Are you Pagod to the Bones and Puyat to the Max? (When the pursuit of success starts to cost us our health)

Many people work hard to build wealth—but in the process, they unknowingly spend something even more valuable: their health.

In our pursuit of financial success, we sometimes focus so intensely on the grind that we forget that our bodies and minds are not unlimited resources.

What’s the point of building wealth if we are already running on empty?

One of my constant reminders in the FQ philosophy is this:

If what you do with or for money does not align with your core values, no amount of money in the world will make you happy.

For most of us, these core values include family, strong relationships, a meaningful life, and good health to enjoy all these. And yet, the reality is that many people today are experiencing two very common problems that endanger our well-being: burnout and sleep deprivation.

When I tried to find the appropriate Tagalog words for burnout and sleep-deprived, I couldn’t find any that fully captured what they really feel like. So, I came up with my own:

Pagod to the Bones – That level of exhaustion where even your soul feels like it needs a nap. It’s not just a “tough week.” It’s a deep, marrow-level fatigue that slowly dims the light in your personality—until one day you realize you don’t quite feel like yourself anymore.

Puyat to the Max – When “sleepless night” or even “sleep-deprived” sound too mild for the reality of staring at your ceiling at 3:00 a.m., waking up already tired, and trying to survive the day on caffeine and sheer willpower while running on a permanently low battery.

I may say these with a bit of humor, but behind the funny phrases is a serious reality: our bodies and minds are sending warning signals that something needs to change.

If you’re feeling either—or both—of these, please know that they are not badges of honor but distress signals. You may not even realize how serious they are until they begin affecting your productivity, mood, and overall well-being.

Left unchecked, burnout and chronic sleep deprivation can quietly erode not only your health but also your relationships, judgment, and capacity to enjoy the very success you have worked so hard to achieve. What begins as “just being tired” can eventually affect your physical health, emotional balance, and overall quality of life.

To better understand these two growing concerns, I recently had a conversation with burnout and sleep specialist Dinah Salonga in an episode of the FQ Mom Podcast. In our discussion, she explains how to recognize the warning signs, why burnout and sleep deprivation are becoming so common today, and what practical steps we can take to protect our energy, our sleep, and ultimately our quality of life.

If you’ve ever felt constantly exhausted, mentally drained, or unable to get enough rest no matter how early you go to bed, this conversation is for you.

Watch out for this episode of the FQ Mom Podcast titled Why You’re Always TIRED and UNMOTIVATED.

Because real financial intelligence happens when the way we earn, spend, save, and invest our money is aligned with the life we truly value.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. Burnout and sleep deprivation aren’t badges of honor; they are distress signals. Real financial intelligence happens when your money habits align with your core values—including your well-being.

Stop surviving on caffeine and willpower. Take the FQ Test now to find out your Financial Intelligence Quotient and start building wealth that actually makes you happy.

2. Building wealth shouldn’t mean losing yourself in the process. Don’t wait until you’re ‘Puyat to the Max’ to change your habits. Learn how to design a life where your finances and your health actually work together. Grab your copies of FQ Trilogy today and start investing in a future you’ll actually be healthy enough to enjoy!

This article is also published in Philstar.com