Have you ever noticed how many people — even highly successful leaders — live in constant overdrive? They’re productive, disciplined, and always “on,” but inside, they’re exhausted.

That’s survival mode — and according to Jon Rosemberg, author of A Guide to Thriving: The Science Behind Breaking Old Patterns, Reclaiming Your Agency, and Finding Meaning, it’s where far too many of us spend our days.

In our conversation with Jon, he shows that survival mode isn’t just about burnout — it’s about a deeper disconnection from calm, choice, and purpose. We get stuck reacting to life instead of truly living it. While it can look like high performance on the outside, it quietly erodes creativity, well-being, and authentic leadership.

In this conversation, Jon explains:

Why high achievers are especially prone to it — and why it often feels “normal”
How to recognize the subtle signs that you’re no longer thriving
How to reclaim your agency and live with greater energy, clarity, and meaning
How leaders can create cultures where people feel safe, inspired, and fully alive at work

Jon also introduces his highly adoptable “AIR model” — Awareness, Inquiry, and Reframing — a set of tools to help you move from autopilot to intention, from surviving to thriving. We discuss this at length.

At its core, thriving isn’t about having easy days. It’s about learning to meet challenges with grounded confidence, to respond rather than react, and to cultivate environments where people can flourish.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re running on autopilot — or want to help your team move beyond stress and into sustainable performance — this episode offers both insight and hope.

Listen now to learn how to shift from surviving to thriving — in your leadership, and in your life.

The post Jon Rosemberg: How To Break Out Of Survival Mode — And Start Thriving appeared first on Mark C. Crowley.

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