Why do adventures often begin with burnout?

When we look into the lives of famous artists or successful entrepreneurs, we often see that they embraced new challenges and brought about change during moments of significant adversity. Many of us followed the conventional path - studying hard, working diligently, living conscientiously - only to find ourselves facing suffocating moments of burnout—despite having done nothing wrong. For me, that burnout became my moment of adversity, the catalyst that pushed me to try something new and ultimately brought real change into my life. It was almost like the turning point in the life of a successful entrepreneur. That's how my venture, Early Bright New York, was born. If there's anyone out there who's contemplating a new beginning, I hope this story inspires you to take the leap.

Five years ago, in 2019, I quit my job. I was fed up with being treated like a disposable tool in a senseless system and tired of carrying out orders from my boss. Most of all, it became glaringly clear that staying there any longer would bring no growth or improvement to my life. So, partly by choice and partly by circumstance, I left. Honestly, I think my boss wanted me gone too. I got caught up in some internal company politics, and as we all know, life has a way of forcing you to exit certain stages, whether or not you're ready or willing. That's how I found myself stepping into the world on my own, ready to forge a new path.

The doctor told me I needed to have my gallbladder removed.

What was the biggest reason I didn't want to become just another disposable cog in the corporate machine? Everyone has moments at work when they feel that way, but it hits differently when your health is at stake. I had poured everything into my job, and the result was a serious decline in my health. Every night, I went to bed in pain, unable to sleep because of persistent stomachaches. Eventually, the doctor informed me that I had developed gallstones due to excessive stress and poor eating habits, and that the only solution was gallbladder removal.

I was devastated. I was young and had worked so hard, yet this was the price I had to pay. It felt utterly unfair. To make matters worse, I had to return to South Korea—my birthplace—to undergo surgery. I never imagined that leaving my job in the U.S. and going back home would happen under such circumstances, and it broke my heart.

After the surgery in Korea, I returned to the U.S., but there was no time to properly recover. I was immediately overwhelmed by a mountain of unfinished work, and my body and mind simply couldn't keep up anymore. That was the moment I made up my mind once and for all: I had to quit.

Everyone has a trigger. And that's where the journey begins.

Up until now, I've shared the story of why I left my job in 2019 and what triggered my decision to stop chasing someone else's dream and start living as the protagonist of my own story. Each of us has a trigger—an event that sometimes completely reshapes the course of our lives. But the truth is, what really matters is what comes next. If you give up on the journey that follows, you risk losing your way and spending years adrift.

Today, I run Early Bright New York, a brand I created to help people who are just like I was five years ago—those who are burned out or feel like they've become nothing more than a cog in the machine. Through writing, content, and products, I aim to inspire and energize them, and most importantly, to be their genuine cheerleader along the way.

In the next chapter, I'll share what happened after I left the company—the journey that unfolded from there. If you're curious about how one person overcame burnout, grew through life's challenges, and built a business, I invite you to subscribe to this newsletter. The journey is just beginning.