How to Follow What Makes You Feel Alive (Even If It Makes No Logical Sense)

You’ve probably heard advice like “follow your passion” or “do what lights you up”—but how do you actually do that in practice as a founder? And how do you know when you’re following aliveness vs fear or performance?

In this episode, Jesse and Dave dive into the deeper layers of what it means to follow your aliveness—the felt sense of energy, joy, and presence that can guide your most aligned decisions in work and life.

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⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 – Intro: What does “aliveness” actually mean?
01:30 – Jesse’s obsession with a new idea and Dave’s cliff-jumping retreat
04:00 – Defining aliveness as a physical, felt experience
06:00 – Are you living half-dead? The cost of ignoring your aliveness
08:00 – Jesse’s examples: business creation, childbirth, deep meditation
10:00 – Flow state, spiritual presence, and the power of “now”
13:00 – Connection, awe, and presence in small everyday moments
15:00 – Anti-patterns: what blocks aliveness in founders
17:00 – Jesse’s client story: heroing the team vs. enjoying the job
19:00 – Survival patterns vs authentic action
21:00 – Why we fear feelings more than outcomes
23:00 – Dave’s coaching distinction: “the right answer” vs. “what feels right”
25:00 – The trick of discerning fear from intuitive truth
27:00 – Why overthinking is a signal you’re disconnected from self
29:00 – Conscious Leadership’s 4 pillars of integrity (unfelt feelings, unkept agreements, etc.)
32:00 – How unspoken truths and misaligned agreements leak energy
34:00 – Redefining empowerment: authenticity despite consequences
36:00 – The difference between fear as fuel vs. fear as signal
38:00 – Shame, guilt, and the hidden drivers of success
41:00 – Outcome detachment + aliveness = surprising success
43:00 – Can you follow joy and succeed wildly?
44:00 – Final question: What are you willing to risk for your full aliveness?

🎧 What You’ll Learn:
• How to recognize and follow your sense of aliveness

• Why fear and shame often block flow and authenticity

• The “invisible” cost of ignoring your body’s signals

• Practical ways to get back into alignment when you’re stuck

• How founders can lead and build from presence, not pressure

This conversation is for any founder, creator, or leader who’s ready to live and work in deeper alignment. If you’ve ever felt stuck, burned out, or disconnected from your spark—this episode is a must-listen.

💬 What makes you feel most alive? Drop it in the comments. And don’t forget to like & subscribe for more grounded, no-BS conversations on leadership, growth, and inner work.
#foundermindset #emotionalintelligence #authenticleadership