. 

It was about your nervous system being addicted to volatility.

Because your were raised to think that the volatility feels familiar,
and your nervous system always chooses familiar over safe.

I wrote about why this happens - and how to actually break it.

It's based on real client work, it's vulnerable, and it might explain why you keep ending up in the same place.

Read it in the latest article below.

Note: for confidentiality reasons the character in the story will have a fictional name) I had a client recently who couldn't understand why he kept e

Open article: The boom-bust trap: why burned-out Founders keep recreating the same pattern by Daniel Philips • 4 min read

The boom-bust trap: why burned-out Founders keep recreating the same pattern

"I'm not sure if I really want to do this, or if I just love the idea of wanting to do it."

A founder said this to me last week.


It was completely recognisable, because I've experienced the same split myself.

The one where you can't tell the difference between what your body is pulling you toward and what you think you 'should' want.

He said he wanted to dedicate Saturday mornings to walking in nature - just him, his feet on the ground, and no agenda.

But he kept not doing it....

There was always something 'more important.'
So I asked him to go back to a time when he really wanted something.
When he last felt the urge for it.

He remembered back when he was young, when he collected stones with his brother to break them open and find crystals inside.

When he described this moment, his whole energy shifted.

"It was like a pulling force," he said. "I felt it in my belly, almost magnetic."

That's what real desire feels like.

It's not in your head.

You feel it in your body.

Like a pull, a magnetism, an urge you just can't ignore.

But most burned-out founders have lost access to that feeling.

Because their nervous system is so dysregulated, they can't feel what they actually want anymore.

Instead, they find themselves stuck in:
"I should want to rest."
"I should want to meditate."
"I should want to work on my business."

But when the moment finally comes...
They freeze....numb out....scroll..... default to work.

And it makes sense, because they've been overriding their body for so long, they don't know how to feel their own urges anymore.

This founder said something that made my heart break for him:
"I crave free time, but when I have it, I have no idea what I want to do, so I just waste it."

That's a classic sign of dysregulation.

When your nervous system is stuck in survival mode, you lose access to:
- What truly excites you
- What lights your life up
- What your body is actually pulling you toward

All you can feel is...
'What's useful for my business?'
'What's productive today?'
'What should I be doing so I look busy?'

The only way out of this is to regulate your body.

So your nervous system feels safe, giving you permission to access your urges again.

That magnetic pull in your belly to smash open rocks and find crystals.
The thing you'd set an alarm for on a Saturday morning.
The desire that doesn't need to be rationalised - it just is.

If you've lost touch with what you actually want, your nervous system is stuck in survival mode.

The 'Founder Regulation Assessment' I created shows you where - and what to do about it.

It takes 5 minutes, is completely private, and no email is required unless you want the full breakdown.

Link in comments

Be honest - will you be starting January regulated or overwhelmed?

Because from every call I’m having with HSP, ADHD and neurodiverse founders, I’m seeing the same pattern over and over again:

You look like you have everything together on the outside -
 smart, perceptive, high-achieving…

…but inside, your mind is chaotic, reactive and constantly spiralling.

And December has made that even louder - extra activities, tighter budgets, more commitments, more emotional load.

The result?

Exhaustion....
Watching others move ahead with ease...

And the quiet fear:
“Maybe I don’t have what it takes to be successful.”

You definitely don’t want to start another year overwhelmed, masking competence, and privately melting down while trying to outrun your own nervous system.

But you know what happens if you don’t reset now:

January feels hopeful.
February feels familiar.
March… back in the same loops that drained you last year.

And nope - discipline isn’t the issue. (If it was, you’d have solved it by now.)

The issue is that your mind and body aren’t working together.

Your head is overloaded.
Your body is signalling distress.
And your shoulders probably feel it more than anything.

After being there myself, here’s what actually creates the shift:

I’m opening 5 spots for a New Year Founder Regulation Reset - a 90-minute personalised session designed to take you from chaotic + reactive 
→ self-led + focused.

Here’s what we do inside:
1. Uncover the real pattern driving your overwhelm
2. Regulate your system so your mind finally quiets
3. Rebuild inner leadership so you trust yourself again
4. Create a simple weekly plan you can actually follow

A founder from last years deep dive told me:
“I finally did the thing I’d been avoiding for years… because my brain and body finally felt steady enough to handle it.”

That shift happened within a week.

If you want to enter January clear, calm, and able to follow through:

Comment “RESET” and I’ll send the details.
5 spots. €347.

 Once they’re gone, this closes.
- Dan

There’s a moment I’ve never shared publicly.

A small, ordinary moment at the dinner table in Portugal a few years back, that  revealed the real reason I was overwhelmed in my business.

From the outside, everything looked beautiful.
Inside my body....nothing was.

My phone would buzz and my whole system would jolt.
Chest tight. Breath shallow. Shoulders heavy...

A feeling that one message could decide whether I was safe or not.
I thought I had a business problem.

Turns out… I had a nervous system problem.

This week I’m opening up about what actually shifted everything for me, the moment I stopped surviving my business and finally started building it from a regulated place.

I wrote the full story in myt latest newsletter, it’s vulnerable and honest, in the hope that it will help others to reflect before heading into 2026. 

You’ll feel it in your chest if you’ve ever been stuck in that loop of hustling harder while feeling more disconnected from yourself.

There’s a moment from Portugal I still think about more than I want to admit. Dinner table. Candles. Mountains in the distance. My wife talking softly

Open article: The moment I realised I wasn’t actually free
 by Daniel Philips • 2 min read

The moment I realised I wasn’t actually free

Remote HR Employee Experience & People Business Partner Consultant

Remote

Global Employment Operations & Compliance

Webhelp

Senior Global HR Operations Specialist

Teleperformance

Senior Human Resources Generalist

TIM Business

HR/People Partner

Adecco

Recruiter

HR Operations I Human Resources Business Partner in HR Tech I Ex- Remote I Leadership & Personal Growth for Linkedin

Hello, I'm Costas, a dedicated Senior HR Employee Experience - Culture Professional and Remote work advocate with a deep focus on HR processes, workplace culture and employee lifecycle management. 

My journey in this field has honed my expertise in the Labor Laws of EMA countries and in optimizing HR operations. Through the fast pace environment I've worked in, I have developed my ability to streamline onboarding and offboarding processes, which has led to significant time and resource savings. My approach is always employee-centric, ensuring that HR solutions not only meet organizational needs but also enhance employee satisfaction and engagement.

Accomplishments:

-Achieved a 30% reduction in onboarding time and a 50% decrease in paperwork within 6 months, streamlining HR processes efficiently.

-Improved employee satisfaction rates by 35% and reduced query resolution time by 30% in one year, demonstrating my ability to handle employee relations and HR inquiries effectively in global teams.

-Specialized in multiple employment laws, significantly reducing legal risks and navigating complex HR situations with expertise.

-Collaborated cross-functionally with the Product team to design scalable processes, tools, and systems to enhance operational efficiency by 20%.

-Managed payroll and benefits for over 400 employees, maintaining 100% accuracy in payroll data and statutory filings.

-Enhanced HRIS administration, increasing user satisfaction by 50% through effective customization and training.

Costas K. G.

Degrees impress.

But self-education transforms.

Because:

1. Formal learning ends with a certificate.
- Self-learning never stops.

2. Traditional training sets the baseline.
- Self-education sets you apart.

3. Many wait to be taught.
- Few teach themselves.

That’s the real edge.

5 Methods to Grow Through Self-Education:

1. Turn downtime into growth time
- Replace 30 minutes of scrolling with one podcast or TED Talk.
- Small swaps compound over weeks.

2. Build your personal curriculum
- Pick 3 topics that excite you.
- Read books, watch videos, take notes.
- Curiosity makes learning stick.

3. Practice in real time
- Don’t just absorb, apply.
- Test new ideas in your projects, habits, or conversations.
- Knowledge without action fades.

4. Track your growth
- Keep a simple journal of what you learned this week.
- Reflection turns information into wisdom.
- Progress becomes visible.

5. Teach it forward
- Share what you’ve learned with a friend, colleague, or online.
- Explaining is the fastest way to master.
- Teaching multiplies impact.

Never underestimate an employee who invests in themselves.

They’re not just upgrading skills.
They’re reshaping possibilities.

Learn relentlessly.
Grow intentionally.
Lead boldly.

---

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Keynote Speaker I HR Operations I Human Resources Business Partner in HR Tech I Ex- Remote I Leadership & Personal Growth for Linkedin

Leadership is about hero-making.

Hero-making because:

1. It builds belief in others.
- This is their courage.

2. Courage creates action.
- This is their breakthrough.

3. Breakthroughs spark growth.
- This is your legacy.

Not being the loudest voice.
Not having all the answers.

But seeing the gold in others...
Even when they don’t see it yet.

Think about the best leader you ever had...

They didn’t try to outshine you.
They made you feel like you could do anything.

That’s what great leaders do.
They pass the torch.
They build people, not egos.

When you lead like this, people don’t just follow you.

They believe in themselves.
They try harder.
They grow faster.
They become the kind of teammate others trust.

Leadership is not self-referential.
It is service-driven.

7 Ways to Lead like that:

1. Give ownership, not just tasks.
- Let your team take charge of real projects.
- Trust them to make decisions.
- Mistakes? They’re part of growth. Support, don’t micromanage.

2. Teach critical thinking, not following.
- Ask, “What do you think?” instead of always giving answers.
- Let them solve problems before stepping in.
- Critical thinking builds confident leaders.

3. Show the way.
- Be the example they follow.
- Show integrity, resilience, and empathy daily.
- Leadership is caught, not just taught.

4. Be their mentor.
- Share your wins, and your failures.
- Give real feedback that helps them improve.
- Great leaders invest in others.

5. Inspire with vision.
- Help them see the bigger picture.
- Show them why their work matters.
- Leaders don’t just complete tasks; they drive purpose.

6. Create opportunities for growth
- Give them a chance to lead a project, or a meeting.
- Growth happens outside comfort zones.
- The more they step up, the more they believe in themselves.

7. Celebrate leadership initiatives.
- Recognize when someone takes initiative.
- Highlight leadership actions, not just performance.
- What gets celebrated, gets repeated.

Managing tasks keeps a business running.
Developing people makes it thrive.

Because leadership isn’t about being the hero.
It’s about creating a team of heroes.

Make your leadership about them.
Not yourself.

---

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Costas K. Gian

Ego blocks growth.

Teachability unlocks it.

You don’t need to know everything.
You just need to stay open.

Because:

1. Being smart helps you today.
- Being teachable shapes who you become tomorrow.

2. Knowledge can run out.
- Curiosity never does.

3. Being “right” wins arguments.
- Being teachable wins opportunities.

The real leaders aren’t the loudest in the room.
They’re the ones still willing to learn.

And in leadership, the difference is massive:
- Bosses want to be right.
- Leaders want to get it right.

5 Signs You’re Actually Teachable:

1. You listen to understand, not reply
- You pause instead of defend.
-  You absorb instead of react.
- Feedback feels like fuel, not an attack.

2. You admit what you don’t know
- No pretended expertise.
- No fear of looking inexperienced.
- Humility becomes your advantage.

3. You change your mind when new truth appears
- Stubbornness drops.
- Flexibility rises.
- Growth replaces ego.

4. You seek mentors, not mirrors
- You welcome challenge.
- You want perspective, not validation.
- You’d rather learn than be praised.

5. You’re willing to unlearn
- Old habits don’t run the show.
- Outdated beliefs get questioned.
- You evolve at every level.

Being teachable doesn’t make you weak.
It makes you unstoppable.

The world changes fast.
The people who grow with it…
Are the ones who stay open.

Stay curious.
Stay humble.
Stay teachable.

Lead with openness.

---

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Positions can be refilled.

Trust can’t.

Because:

1. You can replace a role.
- But not the bond behind it.

2. You can fill a desk.
- But not the belief that once lived there.

3. You can rehire talent.
- But not the loyalty that left with it.

That’s where many leaders stumble.

They see people as functions, not foundations.
They confuse presence with loyalty.
They think, “We’ll just replace them.”

But trust doesn’t reboot.
And loyalty doesn’t grow back once it’s broken.

10 Habits That Make People Stay:

1. Notice the unseen effort
- Results get applause.
- Effort gets ignored.
- What goes unnoticed, eventually disappears.

2. Protect reputations fiercely
- Back your people when rumors rise.
- Silence speaks louder than gossip.
- Loyalty grows in defense, not distance.

3. Guard their well-being
- Overwork isn’t pride, it’s pain.
- Rest is part of performance.
- Energy is your team’s most valuable currency.

4. Celebrate their evolution
- Don’t cling when they’re ready to rise.
- Growth is proof you led well.
- Wings were meant to fly.

5. See the human, not the title
- Job descriptions don’t tell their story.
- Care about the person behind the task.
- Belonging starts with being seen.

6. Make feedback a safe space
- Truth without empathy wounds.
- Empathy with truth builds.
- Growth lands softer when it feels human.

7. Feed their future
- Stagnation suffocates potential.
- Challenge them before comfort does.
- People stay where they can still evolve.

8. Give their voice real weight
- Input isn’t inclusion, impact is.
- Let their ideas shape outcomes.
- That’s ownership, not observation.

9. Honor life, not just labor
- Remember milestones, not just metrics.
- Humanity is the strongest retention strategy.
- People stay where they feel celebrated.

10. Ask. Don’t assume.
- Needs shift as people do.
- Listening once isn’t enough.
- Care means checking in again and again.

Numbers fade.
Deadlines vanish.

But how you made people feel...
that’s what stays.

Lead through care.
Lead through trust.
Lead through presence.

---

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Bosses chase control.

Leaders build confidence.

Because:

Leadership isn’t a loud title.
It’s a quiet influence.

Some managers point fingers when it’s easy.
Real leaders step forward when it’s hard.

Spectators criticize from the sidelines.
Mentors roll up their sleeves.

Egos compete for credit.
Leaders create space for others to shine.

The difference defines the culture you work in.

5 Ways to Become a Confidence-Building Leader:

1. Own the storms
- Take responsibility when things go wrong.
- Protect your team publicly.
- Solve challenges side by side.

2. Share the spotlight
- Credit ideas where they belong.
- Celebrate wins loudly and often.
- Amplify others instead of competing.

3. Show up in the struggle
- Check in when someone seems off.
- Offer help without shaming.
- Make growth feel safe, not risky.

4. Respect boundaries
- Honor personal limits without guilt-trips.
- Trust adults to manage their energy.
- Healthy space builds sustainable drive.

5. Welcome feedback
- Ask, listen, and apply.
- Treat input as a gift, not a threat.
- Growth comes from listening, not defending.


Great leadership doesn’t just manage tasks.
It shapes people’s confidence and potential.

Choose to be the leader who lifts others higher.

Lead with integrity.
Build with trust.
Multiply confidence.

---

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A paycheck sustains you.

But leadership shapes you.

One funds your life.
The other defines it.

Because:

Work should build you... 
Not break you.

Leadership should protect you... 
Not drain you.

Here's the difference:

1. Bosses silence.
- Leaders listen.

2. Bosses demand.
- Leaders develop.

3. Bosses chase control.
- Leaders build trust.

4. Bosses call burnout “commitment.”
- Leaders call rest “fuel.”

5. Bosses use fear to get results.
- Leaders use belief to inspire them.

6. Bosses take credit.
- Leaders give it back.

7. Bosses see roles.
- Leaders see humans.

5 Things Great Leaders Do Differently:

1. They trust with autonomy
- Freedom replaces control.
- Decisions are shared, not dictated.
- Trust builds ownership.

2. They listen to understand
- Conversations flow both ways.
- Safe spaces welcome ideas.
- Listening becomes power.

3. They fuel your growth
- Development is a daily act, not a yearly formality.
- Support replaces anxiety.
- Growth becomes identity.

4. They protect your balance
- Rest is respected.
- Humanity comes before productivity.
- Balance keeps brilliance alive.

5. They honor your effort
- Progress gets noticed, not just results.
- Gratitude fuels consistency.
- Recognition builds belonging.

Leaders don’t build followers.
They build people.

And people build everything else.

---

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Hiring for experience is the shortcut.

Spotting real potential is leadership.

Because:

A résumé tells you what’s been done.
Curiosity tells you what’s still possible.

Skills can be sharpened.
Character can’t be manufactured.

6 Qualities Worth Hiring For:

1. Curiosity over past titles
- Questions create clarity instead of pretending to know.
- Solutions hide where most don’t look.
- Uncertainty becomes a spark for innovation.

2. Resilience over records
- Setbacks become springboards for stronger comebacks.
- Failure becomes feedback, not a finish line.
- Pressure reveals steadiness under fire.

3. Initiative over hierarchy
- Action steps in without waiting for approval.
- Responsibility shows up when it matters most.
- Problem-solving replaces blame-shifting.

4. Drive over polish
- Enthusiasm lifts the entire team.
- Persistence pushes through the tough stretches.
- Progress beats perfection every time.

5. Mindset over mastery
- Feedback becomes fuel for improvement.
- Adaptability thrives when conditions change.
- Growth stays a lifelong pursuit.

6. Principles over presentation
- Honesty stands firm, even when difficult.
- Trust anchors every relationship.
- Integrity outweighs appearances every time.


Paperwork doesn’t build legendary teams.
People with hunger and values do.

Choose potential.
Shape skill.
Build the future.

---

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Leadership is the shield.

Between people and pressure.

Between stress and protection.

When a leader stands up, teams rise.
When they don’t… people walk away.

But loyalty doesn’t disappear overnight.

It disappears in moments:
- The day no one defended your work.
- The meeting where silence stung more than criticism.
- The moment you realized you were unprotected.

Because real leadership isn’t loud.
It’s steady.
It’s courage in conflict..
Clarity in noise..
And protection in uncertainty.

6 Signs of a real Leader:

1. They protect publicly, correct privately
- Your reputation is safe in every room.
- They take the hits so you can keep building.
- Safety becomes the standard.

2. They stand beside you, not above you
- Hard moments become shared moments.
- You never feel alone in the fire.
- Support becomes strength.

3. They speak up when it matters
- They don’t let unfairness slide.
- They confront blame, not deflect it.
- Integrity becomes leadership.

4. They take responsibility, not excuses
- Wins belong to the team.
- Accountability starts with them.
- That’s how trust grows roots.

5. They guard your energy
- They stop unnecessary chaos from reaching you.
- They set boundaries with intention.
- Protection fuels performance.

6. They fight for your growth
- Projects, opportunities, they advocate for all of it.
- Your potential becomes their priority.
- They want you to win, even beyond them.

Teams change.
Roles evolve.

But the leader who defended you when it mattered…
Who made you feel strong instead of small…
They’re unforgettable.

Be that leader.

Because the true mark of leadership…
Is the courage you create in someone else.

Quote Credit: Justin Wright
---

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Busy is loud.

Productive is quiet.

Busy runs in circles.
Productive walks with purpose.

Busy looks full.
Productive feels right.

The difference is huge:

1. Busy is activity.
- You're doing a lot, but getting nowhere.

2. Productive is purpose.
- You're doing less, but it actually counts.

3. Busy reacts.
- Emails. Meetings. Noise.

4. Productive chooses.
- Focus. Direction. Intent.

5. Busy checks boxes.
- All day long.

6. Productive moves goals.
- One real step at a time.

7 Steps to be more Productive:

1. Set Clear Goals
- Define 1–3 specific goals each day
- Make them measurable and meaningful
- Break big goals into small wins

2. Prioritize Tasks
- Use tools like the Eisenhower Matrix
- Choose what brings the most impact
- Say no to what doesn’t move you forward

3. Time Management Techniques
- Block time for deep work and rest
- Try the Pomodoro method: 25 mins focus + 5 mins break
- Protect your calendar like it matters (because it does)

4. Avoid Multitasking
- One task at a time
- Finish before switching
- Give your brain space to think clearly

5. Eliminate Distractions
- Mute the noise (notifications, pop-ups, background tabs)
- Create a focus-friendly space
- Set meeting boundaries

6. Take Regular Breaks
- Walk away from your screen
- Breathe, move, stretch
- Refuel before you drain out

7. Reflect and Adjust
- End the day with a 5-min review
- What worked? What didn’t?
- Tweak your plan, not your purpose

Real growth comes from working with intention.
Not just staying in motion.

You don’t need to do more.
You just need to do what matters.

Stop chasing noise.
Start choosing purpose.

Focus on your growth.
Not their pace.

The impact will follow.

---

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Jobs pay you.

Leaders value you.

Because:
True happiness at work comes from feeling seen.
From knowing your ideas matter.

Your presence counts.
Your work creates something bigger...
Bigger than tasks and targets.

Never trade your career for your self-worth:

- Being treated with bias and brushed aside.
- Having your ideas muted before they’re heard.
- Extra hours masked as “dedication.”
- Trading your well-being for someone else’s approval.
- Taking harsh words disguised as “honest feedback.”
- Calling exhaustion “ambition.”
- Working in toxicity dressed up as “high performance.”
- Putting company image above personal values.

That’s not culture.
That’s survival.

Because when leadership forgets care..
performance becomes a mask..
and trust becomes collateral damage.

5 Things Real Leaders Do Instead:

1. You’re trusted with freedom
- Not micromanaged, but empowered.
- Trusted to make decisions, not just follow them.
- Autonomy shows belief.

2. Your voice is heard
- Meetings feel like conversations, not monologues.
- You can challenge ideas safely.
- Listening becomes leadership.

3. Your growth is encouraged
- Leaders who invest in your development are building your confidence.
- Support replaces fear.
- Progress becomes purpose.

4. Your boundaries are respected
- Rest is seen as fuel, not laziness.
- You’re treated like a human, not a resource.
- Balance sustains brilliance.

5. Your effort is noticed
- Results matter, but consistency counts too.
- The small wins are celebrated.
- Appreciation becomes motivation.

When people feel valued...
they don’t just stay....
They shine.

Fulfillment doesn’t come from being employed.
It comes from feeling important.

See them.
Value them.
Watch them thrive.

---

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The Battle

Daniel Philip Wilcock

Costas K. G.

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The Battle

Daniel Philip Wilcock

Costas K. G.

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Daniel Philip Wilcock's LinkedIn Performance

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