Hope Is the Strategy: Burnout, Mattering, and Meaningful Work with Jen Fisher

In this episode, I sit down with workplace well-being expert and author Jen Fisher to talk about her book, *Hope Is the Strategy*, and why hope matters so much in a world where so many people are burned out, languishing, and struggling to feel like they matter. Jen shares her own story of severe burnout and how achievement-based identity, constant performance pressure, and external definitions of success can slowly disconnect us from our well-being. This conversation felt especially meaningful to me because so many of us, athletes, high achievers, leaders, parents, professionals, know what it feels like to keep pushing, even when something inside us is saying, “This is not sustainable.” We talk about the difference between hope and optimism, and Jen breaks down hope as an evidence-based framework: having a goal, seeing pathways forward, and believing we have agency. We also explore how hope is connected to mattering, why feeling valued is essential for well-being, and what individuals, teams, and organizations can do to create environments where people can actually thrive. We also get into rest, recovery, human connection, and the role of AI in the future of work. If AI is going to change how we work, how can we use it to make work more human instead of less? This conversation is for anyone who has ever tied their worth to achievement, felt stuck in a system that was eroding their well-being, or wondered how to keep moving forward with more hope, courage, and connection. Top 5 Takeaways 1. Hope is active, not passive: Hope includes a clear goal, pathways to move forward, and the agency to take action. 2. Achievement-based identity can fuel burnout: When our worth depends on performance, success can become unsustainable. 3. Languishing gives language to the in-between: You may not be in crisis, but you may not be flourishing either. 4. Mattering and hope are deeply connected: Feeling valued and knowing your contributions matter can help create the conditions for hope. 5. Work needs to become more human, not less: Rest, recovery, connection, and thoughtful AI use all matter in the future of well-being. LINKS Learn more about Jen Fisher Read Jen Fisher’s new book Hope is the Strategy Finding Meaning and Mattering at Work with Andrew Soren Finding Meaningful Work with Wes Adams and Tamara Myles \-------------- The Grow the Good Podcast is produced by Palm Tree Pod Co.