The Hardest Part of Leadership (and How to Survive It)

In this emotionally powerful episode of The Atomic Business Coaching Podcast, hosts Tom Marino and Adam Hurd open up about one of the most difficult realities of leadership: how to survive when life hits harder than your workload. What begins as a conversation about stress, surgery, and personal strain quickly evolves into a deep exploration of resilience, identity, partnership, and what it truly costs to lead when you’re not operating at full strength. 

Tom reveals his recent health battle and the physical and emotional weight he has been carrying, while Adam shares the unseen impact it has had on him, their partnership, and the business. Together, they break down why the hardest part of leadership is navigating the season between who you were and who you must become next. 

🎧 In This Episode, You’ll Learn: 

• Why leadership feels heaviest when life demands the most from you 
• How health challenges affect clarity, performance, and decision-making 
• Why choosing your regrets is the key to sustainable leadership 
• The importance of honesty, transparency, and emotional awareness 
• How numerology and natural cycles influence personal transformation 
• Why simplicity—not complexity—is the true savior of overwhelmed leaders 
• How to identify the moment you're in a forced evolution 

⏱️ Timestamps 

00:00 – Why recording always feels different than real conversations 

00:45 – Tom’s stress, family worries, and the weight of aging parents 

02:00 – How lack of passion and activity accelerates decline 

03:30 – Technical difficulties and the metaphor they revealed 

05:30 – Adam opens up about his concerns for Tom as a partner 

07:00 – Tom reveals the full medical journey and diagnosis 

10:00 – How physical breakdown affects leadership capabilities 

13:00 – Adam explains the cognitive changes he's observed 

15:30 – The fear of losing momentum vs. the need for recovery 

18:00 – Why leaders must choose their regrets 

20:00 – Numerology, timing, and the meaning behind 2025–2026 

24:00 – Letting go of old habits to create a new beginning 

28:00 – The Simple CEO philosophy and why simplicity saves leaders 

30:00 – Why mastery matters more than opportunity 

33:00 – The importance of honesty inside a business partnership 

🔥 Power Quotes 

“Without physical health, you can’t do any of this.” – Tom Marino 

“Sometimes the universe says ‘Stop. Stay here. This is enough.’” – Adam Hurd 

“Choosing your regrets is choosing your future.” – Adam Hurd 

“We preach simple, not easy—and simplicity always wins.” – Tom Marino 

“The body knows before the mind does.” – Tom Marino 

📝 Topics Covered 

• Health challenges 
• Leadership under pressure 
• Entrepreneurial resilience 
• Numerology and personal cycles 
• Simplifying business for clarity 
• The Simple CEO methodology 
• Emotional transparency in partnerships 

🧭 Key Takeaway 

Leadership isn’t about staying strong—it’s about staying honest. The hardest seasons force transformation, and letting go is often the only way forward. If you’re in the hardest part of leadership, you’re not failing—you’re evolving. 

💬 Connect with Us 

👉 Visit bethe.ceo 

👉 Follow Tom Marino & Adam Hurd on LinkedIn & Instagram