Burnt out? You Might Be Following the Wrong Advice

What’s Mark Bouris’ Human Design Got to Do with You?

You might know Mark Bouris as the founder of Wizard Home Loans, the host of The Apprentice (or Celebrity Apprentice) Australia or for his podcast Straight Talk.

So, when he says he hit burnout during the GFC, you know it’s a big deal.

In a recent Instagram post, Mark shared:

“Burnout’s real. Ignore it and it’ll catch up with you, no matter who you are.”

– Mark Bouris

And I absolutely agree. In fact, the stats speak for themselves, and they’re enough to make your eyes water:

• One-third of Aussie business owners experience moderate to high psychological distress
• 40% have experienced a mental health condition, with burnout, anxiety and stress topping the list
• 17% say this has occurred just in the past 12 months

But here’s the thing no one talks about:

There is no one-size-fits-all recipe for avoiding burnout. Because we’re all designed differently.

And of course I got curious (hello 1-line in my 1/3 profile)… I looked into Mark’s Human Design, and even though some aspects of his chart vary depending on his birth time (which we don’t know), these are the pieces that don’t:

He’s an Emotional Generator with 8 out of the 9 centres defined. But what does that mean?

As a Generator, he has a defined Sacral centre, the same as a Manifesting Generator. (If you don’t know your Type, you can look your’s up here and then come back). This means he has access to consistent energy to get things done when he’s doing what feels satisfying and lights him up. This enables this motor centre to continue to produce energy and operate like an Energiser Bunny.

If he’s not and he’s doing the things that feel frustrating, his energy will get depleted. This can be enough to lead to burnout if it continues long enough without healthy boundaries.

Now, if you’re a Projector, Manifestor or Reflector, you won’t have the sacral centre defined. That doesn’t mean you can’t access energy. You definitely can! It just won’t operate as consistently as the Generators and Manifesting Generators or this world. Working WITH this leads you to more success, ease and being authentically you. Work against it? Burnout is likely.

Mark also has the other 3 motor centres defined as well (Ego, Emotional centre / solar plexus, Root centre). So he has so much capacity and drive to commit to things and see them through.

Compare this with a Mental Projector or Reflector who has no motor centres defined, and it’s a whole different picture. You are not here to operate like a Generator. You need to find your own way to work WITH your energy, create effective boundaries and operate in a way that’s natural for YOU.

And this is where so many people go wrong: They follow advice that’s not aligned with how they’re wired.

You hustle like a Generator when you’re not one; push through when your body’s saying ‘nah mate’; and do ‘what you think you should’ instead of what feels right for you.

And let’s face it- most people aren’t great at ‘listening’ to their body and noticing when it’s tired, depleted and in need of rest. Or if they do notice? They don’t take action to change. It’s human nature to keep things the same. Until you’re forced to change (but don’t wait for that!)

Burnout isn’t happening because you’ve done anything wrong. It’s happening because you’re trying to operate in a way you’re not designed for.

Think of a front-end loader, built for consistent, powerful work. It’s made to carry heavy loads and push through with force. Reliable. Strong. Doesn’t stop until the job’s done.

Now picture a drone: agile, light, and built for strategy. It gives an overview, hovers, observes, and then zips in for precision action when it’s needed. Totally different kind of power.

Neither is better. They’re just designed for different jobs.

But imagine asking a drone to do the work of a front-end loader – it’d crash under the weight. And a loader trying to fly? Yeah, not happening.

Human Design is the same. When you understand how you were built to operate, you stop wasting energy trying to be someone else’s machine. You work with your energy instead of against it, and everything flows better. Business. Boundaries. Energy. Joy. All of it.

This is your permission slip to stop trying to be someone else. This is your nudge to start understanding how you work best.

Mark’s story is a great reminder that even those with the potential to have tonnes of energy and great success aren’t immune to burnout. None of us is.

If you’re ready to learn how to run your business (and life!) in a way that actually works for you, not against, I can help:

– Book a Human Design Strategy Session – Get insights into your chart and energy with practical, personalised and impactful tips and guidance to operate in a way that’s designed for YOU. Learn where you’ve gone off track and how to course correct.

– Schedule a clarity call – Let’s discuss your current situation, what you’d like to change about your current situation, and how I can support you to align, thrive, and feel like you again. Perfect if you want to integrate what you’re doing in your business, learn YOUR unique path to more success and flow, as well as thrive in life as a whole. Whether you’re a people pleaser, burning the candle at both ends, or struggle to create healthy boundaries, this one’s for you.

You don’t have to burn everything down or wait until you’re sick in hospital with a serious illness, like Mark was. You just need a strategy that’s aligned with your design to help you flourish. Let’s get started, because this won’t go away by itself.