From Burnout to Bliss: The Power of an Intentional Career Break (Step-by-Step)

Letter to My Younger Self: 5 Career Truths I Wish I Knew At 22.

Dear Younger Me, Take the leap. Move to that new city. Host the dinner party. Travel the World. Ask the question. Say yes to the adventure. Your career won’t be a ladder — it’s more like a jungle gym. You’ll climb, slip, swing sideways. That’s all part of the journey and the magic. You’ll keep building resilience — and that’s one of your superpowers. In your 20s, don’t chase titles. Instead, chase growth. Don’t worry about having it all figured out. Focus instead on acquiring: 💼 Skills 🤝 Networks 📜 Credentials They will open doors you can’t even see yet. These are your career capital. You’ll cash them in later. Live like a beginner. Stay curious. Stay humble. Find communities that uplift and elevate you. 💞 And always surround yourself with people who make you feel alive, inspired, and seen. Cities like SF, NYC, Paris, London, Singapore, Saigon are idea hubs — places where magic happens and networks converge. As you build your path: 1. Know your North Star and values. 2. Clarify your purpose and Ikigai. 3. Create an action plan. 4. Design a relationship action plan — your Personal Board of Advisors. 5. Take consistent action. Embrace Kaizen — small steps compound into transformation. You don’t need to have it all figured out. But you do need to take the next step. That’s how we build something meaningful. With love and purpose, Henry In today’s Empower Circles Podcast [https://beacons.page/empowercircles] episode, I’m responding to a few thoughtful career questions from a college student from my US alma mater, Amherst College — questions I wish I had the courage to ask when I was younger. These questions gave me the much needed space to reflect on my own career decisions and transitions the past 15 years. I invite you to do this exercise. It’s very cathartic to talk to your younger self, like a caring older brother sharing his hard-earned wisdom over the years. These are some of the lessons I wish I knew back in my early 20s about career planning, venture building, making the most of my summers. Some questions I addressed in this episode: * What skills did you gain at Nextdoor and Tesla that helped you transition into working at Techstars and working closely alongside start-ups? * What skills do you currently possess that make you an expert in helping start-ups grow? * What specific traits do you see in start-ups that can help you discern whether the company will eventually succeed or fail? * What led you to eventually start your own business (10 Nexus Global)? * How important was learning how to code for your career and your understanding of what makes a start-up successful? * Is there any other advice that you could give me about start-ups and running a business as a whole? At 25, 28, 32, then 36, I pivoted. From product marketing to software engineering to coaching. I discovered what truly lights me up: empowering leaders and creating spaces for them to connect, learn, and grow. Today, I am living my Ikigai as a coach, host, and edutainer. So, if I could whisper to my 25-year-old self, I'd say this: “Don’t rush. Build career capital. Follow curiosity. Be open. But stay firm and live by your values. And say yes when opportunity meets preparation — that’s called luck. Fall in love with the craft. Consistency is the secret. You’ve got this." With love, Henry Empower Circles [https://beacons.page/empowercircles] is a global podcast and community by 10 Nexus Global [https://beacons.page/10nexus] — where leaders, creators, and dreamers come together to unlock their voice, share their stories, and elevate one another. Through honest conversations, powerful questions, and storytelling, we explore how to live, lead, and build with more courage, clarity, and connection. ✨ If this episode resonated with you — join our growing global community. 💌 Subscribe to our newsletter to receive inspiring stories, transformative tools, and stay updated about upcoming workshops/events right to your inbox: 👉 https://henryvbao.substack.com [https://henryvbao.substack.com] Together, let’s co-elevate. Welcome home. 💞

From Burnout to Bliss: The Power of an Intentional Career Break (Step-by-Step)

From Burnout to Bliss: The Power of an Intentional Career Break (Step-by-Step) | Empower Circles Podcast 001 Host: Henry V Bao [https://beacons.page/HenryVBao] | Founder of 10 Nexus Global [https://beacons.page/10nexus] “The journey toward a life of well-being, wisdom, and wonder begins with a single question: What is a good life?” — Arianna Huffington, ThriveWhat happens when you leave behind your corporate job in New York to chase something more — freedom, clarity, and purpose?In this kickoff episode of Empower Circles, I share my journey of leaving corporate life in New York, setting sail across the Caribbean, and ultimately finding purpose, peace, and a dream job in Silicon Valley. This isn’t just a story about quitting a job. It’s about: * Trusting your inner voice, even when it whispers. * Letting go of expectations and embracing the scenic route. * Redefining success — and returning to what matters most in our lives and careers. From island-hopping adventures and emotional storms to soul-searching meditations and career pivots, this episode is an invitation to pause, reflect, and ask yourself:💭 What does success mean to me? And what would it look like to redefine it on my terms?🎁 Follow along with your FREE Sabbatical Guide to Unlocking Your Purpose→ https://henryvbao.substack.com [https://henryvbao.substack.com]⸻🎧 Tune in for: 00:00 — Leaving NYC Corporate for Caribbean Adventures 02:07 — Welcome to Empower Circles ✨ 04:51 — The Art of Intentional Pauses & Reset 05:37 — 🎁 Download: Sabbatical Guide to Unlocking Your Purpose 06:20 — Unlocking Purpose Through Career Planning 06:46 — Flashback: Silicon Alley, NYC 2014 09:56 — Trusting My Gut in My 20s (and why intuition is underrated) 11:52 — Returning to Asia: Playing to Your Comparative Advantage 🌏 13:26 — The Call to Adventure: Taking a Radical Sabbatical 14:20 — Thrive, Well-Being, and the Third Metric of Success 16:22 — Mentorship Magic: Reaching Out to Those You Admire 19:20 — From Hawaii to the Caribbean: Following the Wind 🌬️⛵ 21:09 — Choose Your Crew: People Matter on the Journey 22:20 — Life on a Superyacht: Behind the Scenes at Sea 25:37 — The Sea Speaks: Values, Clarity & Inspiration 27:18 — Big Lessons from Life Off the Grid 29:13 — What Truly Energizes Me? 30:30 — My Go-To Tool: The Sabbatical Planning Guide 31:15 — Meditation: Redefine What Success Means to You 33:40 — Building a Life of Well-being, Wisdom, and Wonder 34:10 — Pursuing a Purpose-Driven Career Path 35:09 — Getting My Dream Job in Silicon Valley 36:19 — It’s Your Turn: Say Yes to Your Own Sabbatical 🌟 💭 “You’re not too late. Not too far off. You’re exactly where you need to be — even if it feels like the middle of the ocean.” ⸻ 🔗 Links & Resources: * 📩 Join our Empower Circles Newsletter [https://henryvbao.substack.com/about] to Download the Sabbatical Guide to Unlocking Your Purpose, get the next story & behind-the-scenes insights 🎓 Apply to the ⁠Speak & Empower⁠ [https://www.henryvbao.com/speak-empower ⁠] public speaking & storytelling program 🧭 Follow Henry: @henryvbao [https://beacons.page/HenryVBao] | @empowercircles [https://beacons.page/empowercircles] 🎥 Watch the full video on YouTube: YouTube Episode [https://www.youtube.com/@henryvbao] ⸻ 💌 Empower Circles is a global living room for leaders, creators, misfits, and magic-makers navigating bold transitions. Come for the stories — stay for the soul. 🎙️ New episodes weekly, wherever you get your podcasts. 📍 Recorded between Saigon, New York, Paris, San Francisco, and Everywhere In Between.