Set yourself up to hit rock bottom
Burnouts and other fun rollercoaster rides
Today’s grizzly (pun intended, that’s a hint) brain teaser:
A hunter carefully lines up his shot and fires his gun. Seconds later, he realizes his mistake. Minutes later, he was dead.
Answer at the end of the email.
Burn out to stand out.
Mental wellness is on the rise. Personal and business coaches train us like pro athletes on how to manage that ever elusive work-life balance.
If you’re not practicing yoga 4 hours a day and taking care of 12 different type of plants while also drinking 3 liters of water (from a carton box), you’re basically worse than Hitler.
Obviously, it’s wise to take care of yourself. The general consensus is to take a moderate approach and balance things out - put in the work, but make sure you also rest so you’re able to work efficiently.
It’s a marathon, not a sprint, you’ll hear a lot of people (including myself) say.
While part of me agrees with this, but here’s a, you guessed it, lateral approach.
Pick something and let it burn you out.
Put your heart and soul into it until you reach rock bottom. I’m not saying until you get tired of doing it. I’m saying until it drains you completely. Genuinely hit rock bottom with it.
Why do something that crazy? Because going through all that pain, strife and stress builds resilience and dedication. It might also break you, that’s true. But there’s a risk associated with anything you do.
Because difficulty creates opportunity. We’re talking about a rationalized high risk / high reward ratio here.
No one wants to change the world sipping on a beer on a beach in Brazil (Hegarty said this one if I remember correctly).
To quote JK Rolling (yeah, we’re jumping there): “Rock bottom became the foundation on which I rebuilt my life.”.
I relate to this and the most interesting people I know have hit a wall at full speed at least once in their life.
Before you start sending hangry replies to this, yes, I previously said I admire people who work as little as possible. That’s still true.
I admire people who find ways to achieve what they want. Burning out is a technique to eventually reach your personal Nirvana, whatever that might be.
If you’re more into podcasts, I really recommend listening to Emma Chamberlain talking about hitting rock bottom (YouTube link for convenience).
Just listening to her you realize she’s been there. That’s not something you can fake or that you can read off a script.
Burning out is like a tattoo, it sticks with you and you since it does, you should wear it with pride.
PSA: I’m not recommending you work unhealthy hours or disregard your mental health. You are ultimately responsible for yourself. I’m just thinking out loud and proposing a different train of thought.
Answer: It was winter. The hunter’s shot caused an avalanche.
At least he hit rock bottom. *ba-dum-tss*
I guess for some people, working hard at their job is just like working hard at the gym, but not everyone is here to gain mass. Some just want to get in shape or stay healthy.
I guess it really depends on ones goals.