E286: I’m a Dopamine Addict (And It Almost Wrecked My Business): 5 Lessons from My Hardest Year

2025 humbled me. I didn’t hit my goals, lost most of my staff, and spent the year chasing dopamine hits instead of doing the deep work. In this raw episode, I’m sharing the 5 lessons that kicked my butt this year – and what I’m doing differently in 2026. If you’ve felt scattered, stuck, or exhausted, you’re not alone.

This year forced me to take a hard look at what’s been running my life – and it wasn’t pretty. From the tyranny of the urgent hijacking my brain to staff turnover that left me drowning, I’m laying it all out. Not because I have it figured out, but because I know you might be feeling the same way.

Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode:

•       Why I think I’ve become a dopamine addict—and what the “tyranny of the urgent” has stolen from me
•       How my self-talk has been sabotaging my goals (and what I’m doing to fix it)
•       The back-office systems that completely fell apart—and why that matters
•       What massive staff turnover taught me about delegation and building my way out
•       Why slowing down isn’t optional anymore

Key Takeaways:

1.     The ping, ping, ping of notifications isn’t productivity—it’s avoidance.
2.     Your self-talk creates your reality. What you say out loud matters.
3.     If it’s in your head, it needs a system. Period.
4.     Temporary becomes permanent if you don’t stop it.
5.     You can’t think your way out—you have to build your way out.

Resources Mentioned:

•       Clinical Academy 
•       Clinical Business Academy
•       Coming in January: The Clinical Thinking Series — Subscribe so you don’t miss it!

Connect with Ronda:

•       Instagram: @drrondanelson
•       Website: rondanelson.com
•       Email: coachronda@rondanelson.com