137: The Leadership Mistake Nobody Talks About

Being strong isn’t the same as being resilient. Meet Zara. She’s the one everyone relies on. At work, she fixes delays, calms clients, and takes on just one more task. At home, she juggles three kids, dinner, homework, and exhaustion she rarely admits out loud. Zara loves her job and her family, but the pace is catching up to her. Burnout isn’t theoretical anymore. What she wants isn’t to quit, slow down, or give up responsibility. She wants sustainability, clarity, and resilience that actually lasts. In this episode, Jay speaks with Julie Lewis, high-altitude mountaineer, expedition leader, and resilience consultant. Drawing from decades of leading teams through extreme environments, Julie challenges a leadership mistake few people talk about: confusing endurance with strength. Through powerful metaphors from nature, she explains how leaders can build adaptive resilience without burning themselves or their teams out. Notable Quotes “Self-care is self-respect.” — Julie Lewis “Nature is the greatest teacher of resilience.” — Julie Lewis “You can’t sprint forever. Even mountains have seasons.” — Julie Lewis About Our Guest Julie Lewis is a high-altitude mountaineer, expedition leader, keynote speaker, and resilience consultant. With a background in sports science and over 20 years of experience leading multinational teams through some of the world’s most demanding environments, Julie helps leaders build adaptive resilience through nature, self-awareness, and sustainable performance. Her work blends science, lived experience, and powerful metaphors to help people thrive through constant change. Resources & Links Julie Lewis Website – https://julie-lewis.com/ LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/julielewis4/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/julie.lewis.98892 Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/juliemileslewis/ X – https://x.com/mountainhighme Jay Abbasi Website – https://jayabbasi.me/ LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayabbasi/ Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/jayabbasi_/ YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@jayabbasipodcast Get Featured on “Unstuck” Want to have your story featured on “Unstuck”? Submit your story through the link below, and Jay may choose to highlight your story on a future episode and offer you personalized advice on how to overcome any challenge. Submit Your Story  Join Us Next Time On Friday, Jay dives deeper into the idea of connection and resilience by exploring lessons from Awareness by Anthony de Mello. The episode breaks down practical insights that apply to leadership, work, and everyday life in a world defined by constant change.