The Success Story Nobody Wants to Tell

Everyone wants to hear about the $350K in revenue. Nobody wants to hear about the two burnouts, the depression, or how I sacrificed my physical health to get there.

But that's the story that matters.

The Numbers Look Great on Paper

Let me start with what sounds impressive:

• $350K from exits and various projects in 2024
• Multiple successful product launches
• Built and sold two companies
• Established a solid reputation in the indie hacker community

Sounds like a dream, right? It was also a nightmare.

The Price of "Success"

Here's what those numbers cost me:

Burnout #1: The Overachiever's Trap

Mid-2023, I was running three projects simultaneously. I thought I was being efficient. I was actually being reckless.

The warning signs I ignored:

• Working 14-hour days consistently
• Skipping meals because "I was in the zone"
• Anxiety attacks when I wasn't working
• Forgetting basic social interactions

I crashed hard. Couldn't look at code for two weeks without feeling nauseous.

The Brief Recovery

I took a month off. Felt better. Dove back in twice as hard because "I had lost time to make up."

Biggest mistake: Thinking burnout was a one-time thing you recover from, not a pattern you need to change.

Burnout #2: The Revenge Tour

Six months later, it happened again. This time worse.

I had convinced myself I was different. I could handle more. I was stronger than other people who "couldn't handle the pressure."

The reality check: I spent three days in bed, unable to get up, questioning everything I'd built.

The Depression Nobody Talks About

Between the burnouts came something darker: a deep depression that made success feel meaningless.

The questions that haunted me:

• What's the point of making money if you're too tired to enjoy it?
• Why am I building products I don't have time to use?
• When did "following my passion" become a prison?

I had money in the bank and felt emptier than when I was broke.

The Physical Toll

The revenue didn't include the health costs:

• 15 pounds of muscle lost from skipping workouts
• Chronic back pain from hunching over a laptop
• Insomnia that lasted months
• Digestive issues from stress eating and irregular meals

I was successfully destroying my body while building my business.

The Truth About Hard Work vs. Timing

After everything, here's what I learned:

"Hard work alone won't make you succeed. Timing plays a big part too (call it timing, luck, or opportunity, all the same). But hard work is what allows you to find those opportunities. Work hard and you might eventually get something working."

Hard Work Gets You to the Starting Line

• It builds your skills
• It creates opportunities
• It positions you for luck
• It prepares you for timing

But Timing Determines the Winner

• Market readiness
• Economic conditions
• Competition landscape
• Personal life circumstances

What I Wish I'd Known Earlier

1. Sustainable Work Beats Heroic Sprints

The tortoise wins. Every time. Your business should outlast your initial motivation.

2. Mental Health Is Not Optional

It's not something to "optimize later." It's the foundation everything else is built on.

3. Physical Health Impacts Everything

Your body is your most important business asset. Treat it like one.

4. Success Metrics Should Include Happiness

Revenue without fulfillment is just expensive misery.

The New Approach

After hitting rock bottom twice, I rebuilt everything:

Work Schedule

• Maximum 8 hours of focused work per day
• Mandatory weekends off (no exceptions)
• Daily exercise before checking email
• Regular therapy sessions

Business Strategy

• One main project at a time
• Delegate everything I'm not uniquely good at
• Plan for sustainability, not just growth
• Regular "health check" reviews of my mental state

Success Redefinition

Success now means:

• Making good money without sacrificing health
• Building products I'm genuinely excited about
• Having time for relationships and hobbies
• Feeling energized, not depleted

The Real Numbers

Here's what sustainable success looks like:

• $350K revenue (same as before)
• 40-hour work weeks (down from 70+)
• 8 hours of sleep per night (up from 4-5)
• Daily workouts (instead of none)
• Active social life (instead of isolation)

The money is the same. The life is completely different.

For Other Indie Hackers

If you're reading this while burning the candle at both ends, please hear me:

Your business will not save you from yourself.

No amount of revenue will fix the problems that success-at-all-costs thinking creates. You can't optimize your way out of burnout.

Start building sustainability from day one:

• Set boundaries before you need them
• Prioritize health alongside growth
• Build support systems, not just business systems
• Remember why you started

The Ongoing Journey

I'm not "fixed" now. I still struggle with:

• The urge to overwork when things are going well
• Feeling guilty for taking breaks
• Comparing my sustainable pace to others' unsustainable sprints

But I've learned that sustainable success is the only success worth having.

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Nico Jeannen is an indie hacker who earned $350K in 2024 while learning to prioritize mental health and work-life balance. Follow his journey toward sustainable entrepreneurship at @nicojeannen.