Hijacked - by Paula Houlihan (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Burnout Isn't the Problem. Hijacked Choices Are.

Why am I so drained all the time?

You've worked hard to build a successful life. But somewhere along the way, the pressure became constant, and you're exhausted, disconnected, and running on autopilot. Hijacked reveals the surprising truth: Sustainable success isn't created by working harder or managing your time. It's driven by how your choices are being made.

Executive coach Paula Houlihan explains the neuroscience and real-world experience with her Choice Mastery(TM) approach to reveal how unconscious patterns, stress responses, beliefs, and habits quietly drive performance, productivity, and, over time, burnout. After years in a high-pressure corporate environment, Paula found herself on the edge of an adrenal crisis-and faced a choice: continue operating on autopilot or take back the controls. Now she's handing those controls back to you.

Designed for high-performers, leaders, and executives who operate in high-stakes environments, Hijacked uncovers what's really driving your decisions-especially under pressure-and what to do about it.

Inside this book, you'll discover how to:

• • Recognize when autopilot is quietly driving your decisions.
  • Interrupt reactive patterns in real time and change how decisions are made under pressure.
  • Apply a simple four-step framework to assess, evaluate, choose, and act with clarity.
  • Increase focus, resilience, and moments of flow.
  • Create success that performs at a high level-and sustains it.

The answer isn't to push harder-or to pull back entirely.

It's to understand what's driving your choices-and choose differently. Gain the science-backed insight into executive burnout, self-awareness, values-based productivity, leadership, and peak performance.

If you are ready to stop feeling hijacked by stress and enjoy a life that feels as good as it looks, this book will help you take back the controls.

Review Quotes

"This book is brilliant. As a former NASA engineer, I was especially riveted by her Apollo 13 analysis and the powerful lessons it offers for staying calm and thinking clearly under pressure. It hit hard!"

-Maureen Zappala, Founder of High Altitude Strategies, Keynote Speaker & Author, Impostor Syndrome Expert

"A powerful wake-up call for high performers who want to believe they are in control. Paula doesn't just explain the neuroscience, she translates it into real-life actionable steps.

This book models what leadership with heart looks like by helping people recognize when they're on autopilot and more importantly, how to interrupt it with intention. Paula's Choice Mastery(TM) approach gives readers something so many books miss: a clear, usable path forward. Not theory.

This isn't just a book you will read. It's one you'll come back to over and over."

-Mike Domitrz, Founder of The Center for Respect, Author, and Hall-of-Fame Speaker (inducted in 2022)

"If you've ever felt like your life was running you instead of the other way around, this book is for you. It's a wake-up call wrapped in a practical framework, and she delivers it in a way that actually sticks. If you work with high performers or lead a team, this one belongs on your reading list. Paula gets it from the inside out."

-Lois Creamer, Book More Business

"Hijacked is the kind of book that makes you pause mid-page and think, "Wait... I do that." Pairing humor with neuroscience, and her signature insightful storytelling style, Paula helps readers recognize the unconscious patterns driving their choices-and what to do about them. This book doesn't just change how you think about burnout. It changes how you think about yourself."

-Jess Pettitt, Good Enough Now

"As an entrepreneur and a high performer, I often feel like my brain has been hijacked. This book is an amazing resource to help me get some control back over my life. Highly recommend it for anyone who wants to up their game! This is especially great for teams working in high-stress environments. Five stars!"

-Kelly Swanson, Award-Winning Storyteller, Hall of Fame Motivational Speaker, Founder of Story Impact Academy

"Paula has a unique ability to connect with people in a genuine and meaningful way while delivering practical insights that create real impact. Her work helps people communicate more effectively, strengthen relationships, and lead with greater clarity and confidence."

-Ford Saeks, Business Growth Accelerator, Hall of Fame Keynote Speaker, Author, Profit Rich Results - a Division of Prime Concepts Group inc.

"There is a deep humanity in this book. It brings together personal experience, neuroscience, and practical wisdom in a way that feels clear, grounded, and genuinely useful. For anyone who has ever confused success with self-abandonment, this book offers both a mirror and a way back."

-Michi Lantz, writer-podcaster, Tales From A Storyteller

"If you are a high achiever, you've got to read this book. Pass it on to another high achiever before a crisis hits. It's all about the bubbles."

-Darren LaCroix, CSP, AS, 2001 World Champion of Public Speaking, Founder of Stage Time University