Success Almost Killed Her
- JM Ryerson
- 18 hours ago
- 5 min read
We live in a culture that celebrates hustle, output, and the badge of being "always on." But what happens when your body or relationships force you to pause? That pause can become the most important pivot of your life.
I recently sat down with Melissa Gonzalez, entrepreneur, author, and strategist, to talk about her new book, The Purpose Pivot. Her story is striking. A medical emergency in January 2024 stopped her in her tracks and became the catalyst for a deeply human, practical framework about leadership, priorities, and well-being.
Why Write The Purpose Pivot?
Melissa had already written one book after moving from Wall Street to entrepreneurship. This second book came from a different place: a health crisis that forced her to confront how she was living and whether well-being had been treated like a side project.
"Well-being should not be a side project in your life. It should have equal weighting, at a minimum, along your career journey and leadership path."
Her goal is not to tell people to abandon their careers. It is to help them rethink how purpose informs what they prioritize, such as time, relationships, and achievement. Melissa gathered the voices of three dozen women to build a human-centered framework that balances hustle with health, clarity, and sustainable leadership.
The Wake-Up Call: A Story Worth Hearing
Melissa had been feeling "off" for almost a year, noticing sluggishness, more frequent flare-ups of Raynaud’s, shingles, and changing energy levels. She kept postponing comprehensive blood work because many of those tests are not covered by insurance and can cost $1,000 or more.
On January 10, she woke at 3 a.m. in excruciating pain, ended up in the emergency room, and was told she needed surgery or risk septic shock. That night could have gone much worse, but it became the moment that changed everything.
Melissa had written that exact date on a Post-it the month before as part of a family "Better You Challenge." The coincidence felt like a sign. She could ignore it, or she could learn, create change, and write about it in a way that helps others.
Lessons From Listening: Three Dozen Stories
After she shared what happened, people began opening up about their own experiences. Many had hidden serious health events from colleagues and friends out of fear they might be seen as weak or a liability. Melissa found nearly unanimous wisdom in those stories. The signs were often there, and waiting until a crisis made the lesson much costlier.
Her interviews revealed recurring themes:
Busyness is not the same as impact
There is a healthier, more sustainable way to be driven
Vulnerability and human connection are powerful and necessary
She intentionally focused the book on women to create a through line. One chapter addresses hormonal and biological differences, but the overall conversation is human and universal. Since publishing the book, many men have reached out to say they needed the same wake-up call.
Practical Frameworks and Exercises
The Purpose Pivot is not just a memoir. Melissa includes practical exercises and worksheets that help readers put the ideas into action.
Key practices she and her interviewees use include:
Energizes vs. Depletes list: Track what fuels you and what drains you. Use this to decide where to say yes and where to delegate.
Delegation mindset: Move from doing everything to coaching and mentoring. Train teams so your presence matters most when impact is highest.
Power of the pause: When you feel the impulse to react, count to ten. Say, "Let me take this away and get back to you," instead of solving in the moment. Pausing reduces reactive work and increases thoughtful impact.
Awe intervention moments: Create small, intentional pauses to refill your creativity and presence. Nature, a short walk, or a few minutes to look out a window are not luxuries. They are fuel for better decisions and clearer thinking.
"You could spend a fraction of your day compared to before and still accomplish more, because you now have a better filter."
Health, Gut-Brain Connection, and Early Detection
Melissa emphasizes that health checks are an investment in your future. Comprehensive blood panels and working with practitioners who look at the whole person, including mind, gut, and immune system, can reveal issues that standard tests might miss.
As we discussed in our conversation, a deep blood panel can run between $1,000 and $1,500. For many, that investment leads to dramatic improvements in energy, weight, and vitality. The gut and brain are closely connected, and lowering chronic stress strengthens both.
How Changing Identity Shows Up at Work and Home
Pivoting toward well-being is also an identity shift. Melissa described the slow cultural work needed to make that change. It includes telling your organization, asking for support, delegating, and setting new boundaries. The people who truly matter will support you, and the right teams will help you make space for new priorities.
She also shared the practical ways she reduced her workload and moved from doing to mentoring:
Lowered utilization and focused on high-impact moments
Asked project managers to bring outcomes to meetings instead of doing all the execution herself
Reminded herself that opting out of certain events protected her bigger priorities
Pause, Notice, and Create Space For Awe
One of the most actionable ideas in the book is the "awe intervention moment." You do not need a full-day retreat to benefit. Even five minutes can reset your mind and unlock creativity.
Examples of awe intervention moments:
Take a five-minute walk outside without your phone
Stare out a window and let your mind wander
Take a short, intentional breath or shower and let ideas surface
These small pauses often create big ideas and better decisions. That sense of presence is what transforms stress into insight.
Advice to Leaders and High Performers
Melissa’s message is blunt yet compassionate. You can keep pushing, but it rarely leads to sustainable success. Reframe productivity to measure impact, not busyness. Create boundaries that protect your health and presence with family. Ask for support and delegate with confidence.
"It's okay not to be okay. It's okay to say I'm struggling. It's not a weakness."
Where This Work Shows Up in Organizations
When leaders model vulnerability and prioritize well-being, it changes company culture. Melissa received strong support from her organization during a major acquisition, and leadership publicly celebrated her book and message. Real conversations about health and purpose create a business advantage with stronger relationships, more sustainable leaders, and healthier teams.
Final takeaways and first steps you can take today
Get the right tests. If you do not feel like yourself, pursue a comprehensive panel and work with a provider who looks holistically at your health.
Make a two-column list: what energizes you and what depletes you. Use it as your decision filter.
Practice the power of pause. Count to ten before reacting and give yourself permission to respond thoughtfully.
Schedule an awe intervention moment every day, even for just five minutes.
Talk about health and vulnerability openly. Doing so creates permission for others to do the same.
The Purpose Pivot is a human-first call to reframe how we lead our lives. It is about showing up more fully for the people and work that truly matter. If you are a leader, an entrepreneur, or someone who has been putting health and relationships on the back burner, let this be your wake-up call. You do not have to wait for an emergency to make a change.
If you want to explore more, Melissa includes worksheets and exercises in the back of the book to help you start. Small steps compound into big shifts. Make one today.
Watch this full episode of the Let's Go Win Podcast on YouTube.