As men we have a drive inside of us to push harder than we need to at times. Certain points of life hit us in different ways.
One question I always stop to ask myself every now and then?
Am I taking too much on?
The way anyone develops the key mentality for success is the ability to prioritize what and how things need to be done.
Drive and determination is what makes success hands down, but there must be a throttle that holds you back from self destructing.
The most exotic super car must have a rev limiter, You need to think of this when you start to take too much on. Unchecked this can turn into a situation where men actually go backwards away from their goals.
There are a few tell tale signs that you may be burning out that I would like to go over in this article. After reading you should be able to slow down and take a look at your life and make the needed changes.
Some of the signs of burnout
- Being irritable
- Losing interest in things that normally excite you
- Trouble focusing on a single task
- depression
- physical issues, such as back and neck pain
Looking at how we as people live this day and age it’s hard to just get by without feeling burnt and unmotivated at times. This is when you need to focus and take inventory of yourself and your goals.
There are a few key things that you must do as much as possible if you want to stay level headed and successful.
- Keep a clear path to your goals
- Take time to relax and shut off once in a while
- Know “why” you want what you want
- Understand the process
We will start with the first
Keeping a clear path to your goals in sight
People always look at what they want in life, some never take the time to learn how to get it.
I bet if you asked anyone in your life what they truly want to be or do in their life 95% of the people you ask would have no definitive answer.
How can this be? How could we get after our dreams when we don’t even really know what they are? I harp on about this in my article
In this article I am assuming you have found your definite aim in life and you are frying yourself to get it. This is very good, you are set up for success better than 95% of people, maybe more.
Here’s the thing though, you have a desire, a burning aim, where next?
This is my point when I say keep a clear path of your goals in sight. You need to focus on what needs to be done, this of course is necessary for achieving any worthwhile thing in life. The things that need to be done also need to be in order as well.
This is where some problems show up. Let me give you an example. I tend to start a ton of pretty big projects all at once, this blog for instance takes a very big chunk of my time and I enjoy it.
When I first started however I needed to learn a ton of things and work through hours of questions and problems. I still do, but I realized early in that I was working a lot but not on the right things.
My path was not clear
Before I knew it I would be working on my blog for hours, without writing a single post or creating any content whatsoever. I had that burning desire but I was like a bomb going off trying to take on every single aspect at once.
I realized that I was starting to get burned out and was losing focus on my goals. Next came the feelings of just giving up, and I almost did to be completely honest.
When I hit this point there was a choice to make. Keep my goals and make a clear map of what I need to do to get it, or give up.
I decided I wanted to do this no matter what. Instead of getting my laptop out the next time I was working I stopped and grabbed a pen and paper first.
I wrote down all of the things that really needed to be done in order. How much time I spent doing this could have been hours itself, it still was worth it because it showed me the path I needed to get on and stay on to reach my goal.
I went from a bomb, dumping all of my energy and trying to level out the whole thing, to a sniper.
You see the difference of being a sniper as opposed to a bomb is you stay lazer focused on the tasks that you acually need to get done to progress towards your goals.
Having focus is the key to success
Now that we have determined where everything stands as far as priority we can get things done well, one at a time. A plan is key.
Even with the best plan it still can be overwhelming sometimes when you are focused and determined. There are plenty of people that push very hard to attain something in life.
Let’s say start a business, the work involved is massive, there are always tons of things to and no one is responsible for seeing them through but you.
This is where my next point on the list comes into play.
You need to get away and shut off every once in a while.
It’s hard I know, when you are after something and determined to get it you will push hard and want it now. The problem is if you do not take some time and remember that you are not a robot you will burn out.
Even worse, I have had friends that pushed so hard and built up their dream; just to find that when they finally had it they could not stand the thought of it. Imagine for a second how much it would suck to be in this position, chasing something so hard that when you get it you are burned out and don’t want it.
This is what burnout can do. Keep in mind that you need to stay mentally and physically healthy above all else. Without this you can’t achieve anything that will make you happy.
Combat this sneaky goal killer by putting aside time just for you, say no to people that always want something from you when needed and take time to spend time with your loved ones, walk, workout, whatever pulls the plug for a few hours.
I am a big fan of walking to clear my mind and take in life.
If you push too hard and get burned out you will be inefficent and irritable, avoid this at all costs. It will cause much unseen damage for you, your family life, and your business.
Why am I doing all this anyway?
Don’t laugh, this is something that many people can not answer. Sometimes we just think owning a business is a cool idea. Guess what? Having a cool idea in your mind is great but it fades very fast when things get very taxing.
You need to commit to the process and avoid burnout by simply remembering why you want this goal.
If you have that one set reason ready to go it will carry you through the hard times and keep you from melting down and giving up.
Think of this, Tom wants to open a ice cream shop; he likes it and it would be cool to quit his job and try out business. Fair enough right?
Now we have Jack, he also wants to start his business. He on the other hand has thought it out and came to the conclusion that the job he is in will no longer support his family, they will struggle greatly if he does not make this work.
His why isn’t, “I want to be an owner,” it’s “this needs to work no matter what because my kids need this.” Or we lose everything.
Who do you think is going to keep pushing when the real work comes and they feel like giving up because they are so burnt out?
You can never lose sight of your “why”
Take the time to ask this question and really answer it. keep the answer in your back pocket for the day you feel overwhelmed and want to give up.
Understand that success is a process
Success is indeed a process of making good choices and working your butt off. Internalize this fact now, you must take the time to learn all of the stages you need to climb and overcome on your journey.
This is the only way you can see whats on the horizon. Take the time to talk with people who have done what you are trying to do, learn from them and keep notes on the stages you face.
When you hit the next stage it could cause burnout simply because it’s so new it can feel like you are starting on the bottom all over. However if you know that this next step is just part of the process you can just say, “cool I must be progressing” “This is what comes after I get good at XYZ.”
Know as much as you possibly can about what is coming down the line, this will help you push when you sense the next issue coming. This in turn will prevent the burnout of being in the unknown.
Human beings want consistency and security, when we start a new venture it strips away both of those, it is imperative that you have a clear idea of what it will take down the line to get where you want to be.
Wrapping up:
Avoid burning yourself out by looking at these simple ideas that are designed to help you along your journey. Take time for yourself and know why you are doing what it is you are doing. Learn as much as you can from people that have been where you are, and know that anything worthwhile in life is a process.
When you feel burned out and want to quit, find out where you are in the process and look at your why. If you do this you will succeed in any calling you wish.
Never give up, you got this!
Thanks for reading.