Key Highlights from Our Conversation:

The Bacterial Infection Crisis

Matteo's transformation began in 2019 when he contracted a rare, antibiotic-resistant flesh-eating bacteria that created holes in his leg and threatened his life. With doctors uncertain if he would survive or require amputation, he discovered Internal Family Systems therapy through a book, allowing him to face extreme uncertainty with remarkable psychological grace. This experience showed him the power of these methods to transform how our minds respond to crisis.

The "Not Enough" Core Wound

After working with hundreds of founders over a decade, Matteo identified a pattern: "Deep inside of all of them... there's some ball within us that feels like we're not enough. And that is one of the fundamental drivers that pushes people to be so ambitious." This insight explains why typical burnout interventions often fail – they address symptoms but not the root cause of why founders push beyond reasonable limits in the first place.

The Military Mindset Connection

Perhaps most surprising was Matteo's comparison between founders and military personnel: "The closest other population to founders is people in the military. There is a kind of hypervigilance and bias towards action." This explains why typical wellness advice often fails founders – their psychological environment creates unique challenges that general mental health resources miss, including why connecting with non-founders about these experiences often feels impossible.

From Demon-Driven to Purpose-Driven

Many founders operate using what Matteo calls "demon-driven" motivation – inner critics, fears, and inadequacy as fuel. While effective initially, it eventually becomes toxic. Instead, he suggests a powerful alternative: "Being driven by your demons is not as powerful as being driven by your desire to serve the world in a deeper way through love." This shift represents one of the most profound transformations available to founders – moving from running from inadequacy toward meaning and service.

When Meditation Makes Anxiety Worse

Counter to typical wellness advice, Matteo observed: "Most people can't just sit down and do meditation. A lot of founders, when we try to relax, actually feel more anxious because our minds and bodies are so used to activity that being too still is a sign that something's dangerous." This insight explains why meditation often fails high-performers and why his alternative approach through Greater Human focuses on methods that work with this anxiety rather than fighting against it.

My Personal Reflections:

My conversation with Matteo resonated deeply with my own founder journey. I personally lived through both the "demon-driven" and "purpose-driven" motivations, and I can confirmthat nothing beats being purpose-led. As you may remember, I wrote a 3-article series specifically on this topic not so long ago. Once we become purpose-driven, we no longer have to choose between peak performance and wellbeing – they are fundamentally interconnected!