Three real estate agents who faced serious medical crises describe how illness forced them to stop treating overwork as a badge of honour, and the practical changes they made to protect health, family and sustainable careers.
Build systems and boundaries: Andrew Mizzoni recommends planning meals, monitoring caffeine, and owning your calendar to reduce day-to-day stress.
Reevaluate what you celebrate: Juliana Vallee warns that bragging about being constantly busy can hide real costs — physical harm, family strain and long-term career damage.
# Why three agents changed how they work
Trevor Bolin, a Remax broker and municipal politician in Fort St. John, B.C., was diagnosed in spring with a stage 2 tumour blocking most of his colon. He says he spent his career putting himself "third place, sometimes maybe fourth" and ignored warning signs while living a work-focused life of late nights, last-minute showings and working on vacation.
His takeaway is blunt: "We are no good to anyone dead." Bolin credits his wife for pushing him to get a colonoscopy. The tumour and affected tissue, including 21 lymph nodes and abdominal lining, have been removed and he says the cancer has been "stopped in its tracks." His advice to other agents is specific: do not avoid medical tests, listen to your body and treat health as the priority rather than an afterthought.
Bolin also questions the industry habit of treating every client need as an emergency. He says real estate doesn't require living "in a state of emergency" and calls for changing norms so that professional hours and capacity, not constant crisis-mode availability, guide how agents work.
Andrew Mizzoni, an agent in the Greater Toronto Area and childhood cancer survivor, focuses on practical daily habits that support wellbeing while keeping a real estate career sustainable. He suggests simple, actionable steps: bring meals to avoid fast food, monitor coffee intake, handle issues as they arise, and take control of your calendar.
Mizzoni's approach is about shifting priorities as careers and markets change. He frames these adjustments as part of a move toward more structured operations, professional boundaries and systems that reduce the need for constant hustle.
All three agents show that illness can force hard, specific changes: testing and treatment, daily habit adjustments, and structural shifts in how work is organized. Their combined message is practical and direct — protect your health, build systems, and stop equating burnout with dedication.
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