Behind the Curtain: Mental Health and the Entrepreneur

🔥 Excerpt

"Punishing yourself doesn’t get you to the goal faster. It’s not a strategy. It’s self-sabotage disguised as discipline."

 

⚡ TL;DR

Mental health isn’t just a subplot in entrepreneurship—it’s part of the main storyline. In this episode, I sit down with Bradley Rausch, consultant and mental health advocate, to talk about navigating anxiety, panic, and self-doubt while building a business. We unpack his “CRAFT” method for building confidence without proof, how to tolerate discomfort without spiraling, and why therapy should be considered a baseline resource for founders, not a luxury. If you’ve ever found yourself stuck between burnout and drive, this episode is your invitation to recalibrate.

 

📄 Show Notes

Let’s be real—entrepreneurship will push you to your emotional edge. It’s not a question of if; it’s a question of when. In this raw, deeply personal episode of The Relentless Pursuit of Winning, I talk with Bradley Rausch, a founder who built a business not in spite of his mental health challenges—but alongside them.

Bradley walks us through his early struggles with panic disorder, his breakthrough moments in therapy, and why he believes every founder should have access to mental health support as part of their business toolkit. He shares how frameworks like neuroplasticity and his own CRAFT method helped him move from paralysis to purposeful action—and why personal excellence requires more than hustle.

We also get into the mechanics of burnout, rebuilding self-trust after setbacks, and the difference between punishment and respect when you miss your mark. If you’ve ever felt like mental health was the part of your business plan nobody warned you about, this is the episode you didn’t know you needed.

 

✅ Key Takeaways

• Pain is part of life. Suffering is optional—and often self-inflicted.
• Neuroplasticity isn’t woo-woo—it’s how we rewrite mental patterns and beliefs.
• CRAFT Method: Commit to a time horizon, Reveal your action steps, Act with curiosity, Frame if/then plans, Tolerate short-term discomfort.
• Burnout happens when either your goal or your method is misaligned—not just when you’re “tired.”
• Your ability to trust yourself when there is no plan is more important than any strategy.
• Therapy isn’t a last resort—it’s leadership hygiene.

 

🧭 Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Mental Health in Entrepreneurship

02:30 Bradley's Journey with Panic Disorder

05:19 Understanding Pain vs. Suffering

07:50 The Role of Therapy in Healing

10:31 Neuroplasticity and Changing Thought Patterns

13:08 Building Confidence with the Craft Method

21:43 The CRAF Method: A Framework for Resilience

24:01 Building Your Support Circle: Accountability and Relationships

26:34 Balancing Personal and Professional Life

31:16 Identifying Burnout: Signs and Solutions

34:15 Overcoming Failure: Shifting from Punishment to Respect

37:54 Rewriting Your Understanding of Pain and Anxiety

 

👤 Bio

Bradley Rausch has worked with over 250 solo-preneurs and consultants within the past five years. Now he runs Level Up Influence, working with coaches and consultants in a CMO/COO capacity to help double down on profit through brand-building, operations and client success. He's also passionate about working with fellow entrepreneurs on how to navigate life's hardest moments through tactical frameworks and step-by-step mindset shifts.