Michael Cirillo - Overcoming Depression & Building Resilience | Optimizing Beyond #11

In this episode, Michael Cirillo shares how he began overcoming depression while building a business, carrying family expectations, and learning to respond—not react—to life’s hardest moments.

Most people want transformation without tension. But real change is forged in the refiner’s fire. In today’s interview, Michael Cirillo (CEO of FlexDealer among other businesses and the host of The Dealer Playbook podcast) takes us deep into the journey behind his success—seven years of depression, self-doubt, financial pressure, and the quiet grind most people never see.

Michael breaks down how overcoming depression wasn’t a single breakthrough moment, but a series of small, repeatable choices: telling the truth about where you are, accepting agency, planning your responses instead of reacting, and choosing growth even when you feel stuck. He explains how failure created the clarity he needed, how faith reframed his hopelessness, and why mediocrity— not adversity—became his greatest fear.

We talk mental health, fatherhood, entrepreneurship, spiritual resilience, and the power of small steps. You’ll hear how to rebuild confidence through micro-momentum, how to sacrifice in a way that makes space for the person you’re becoming, and how to “stay the course” even when life feels impossible.

If you’re navigating depression, burnout, or the weight of expectations, this episode is a lifeline.

Timestamps
00:00 – Intro | Overcoming Depression & Early Family Story
03:15 – Failure, Adversity, and the Phone Book Years
10:40 – Responding vs Reacting
15:00 – Handling Cancellations & Client Conflict
20:00 – Agency, Ownership, and Emotional Stewardship
25:00 – Mental Health, Paralysis, and Faith
33:00 – Micro-Steps, Small Wins, and Gaining Momentum
40:00 – Sacrifice, Identity, and Making Room for Change
47:00 – Staying the Course & Long-Game Perspective
55:00 – What Michael Would Tell His 20-Year-Old Self

🎧 Podcast Link → https://pod.link/1840544466
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This conversation is your roadmap for overcoming depression, building resilience, choosing agency, and seeing adversity as the path to strength and identity.
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