Episode 106:
Rest is Not the Opposite of Ambition: Lessons from a 6-Month Sabbatical
with Mike Hu, Entrepreneur and Private Equity Professional
Do you struggle to rest?
In this deeply personal episode, Lindsay sits down with her husband Mike to talk about something that’s often overlooked in ambitious careers: rest. Mike shares his journey from UCLA to management consulting, to London Business School, and eventually to a leadership role in real estate private equity – before making the courageous decision to step away for a six-month sabbatical.
Together, they explore how cultural expectations, family responsibilities, and relentless work habits shaped his views on success – and why choosing to pause became one of the bravest decisions of his life.
This episode will change the way you think about rest.
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“I think that you can take a sabbatical, take time off and reinvest in yourself, your family, your friends, and I think it can pay these huge dividends down the road.”
Mike Hu
What you learn in this episode:
- Why high achievers struggle with the idea of rest—and why it’s not a lack of ambition.
- How the regret minimization framework (from Jeff Bezos) helped Mike decide to take a sabbatical.
- The cultural influences (Asian, Western, corporate) that make rest feel like weakness—and how to reframe it.
- What surprised Mike most about stepping away from work for the first time in decades.
- Why redefining success means balancing ambition with family, health, and joy.
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About the Guest
Mike Hu is an entrepreneur and former Managing Director and U.S. Principal at Gaw Capital USA. During his 14-year tenure at Gaw Capital, he led the firm’s U.S. Capital Markets team and was responsible for capital formation, co-investments, separate account investments, investor relations, and marketing.
Mike joined Gaw Capital in 2011 and previously served on the firm’s Acquisitions team based in Hong Kong. Prior to Gaw Capital, he was with Tishman Speyer in London and New York as part of the firm’s Leadership Development Program. While at Tishman Speyer, he completed rotations across acquisitions, debt financing and restructuring, property and asset management, and design and construction.
Mike holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and International Area Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles, where he graduated with College and Latin Honors. He also earned an MBA from London Business School.
Follow Mike on LinkedIn.
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