About Our Guest
Alan Furlong is a successful former entrepreneur and executive who built and mentored multiple start-ups, and used his hard-won commercial expertise to help scale one business to £42 million in three years. Yet despite this extraordinary achievement, he realised he was living someone else’s idea of a successful life. After stepping away from it all to wrestle with the deeper question “What is the point of me being here?” Alan now dedicates himself to teaching and helping people live more meaningful, impactful, and healthier lives.
When you reach the top of the mountain and realise it was never the destination
In this conversation, Alan Furlong shares his journey from high-achieving executive and entrepreneur to discovering authentic purpose. After creating and leading the team that scaled a business to £42 million in revenue, Alan found himself living in shades of grey, successful on paper, but silently disconnected from what truly mattered.
When burnout forced him to stop, hospitalised with what seemed like a heart attack, Alan began a journey of deep questioning and reflection. He reveals how his relentless drive for success masked deeper childhood trauma and how society’s toolkit for achievement left him feeling hollow despite extraordinary accomplishments. Through vulnerability and courage, Alan explores how the grey feeling wasn’t failure, it was information asking him to listen.
Alan shares how he learned to trust himself and ultimately walk away from everything to find what he was truly meant to do. He now helps people with barriers to education and employment to build their own remarkable lives and describes his transformation simply: “Life is colourful.” This isn’t just a story about success or surrender. It’s a story about recognising when the grey in your life is asking for your attention, trusting the wisdom within you to navigate your own path, and discovering that sometimes the most courageous thing you can do is let go.
Alan’s Tips
If nothing fills your cup anymore. If activities or things cease to bring you the pleasure they once did, don’t become depressed, don’t become even more relentless in your search for pleasure. You are not at a death but at a beginning.
Discomfort should be a daily practice, not something we spend a lifetime avoiding.
Your body is often telling you the truth about a situation way before your mind is willing to accept it.
If your life is feeling grey, celebrate and take a leap into the unknown.
Alan’s Contact Details
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/alan-furlong-
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@alanfurlong3176
Alan’s References
Happier, Tal Ben-Shahar
The Tools, Phil Stutz
Flourish, Martin Seligman
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Time Stamps
00:00 Facing Life’s Challenges: A Personal Journey
04:20 The Turning Point: Embracing Change and Surrender
14:09 The Messy Middle: Navigating Uncertainty and Growth
19:45 Spiritual Awakening: Trusting the Process
22:53 The Journey of Surrender and Spiritual Growth
24:28 Navigating Career Transitions and Personal Insights
27:12 Understanding Fear and Embracing Change
30:00 Finding Color in Life: From Gray to Vibrant
31:30 The Power of Physical Challenges and Self-Discovery
36:13 Lessons from Pain and Growth
38:08 Advice to My Younger Self: Faith and Courage
39:34 The Gift of Peace Through Life’s Journey
40:41 Top Tips for Embracing Your Calling
42:29 It’s A Wrap
If anything in this episode resonated with you and if you feel like you could use a little extra support, please consider reaching out to trusted local support services in your area. You don’t have to go through it alone.
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