From Burnout to Business Owner: A Mortgage Story

Sometimes being really good at your job isn’t enough. You can be the top performer, make great money, and still feel miserable. That’s exactly what happened before LendCity started.

This is a story about what happens when you achieve your goals but realize something’s still wrong. More importantly, it’s about how to fix it.

When Success Feels Like Failure

Picture this: you’re the second-best mortgage advisor in an entire country. Your income has doubled, then tripled. Everyone thinks you’re crushing it.

But you’re working every single day, including weekends. You’ve gained weight from sitting constantly. You’re so busy that you literally hire a limousine company to drive you around for two years just so you can work from the backseat between client meetings.

That was reality at a major Canadian bank. The goal was simple: become number one in the country. When that goal was finally reached, something unexpected happened. Instead of feeling proud or fulfilled, depression hit hard.

Here’s the thing about setting just one goal. Once you hit it, there’s nothing left. The finish line gets crossed, but there’s no joy waiting there.

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The Wake-Up Call Nobody Wants

Making more money than ever before should feel good, right? But when you’d gladly throw all that money away just to feel happy again, you know something’s deeply broken.

The transformation period took about six months. That’s six months of still doing mortgages, still processing applications, but stopping the active pursuit of new business. Six months of trying to figure out what went wrong while keeping the machine running.

Looking back, there’s a better way. If you’re in this situation right now, here’s the advice: take one to two months completely off work. Not reduced hours. Not working from home. Actually off.

Yes, it might be unpaid leave. Yes, it’s scary. But that six-month confused period could have been one or two months of clarity instead.

How Exercise Clears Your Head

The first step out of the fog was simple: start running. Not training for marathons. Just running.

Here’s what happened. The weight started coming off. Energy came back. But something else happened too. Those runs became thinking time, away from phones and computers and client demands.

There’s actual science here. When you work out, your body releases endorphins. Those endorphins kill cortisol, the stress hormone. More workouts equal less stress and more happiness. It’s that straightforward.

During those runs, two questions kept coming up: What did I hate about what I was doing? What did I love about what I was doing?

The Truth That Changes Everything

The first answer seemed obvious: hated doing mortgages. So much that the plan was to leave mortgages entirely and create lead generation systems for realtors instead.

But the second question revealed something different. Loved helping clients get into their homes. Loved hearing from investors about their success. Loved the feeling of making someone’s property goals possible.

It took six months to see the truth hiding in plain sight: didn’t hate mortgages at all. Hated doing mortgages for the bank.

That distinction changed everything.

What Was Actually Wrong

Once the real problem was clear, the specific issues became obvious:

Policies Changed Constantly

A client approved today might not be approved tomorrow. Changes happened week by week, not the usual six months to a year that’s standard in the mortgage industry. Teaching realtors about options was pointless because everything kept shifting.

No Technology Allowed

The bank required face-to-face meetings with every single client. No exceptions. This is why the limousine solution happened. Clients were scattered across Ontario and beyond, but remote meetings weren’t allowed, even though the technology existed.

Obvious Improvements Got Blocked

Two full-time assistants were hired to help manage the workload. The bank wouldn’t let them do certain tasks that would have sped everything up. Why? Because that’s not how things were done.

Banks move slow. Decision-makers sit in offices far from the actual work. Policies stick around not because they work, but because they’ve always been that way.

Wrong Priorities

The bank cared more about opening checking accounts than mortgage volume. That’s why a top mortgage performer almost got put on a performance improvement plan for not selling enough savings accounts.

When your priorities and your employer’s priorities don’t match, you’re stuck.

The Vision Gets Clear

Once the real problem was identified, energy came flooding back. Depression lifted. The path forward was obvious: start a mortgage company that did things the right way.

Within one week of making that decision, a building was found and an offer was made. Why buy instead of rent? Because paying someone else’s rent makes no sense when you’re used to collecting rent from your own investments.

Why Visualization Actually Works

This might sound strange, but it matters. During that transformation period, time was spent imagining the ideal future. Not just thinking about it casually, but really visualizing it.

What would the perfect office look like? How would clients feel when they walked in? What would the daily work feel like?

The vision was specific: create something like a Google or Apple office right in Windsor, Ontario. Make it relaxing instead of stressful. Put in couches and lounge areas. Build a dedicated relax room.

Here’s why this matters. Buying a home or investment property is the biggest financial purchase most people make. That creates natural stress. Why make it worse with an uncomfortable, cold office environment?

When you imagine something long enough and detailed enough, your mind starts accepting it as real, even before it exists. That creates drive and clarity that pushes you to make it happen in the real world.

The Office That Proved It Works

The LendCity office at Pelissier and Wyandotte is exactly what was imagined during those visualization sessions. Clients sit on comfortable couches instead of stiff chairs in closed-door rooms. There’s actual space to relax and think clearly.

This isn’t about showing off. It’s about removing one source of stress from an already stressful process. When clients can actually relax while discussing their mortgage, better conversations happen.

Anyone in the Windsor area can stop by for a tour, even with no plans to get a mortgage. The space proves what’s possible when you get clear on what you actually want.

What This Means For You

Maybe you’re in a similar spot right now. Good at your job, making decent money, but something feels off. You’re tired all the time. Work doesn’t excite you anymore.

Here’s what this story shows: the problem might not be what you think it is. You might not hate your career. You might just hate the environment you’re doing it in.

Take the time to figure it out. Take real time off if possible. Start exercising, even just a little. Ask yourself what you hate and what you love about your current situation. Be specific.

Don’t set just one goal. That’s the trap. When you hit that single goal and feel nothing, it’s devastating. Set multiple goals that connect to what actually makes you happy, not just what looks impressive.

And try visualization, even if it feels silly. Imagine the specific details of what you want. Your mind is more powerful than you think.

The Results

Today, there’s energy that wasn’t there during those bank years. Work is actually fun. The team is growing faster than expected. Everything’s working out exactly as imagined.

That doesn’t mean every day is perfect. But there’s a fundamental difference between hard work that drains you and hard work that energizes you. The work itself hasn’t gotten easier. The environment and purpose changed.

Your situation is unique, but the principle holds: sometimes the biggest changes start with the simplest question. What do you actually want?

Take the time to answer honestly. Your future self will thank you.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long should I take off work to figure out my career path?

One to two months of complete time off is recommended. Not reduced hours or working from home, but actually being away from work. This gives you the mental space needed for real clarity. If you can't take that much time, even a few weeks can help, but longer is better for deep reflection.

Why is setting only one goal a problem?

When you set just one goal, you have nothing left after you achieve it. You hit the target and feel empty instead of fulfilled. Instead, set multiple goals that connect to different areas of what makes you happy. This gives you ongoing purpose even after individual achievements.

How does exercise help with career decisions?

Exercise releases endorphins that reduce cortisol, your stress hormone. This naturally makes you feel better and think more clearly. Plus, workout time becomes dedicated thinking time away from work distractions. Even a little bit of regular exercise can significantly improve your mental clarity.

What questions should I ask myself if I'm unhappy at work?

Ask two specific questions: What do I hate about what I'm doing? And what do I love about what I'm doing? Be detailed and honest. Often you'll discover you don't hate your career itself, just the environment or conditions you're doing it in. That's a much easier problem to solve.

Does visualization actually work for career goals?

Yes, when done consistently and with specific details. Imagine exactly what you want your work life to look like. What does your office look like? How do you feel during your day? What are you accomplishing? When you visualize something long enough, your mind starts accepting it as real, which drives you to make it happen.

How do I know if I should leave my job or just change roles?

Look at what specifically makes you unhappy. Is it the actual work you do, or is it policies, management, environment, or company priorities? If you love the core work but hate everything around it, you might just need a different environment for the same career, not a completely new career.

What if I can't afford to take time off work?

At minimum, stop actively pursuing new business if possible and shift to maintenance mode. Use every spare moment for reflection. Start exercising to create thinking time. Even small breaks and deliberate reflection time can help, though a complete break is ideal if you can manage it financially.

How long does it take to get clarity on career changes?

It varies by person, but expect one to six months. With dedicated time off and focused reflection, you can shorten this period significantly. Without time off while trying to work through confusion, it typically takes longer. The key is giving yourself real space to think, not just squeezing reflection into busy days.

Disclaimer: LendCity Mortgages is a licensed mortgage brokerage, and our team includes experienced real estate investors. While we are qualified to provide mortgage-related guidance, the broader financial, tax, and legal information in this article is provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial planning, tax, or legal advice. For matters outside mortgage financing, we recommend consulting a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), licensed financial planner, or qualified legal advisor.

Written by

LendCity

Published

December 22, 2025

Burned Out Mortgage Professional to Business Owner | LendCity