What if balance isn't about slowing down, but about lining up your life so your ambition actually works for you?

In this episode of the Quest for Success Podcast, Dr. Jerry Cunningham sits down with Dr. Russell Gaede, known by everyone as Dr. Russ, for a powerful conversation on life balance, leadership, and burnout. Together, they unpack why so many high performers feel stretched thin despite outward success and how leaders can reclaim clarity, energy, and effectiveness without sacrificing drive.

Dr. Russ introduces his practical VERBS framework—Vocational, Emotional, Relational, Behavioral, and Spiritual—and explains why balance isn't about equal time, but intentional boundaries. You'll hear why burned-out leaders underperform, how emotional health shapes decision-making, why relationships are non-negotiable, and how small daily changes can create massive long-term impact.

If you're ambitious, committed, and tired of feeling like life is always out of alignment, this episode will challenge how you define success—and offer a better way forward.

Explore more leadership tools and resources at www.Quest-Success.com.

Resources & Further Learning

Dr. Russ

• Website: https://dr-russ.ueniweb.com/

• Playing 20 Questions With Your Fiance'
• The Red Thread of Relationships

• TEDx Talk: http://tedxrexburg.com

• YouTube: https://youtu.be/PjyNdtjzBAA

• YouTube: https://youtu.be/v01Wo9T5mlw

Books Discussed on the Episode

• Letters for My Father: Grief, Love, and Self-Exploration by Dr. Louis Hoffman
• Case Formulation in Existential–Humanistic Therapy by Dr. Louis Hoffman and Heatherlyn P. Cleare-Hoffman

Additional Recommended Reading

• Essentialism — Greg McKeown

• Atomic Habits — James Clear

• The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry — John Mark Comer

• Burnout — Emily & Amelia Nagoski

• Deep Work — Cal Newport