When enough is enough | Andy Johns (ex-FB, Twitter, Quora)

Andy Johns is a former tech exec and VC who had a successful run at several startups—including Facebook, Twitter, Wealthfront, and Quora—but left it all behind a few years ago to take a new direction in life. Now a mental health advocate, he aids military veterans with PTSD, guides burnt-out high achievers to new paths, and shares his healing journey from childhood trauma and mental illness through his newsletter, Clues Dot Life. In this episode, we discuss: • Why Andy left his seven-figure VC career behind • The four-step process of deep personal transformation • When suffering is necessary vs. unnecessary • Tips for finding a good therapist • How a writing practice can help you heal • When you’re in need of radical transformation — Brought to you by Mercury—the powerful and intuitive way for ambitious companies to bank: https://mercury.com/ | Coda—Meet the evolution of docs: https://coda.io/lenny | Miro—A collaborative visual platform where your best work comes to life: https://miro.com/lenny Find the full transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/when-enough-is-enough-andy-johns Where to find Andy Johns: • Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/cluesdotlife • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewjohns/ • Website: https://www.clues.life/ • Newsletter: https://andyjohns.substack.com/ Where to find Lenny: • Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com • Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/lennysan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/ In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Andy’s background (04:45) His personal burnout story (12:55) The high incidence of mental health struggles in tech (14:41) Why Andy walked away from a seven-figure VC job (20:29) His work in mental health advocacy  (23:32) The four-step process of deep personal transformation (31:40) The ego’s involvement (33:23) Necessary vs. unnecessary suffering (37:01) First steps in understanding your suffering (38:59) Advice on finding a therapist (42:11) How a writing practice can help you heal (43:47) Two methods for writing to gain self-understanding  (47:47) Signs you’re dealing with more than just typical job stress (52:22) How to move into a place of self-compassion (57:16) The unpredictable timeline of healing  (59:59) How to develop compassion for others (1:02:19) Why not everyone needs a radical transformation (1:04:10) The story of Pema Chodron’s transformation  (1:06:06) What holds people back from making changes (1:13:29) Finding your own unique path to healing (1:17:32) Andy’s closing message to anyone feeling pulled toward a new chapter (1:18:59) How Andy is doing now Referenced: • How to know when to stop: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-know-when-to-stop • Heroic Hearts Project: https://heroicheartsproject.org/ • Panic attacks and panic disorder: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/4451-panic-attack-panic-disorder • The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma: https://www.amazon.com/Body-Keeps-Score-Healing-Trauma/dp/0143127748 • Vipassana meditation: https://www.dhamma.org/en/index • The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment: https://www.amazon.com/Power-Now-Guide-Spiritual-Enlightenment/dp/1577314808 • Moby Dick: https://www.amazon.com/Moby-Dick-Herman-Melville/dp/1503280780 • When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times: https://www.amazon.com/When-Things-Fall-Apart-Difficult/dp/1611803438 Production and marketing by https://penname.co/. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email podcast@lennyrachitsky.com. Lenny may be an investor in the companies discussed.