Hey Reader,
People find themselves in two kinds of burnout.
One is stress-related.
And the other is a burning invitation to something they already desire.
In today’s newsletter, we’ll discuss the concept of burnout and practices for a more sustainable and fulfilling successful life.
💭 Burnout isn’t always about the hours
Howard Schultz was on track for a great career.
He climbed into a fast-paced corporate role by his early thirties, only to feel utterly drained.
So he walked away.
Then, while working in sales, he noticed something unusual about a small coffee company in Seattle that kept ordering more of his products.
Curious, he flew out to see it for himself.
Schultz later described what he saw in Italy as “a café culture with soul, where the barista knew your name and people lingered, connected, shared.”
The community lit him up.
So Schultz took the leap and joined Starbucks.
The hours didn’t get easier, and the stress didn't vanish.
But this time, his work carried meaning.
And that changed everything.
🧠 The two kinds of burnout
There are two sources of stress.
One comes from running hard without recovery.
Until your body slows you down, whether you want it to or not.
The other comes from too little meaning in what you do.
Not doing enough of what lights you up.
It’s called the zombie burnout.
It builds its own kind of restless, hollow, going-through-the-motions exhaustion.
A result of effort that lacks deep-rooted meaning and purpose.
It’s like running a race with no finish line and no reason to still be running.
On the outside, one appears accomplished, but restless and quietly drained on the inside.
Struggling with the nauseous feeling of not living up to potential.
And constantly stressing about whether you’ll be able to do what you feel personally called to achieve.
You might still get things done, achieve great goals, but feel empty and uninspired.
That’s because what you crave isn’t a convenient success, but engagement in the things you deeply care about.
❤️ Stress with meaning feels different
Stress itself isn’t the enemy, stress without meaning is.
The same stressor can either strengthen or break you, depending on its purpose.
When you choose challenges that are tied to your values, stress carries a different energy.
You realize the same pressure that could burn you out now builds you up.
It sharpens you instead of breaking you.
Your nervous system adapts faster.
You recover faster and respond more effectively.
The setback will still sting, but they don’t paralyze you.
They motivate you to push harder because you know why you’re doing it.
That attached meaning gives you fuel to tap into when things get hard.
You realize nothing beats a drive that burns bright from within.
You’re not saying yes to everything that looks good.
You’re creating a fulfilling and inspiring stack of accomplishments you won’t fall out of love with.
🤲 The antidote to burnout
The goal is to burn bright without burning out.
If you don’t feel alive with what you’re doing, you don’t have to throw it all away.
Here are 3 practices to light it up:
- Catch yourself in the act that numbs you. For one week, set a timer on your phone 3 random times a day. When you put it off, write down exactly what you’re doing and how you feel in that moment. Patterns will appear fast. If your eyes don’t light up at what you’re doing, that’s your numbing list.
- Trade it for fire. Now, double down on the things that spark you. It could be something quick and visceral, or a little more than that. Maybe train for a marathon, start reading again, join a community, get back to that project. Whatever it may be, it should matter to you.
- Pair pain with pleasure to trick the mind against giving in to burnout. Anchor a hard task to something you enjoy. Listen to your favorite podcast while knocking out invoices, or take strategy calls while walking in the sun. You’re tricking your brain into associating energy with work.
It'll still get hard.
But, with a deep care for what you do, you can recover fast from just any stress.
💢 What’s worth your energy now?
The exciting invitation about the zombie burnout is that it holds you accountable to your deepest desires.
So what’s your energy telling you?
What would shift if you let burnout point you back to what matters?
The question isn’t whether you can push through burnout, you already know you can.
The question is: at what cost, and for what cause?
As Nietzsche said, “He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.”
With appreciation,
Huw
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Huw Edwards
Founder & CEO, h3.xyz
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