Last week, I wrote about being stuck on the “hamster wheel” and asked: Are your dreams really your own?

After that post, someone messaged me:

“So… are you telling people to get off the treadmill?”

It made me pause.

Because what does “getting off the treadmill” even mean?

The Illusion of Freedom

We’re bombarded with messages online:

• “Quit your 9 to 5.”
• “You can make $100K a year from your laptop.”
• “The corporate world doesn’t care about you.”

There’s some truth in all of it.

When you work for yourself, you often do get more freedom over your time.

But does that make it better?

Is leaving a stable job to build a startup that demands 12-hour days “freedom”?

Is replacing a predictable salary with content creation, constant performance, or chasing client work truly liberating?

Is the grass greener—or just different shades of burnout?

Not All Freedom Feels Free

It’s not just corporate employees who feel stuck.

Founders, YouTubers, solopreneurs, creators—everyone has a version of the grind.

• I’ve seen founders close down their VC-backed startups after years of pushing.
• I’ve read essays from entrepreneurs who treated it like a sprint, only to collapse halfway.
• I’ve listened to YouTubers talk openly about content burnout and pressure.
• I’ve coached life coaches who struggle to get clients or sustain income.
• I’ve heard from people in full-time jobs who feel like they’re slowly fading, waiting for a break that never comes.

Everyone’s running.

But not everyone’s going somewhere meaningful.

Don’t Trade One Treadmill for Another

Right now, we have people shouting from every side of the internet:

“This is the way!”

“Come over here!”

“Life is better in this lane.”

But most of them are still running too—just on different tracks.

And if you’re not grounded in who you are, why you’re doing what you’re doing, and what you truly value…

You’ll just jump from one treadmill to another.

Different speed, same exhaustion.

So What Do You Do?

You don’t have to opt out of ambition.

You don’t have to settle.

But you do have to choose your path wisely.

1. Choose your hard.

Every path has friction.

Pick the one that’s hard for the right reasons. The kind of hard that teaches you, stretches you, inspires you—not the one that drains you.

2. Align it with your energy.

What lights you up? What do you actually enjoy solving, doing, and creating?

The closer your work is to your strengths and interests, the more your effort turns into flow.

3. Learn to manage burnout.

Do not avoid it.

But recognize it. Catch it early. Build systems around it.

Create rhythms. Take breaks. Don’t let hustle be your only gear.

4. Treat everything like a marathon.

Stop sprinting through seasons that require patience.

Pace yourself. Be willing to grow slowly if it means growing well.

5. Watch your mindset.

You can’t outperform the story you’re telling yourself.

No title, no role, no lifestyle will feel right if your inner dialogue is filled with self-doubt, guilt, or perfectionism.

6. Pay attention to your energy.

This is the part no one talks about.

Two people can do the same job— one will burn out, while the other thrives.

It’s not just what you do, it’s how you do it.

The energy you carry. The intention behind it.

Are you building from fear? Or from peace?

Are you chasing validation? Or creating for a purpose?

Final Thought

You don’t need to escape the treadmill.

You need to walk it consciously.

Head up. Breathe steadily. Feet grounded.

You’re not late.

You’re not lost.

Just choose your path with your eyes open—and your heart anchored.