Burnout and Recovery with Pete Briscoe

Today on the Servant Leadership Podcast, we welcome Pete Briscoe. Pete spent nearly three decades leading a thriving megachurch in Dallas before walking through one of the hardest seasons of his life, that led him into rehab, recovery, and ultimately, renewal. In this episode, Pete opens up about burnout and what it looks like when everything on the outside seems successful, but the inside is breaking down. He talks about the difference between achievement and fulfillment, what it means to rediscover your humanity, and how his journey has reshaped the way he helps leaders today. Join us as we unpack how servant leadership begins not with performance, but with honesty, humility, and the courage to face our reality.

00:00 Pete Briscoe Intro

00:46 Welcome Pete Briscoe

01:07 Pete’s Journey - The Path To Dallas

02:46 The Crash And Burn

05:16 Choosing Sobriety Over Being A Pastor

06:14 When Success Feels Empty Inside

07:39 Achievement Is A Science, Fulfillment Is An Art

09:02 From Speaking To Thousands To One-On-Ones

11:02 How To Understand Fulfillment

14:13 Pete’s Persona Revealed By A Rehab Therapist

17:40 “What I Was Made To Do”

19:24 Pete’s New Calling - Personal Coaching

21:31 Leadership Should Lift Up The Whole Team

23:58 Servant Leadership - Seeing Your Team As Humans First

24:42 How Do You Balance Servant Leadership With Burnout

26:40 Pete’s Servant Leadership Definition

29:00 How To Ask Questions To Reveal Burnout Before The Crash

30:51 Advice For Those Struggling

32:44 Recovery Is A Journey, Not Instant

35:50 Ten Rapid-Fire Questions

39:09 Importance Of A Servant Leadership Podcast

40:05 Reach Out To Pete If You Need Help

40:40 Closing

Learn More About Pete and His One-on-One Coaching:

https://www.petebriscoe.org/https://www.petebriscoe.org/coaching/

Servant Leadership:

URL: https://servantleadershippodcast.org/

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