The Most Productive Thing You’re Not Doing with guest Adam Tanaka

The Most Productive Thing You’re Not Doing with guest Adam Tanaka

Duration: 00:37:22

Burnout is normalized. Productivity is glorified. And many high-functioning people are quietly exhausted, doing all the “right” things while sensing something is off.

In this episode of The Tessa Tubbs Podcast, Tessa sits down with Adam Tanaka: founder, serial entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and a vocal challenger of burnout culture who helps leaders rediscover unstructured play as a catalyst for creativity, collaboration, and mental wellbeing.

After building and selling his first company after 17 years, Adam expected celebration, but instead found himself pulled back into the same overwork rhythm. What followed became a defining reset: a mirror from his partner, a trip to Iceland, and a moment of breaking down in a rental car surrounded by breathtaking beauty, realizing he was losing his sense of self.

Together, Tessa and Adam explore:

  • The identity trap of “Founder Adam” and the journey back to Kid Adam: adventure, freedom, creativity
  • Why the path to thriving as an adult sometimes starts by reconnecting with who you were as a kid
  • How to stop waiting for permission or validation and make choices from agency instead
  • The daily “Take Five” practice: five minutes of play with no end result, just nervous-system relief and reset
  • Why environment matters, and what it looks like to choose a new season (including Adam’s move from Nashville to Asheville)

This episode is an invitation to slow down long enough to notice what’s asking for your attention, name one truth you’ve been avoiding, and take one small step toward a life built with intention instead of autopilot.

🔗 Connect with Adam

Website: https://adamtanaka.com
Kids brand: https://cavehousesupply.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamtanaka/
Instagram: @adamtanaka

Listen to More Epidsodes

Self-Awareness for Leaders: A Simple End-of-Day Reflection

Self-Awareness for Leaders: A Simple End-of-Day Reflection

In this episode of The Tessa Tubbs Podcast, Tessa shares a simple five-minute reflection practice leaders can use at the end of the day to build greater self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and intentional leadership. Rather than adding another complicated routine...

The Subtle Way We Abandon Ourselves in Meetings (and How to Stop)

The Subtle Way We Abandon Ourselves in Meetings (and How to Stop)

Ever walk out of a meeting feeling less like yourself than when you walked in? In this episode, Tessa names a common but subtle self-abandonment pattern: softening your position when there’s tension, not because you learned something new, but because you felt...

Firm Boundaries Without Being Harsh (Boundary Scripts You Can Use)

Firm Boundaries Without Being Harsh (Boundary Scripts You Can Use)

Setting boundaries doesn’t have to sound cold, defensive, or overly emotional. In this episode of The Tessa Tubbs Podcast, Tessa shares a handful of simple, repeatable sentences you can use to say no with clarity while still protecting the relationship. You’ll learn:...

Holding Space Without Disappearing Yourself (with Rachael Lewis)

Holding Space Without Disappearing Yourself (with Rachael Lewis)

Many of us are carrying responsibility, expectations, and care for others, often with very little room to be fully human ourselves. This conversation lives right there, not in performance or polish, but in the real work of showing up honestly, being seen, and creating...

Your Availability Is Not Your Commitment

Your Availability Is Not Your Commitment

What’s the boundary you wish you’d learned a decade earlier? In this episode of The Tessa Tubbs Podcast, Tessa answers with a truth that hits a lot of high-functioning people right in the chest: your availability is not the same as your commitment. Tessa reflects on a...

Living From Truth, Not “Should” (Solo with Tessa Tubbs)

Living From Truth, Not “Should” (Solo with Tessa Tubbs)

What happens when your life looks exactly the way it’s “supposed” to look… but it doesn’t feel like yours? In this solo episode of The Tessa Tubbs Podcast, Tessa shares a defining moment from her corporate career: a prestigious, high-visibility “destination” role that...

Purpose as the Compass, Passion as the Fuel (with Christi Dortch)

Purpose as the Compass, Passion as the Fuel (with Christi Dortch)

What does it look like to stay anchored to purpose when the plan changes, outcomes aren’t guaranteed, and the path forward isn’t straight? In this episode of The Tessa Tubbs Podcast, Tessa sits down with Christi Dortch, whose career spans the performing arts and...