What Are the Work Twisties?
There’s a silent epidemic running through the world of high performers—especially leaders and executives—and most don’t know what to call it. It’s not burnout. It’s not depression. And it’s not just being “stuck.” It’s something far more disorienting: a deep internal unraveling that shakes your identity and purpose at the core.
The term “work twisties” offers a name for that experience. Borrowed from the gymnastics world—where “the twisties” describe the sudden, terrifying loss of spatial awareness mid-air—the work twisties are just as real and just as dangerous, emotionally and mentally. They represent a loss of clarity, confidence, and groundedness in who you are, what you do, and why it matters.
And while the term may be new, the experience is not. It’s a deeply human one. One that quietly affects countless leaders, particularly during major life transitions or personal upheaval.
Losing Your Inner Compass
At the heart of the work twisties is this sensation: “I no longer know where I am or what I’m doing.”
Imagine being someone others turn to for vision, decisions, direction—and waking up one day unable to lead. You don’t trust yourself anymore. You can’t make decisions. Even the most familiar tasks feel foreign. You look in the mirror and wonder, “Who am I now?”
For Ify Walker, the unraveling began after a devastating loss: the death of her father—her rock, her biggest believer, the person who made her feel invincible. That loss coincided with the rapid growth of her business and her public profile. Outwardly, everything was thriving. Internally, it was chaos.
“I suddenly didn’t know how to lead,” she said. “I didn’t know who I could trust. I didn’t understand what I stood for.” Tasks that once came naturally—managing people, making strategic calls, even vacationing with her husband—became impossibly heavy. “I found myself curled up in a ball in Tulum, sobbing.”
It wasn’t burnout. It wasn’t depression. It was something deeper: the disintegration of the internal framework that once made everything feel certain.
Why It’s Not Just Burnout
Burnout, for all its real and painful effects, usually has a known cause. It’s often situational—too many hours, too few boundaries, not enough rest. And most importantly, it’s often treatable with tools: rest, therapy, time off, meditation.
But the work twisties don’t respond to those same solutions. They’re not cured by a weekend away or a new morning routine. They’re not a phase—they’re a reckoning. As Ify put it, “Burnout is more episodic. The work twisties? They lasted years.”
This distinction matters. Because when leaders misdiagnose the work twisties as burnout, they end up applying the wrong solution. They take a break and return expecting clarity—but the fog remains. Then comes the shame spiral: “Why didn’t that work? What’s wrong with me?”
The answer: nothing is wrong with you. You’re human. You’ve just lost your place in the air. And it’s time to rebuild from the ground up.
How the Work Twisties Begin
In many cases, the twisties are triggered by a significant life transition or trauma: the death of a loved one, the sale of a company, becoming a parent, stepping into a new identity, or handing off leadership in some form. Whatever the specifics, the common denominator is loss—loss of certainty, identity, rhythm, or safety.
For Ify, it wasn’t just the loss of her father—it was the loss of the unreasonable belief he had in her. “Every person deserves someone who believes in them in an unreasonable way,” she said. And when that person is gone, the belief can vanish too. She described the feeling as “hopelessness,” like the part of her that brought joy and purpose to the world had disappeared.
That’s the sneaky danger of the twisties: they arrive at the exact moment others expect you to rise to the occasion. But you feel yourself sinking instead. The world is watching, and you’re stuck in a fog.
What Recovery Actually Looks Like
If you’re in the twisties, you can’t logic your way out of it. You can’t hustle your way out either. You need a new plan—one based on radical gentleness.
Here’s what that journey can look like:
1. Retrace Your Steps
Start by identifying the moment things shifted. What were the conditions that brought this on? Was there a specific loss or transition? Where were you mentally, emotionally, and physically when you first felt something slipping?
Like retracing your steps after losing your keys, you can start to map the pathway that led to the disorientation. That map won’t provide an instant cure, but it can offer clarity—and clarity brings power.
2. Surround Yourself With Unreasonable Believers
Just as important as identifying the moment you fell is knowing who can help you stand again. Find the people in your life who are “unreasonably invested in you,” as Ify described—those rare individuals who remain steady in their belief about who you are, even when you forget.
You need people who don’t flinch when you fall apart. Who reflect back your strength when you can’t see it. Their presence is not optional—it’s oxygen.
3. Practice Relentless Self-Compassion
Self-talk is powerful. And during the work twisties, it can be brutal. The mind spirals: “I’m a failure. I’m a fraud. I’ve lost it.”
This is when self-compassion becomes a discipline. Ify learned to talk to herself as someone who mattered. “Just because you are lost does not mean you are losing,” she reminded herself.
Speak to yourself like someone who is grieving, not broken. Because you’re not broken—you’re rebuilding.
4. Start Small
Healing doesn’t start with some grand reawakening. It begins with one moment of meaning. One task you complete. One reminder that you still matter and still can contribute.
For Ify, that meant watering her plants or making breakfast for her kids. “That was everything,” she said. “That was the rebuild.”
Find something that reminds you who you are, even in the smallest way. And do it. Then do it again tomorrow.
How Leaders Can Support Others in the Twisties
The work twisties aren’t always visible. Leaders often mask them with overperformance or withdrawal. But there are signs.
If someone on your team has changed—become irritable, indecisive, withdrawn—it might be time to ask, “Are you really okay?” Not as a formality, but with intention. Ask again. And again.
Don’t push them to perform. Make space for them to pause. “Simone Biles didn’t ask permission to save her life,” Ify pointed out. “She just did it.” That’s the kind of culture leaders must build—one where people can put down the armor and still be seen as warriors.
And when someone needs time, support their sabbatical. Let them walk into the silence and discover what rises.
This Is Part of the Plan
There’s an incredibly difficult truth at the heart of all this: the twisties are not just a detour. They’re part of the path.
You may not like it. You may never want to go back. But this season—this disorientation, this rebuilding—is forming you into something new.
You’re not in control of everything. That realization might bring some freedom. Zoom out. Look at your life in the context of the universe. Remember: you are part of something bigger. You’re not alone.
And most importantly, you will find your way back to yourself.
As Ify says, “You won’t feel this way forever.” And that’s the truth.
Recognizing the Work Twisties
It’s Not Just Burnout: Burnout is situational. The work twisties are existential.
It Happens to Leaders, Too: Even the strongest, most successful people can fall into the twisties—and that doesn’t make them weak. It makes them human.
The Way Forward
Be Gentle: With yourself and with others. This is not the time for tough love.
Start With What’s Real: Small tasks. Familiar routines. Safe people.
Believe in Others Unreasonably: Be the person who reminds someone who they are—when they can’t remember for themselves.
The work twisties are real. But they are not the end of your story. They are the part that makes you deeper, stronger, more grounded—and more compassionate for others who fall and forget their way.
You will land again. And you will fly.
Listen to the Episode: Gut + Science 292: Work Twisties with Ify Walker
Key Takeaways:
- Work Twisties Defined: Losing one’s sense of purpose, place, and protection. It’s not burnout; it’s deeper, longer, and requires intentional healing.
- Signs to Look For: Changes in behavior, increased isolation, anger, and indecisiveness. Leaders may mask it well, but look closely.
- Surround Yourself: Find people who are unreasonably invested in you and reflect who you truly are when you forget.
- It’s a Long Road: Small steps—like completing tiny, manageable tasks—are part of the rebuilding process.
- Take Time: Leaders often wait for permission to step away. Save yourself first; the rest can wait.
Things to listen for:
[00:02:00] Ify defines the concept by drawing a powerful parallel to Simone Biles’ Olympic experience.
[00:05:00] She shares how the loss of her father shattered her identity and leadership confidence.
[00:08:00] A heartfelt reminder that everyone deserves someone who believes in them unreasonably.
[00:09:00] Ify explains why Work Twisties are more common than we think and how naming it helps lift the shame.
[00:11:00] An essential distinction that reframes how we understand leadership fatigue.
[00:13:00] Why healing from Work Twisties is more like physical therapy than a weekend recharge.
[00:14:00] Ify reflects on how she learned to talk to herself with compassion instead of criticism.
[00:18:00] How life transitions create the perfect storm for disorientation, and what you can do to stay grounded.
[00:24:00] A call to create spaces where vulnerability and strength can coexist.
[00:27:00] One of the most empowering takeaways of the episode—take the time you need.