Episode Details

In this episode of Mind Over Masculinity, Avik sits down with executive coach Terence Davy to unpack why so many high-performing men hit burnout even when their careers look perfect on paper. They go straight into the collision between old-school masculinity, performance culture, and the body finally saying "enough." Terence shares how leading in high-growth SaaS took him all the way to the hospital with a burned esophagus and lost voice, and how that health crisis forced him to question everything he believed about strength, power, and success.

This conversation is a reality check for ambitious men who are tired of grind culture. You will hear practical insight on integrated leadership, emotional awareness, values alignment, and redefining power as responsibility instead of control. If you are leading teams, building a career, or raising a family while quietly burning out, this episode will push you to rethink what healthy masculinity can look like in real life.

About The Guest:

Terence Davy is an executive coach who works with directors, VPs, and founders who want to lead at a high level without abandoning themselves. After years in high-growth SaaS, rapid promotions, and big results, his body crashed and forced him to rebuild his definition of strength from the ground up.

Today he helps leaders move from reactive, ego-driven performance into values-driven, integrated leadership that honours their health, relationships, and long-term vision. His work focuses on masculinity, burnout, power dynamics, and aligned decision-making inside complex systems.

Key Takeaways:

• Healthy masculinity is not about suppressing emotion. It is about being present with your feelings and intuition while still taking clear, grounded action as a leader.

• Burnout is often the final symptom of long-term self-abandonment. Skipping sleep, movement, and mindfulness in the name of productivity is a slow leak that becomes a crisis.

• Many men learn that performance equals worth. That script ties masculinity to output instead of identity, values, and the quality of their relationships.

• Integrating leadership means aligning values, behaviour, and systems. Real strength shows up in how you design your life, not just how hard you push at work.

• Power is not just directing others. There is serious power in surrender, in handing over authority, and in letting the best person lead based on the situation.

• A practical shift from reactive to intentional leadership starts with observation. When you can watch your own patterns like a third-party observer, you create space for different choices.

• A better definition of strength for modern men. balance, flexibility, self-awareness, and the courage to ask for help instead of grinding alone.

How To Connect With The Guest:

Listeners who resonated with Terence’s story and framework can connect with him here.

• Website. https://proactivity.io

• Socials. @proactivity.io on major platforms

• Coaching and leadership work. Learn more about his executive coaching offers, values-led leadership frameworks, and support for high-performing men directly throu