How I Became Burnout Proof, & How You Can Too

What Is the Equation for Burnout?

I can’t tell you how often people tell me, “Relax. Rest. Take a break. You’re going to burn out.”

People talk about self-care as if the answer is fruity drinks on white sand beaches, but I’m happiest, most locked in, rested, energized, when working at breakneck speed on a project that’s pumping, and the only time I’m feeling burnt out, I’m spinning the wheels but seeing no progress, no payoff.

So when I saw my friend, GoblinNinja’s, formula for burnout, it immediately resonated.

The Burnout Equation

I landed my literary agent in April of 2019 and for about three months, until the day I went out on submission I worked eighteen-hour days between my office job selling insurance and my writing and revising.

In the words of the Weepies, “No amount of coffee / No amount of crying / No amount of whiskey / No amount of wine / No, no, no, no, no / Nothing else will do / I've gotta have you.”

The reward was so clear in my mind nothing fatigued me. I had boundless energy, because I knew fame awaited. 200k Jody was the name my wife programmed for me in her cellphone as that was the advance I expected to earn on my novel.

But as the months passed with no offer, the vision faded. My satisfaction blurred. I couldn’t imagine the payoff.

It took me two miserable years to understand I’d given up, burnt out, resigned my dream, all because I’d lost touch with what fueled me.

I spent too long mimicking the author’s routine, long enough that I fell into a dangerous depression, the results of which I discuss in my book, The Seven-Figure Marketing Mindset For Novelists, I spent too long there before I recognized I’d surrendered my dream for something that outwardly resembled the effort it took to say I had the dream.

Get Clear On Your Satisfaction

Having recognized my folly, I embarked on the journey to build a community around my writing, around what I’d discovered. I founded a podcast and I took social media seriously.

I spent $7,000 to join Grow the Show a podcast marketing course, and despite gobs of setbacks, my energy remains unflagging, because the vision is clear, the progress undeniable.

So I want to challenge you, if you think you’re nearing burnout, step back. Assess your dream. Is the vision one that Satisfies you? Does the Work feel fulfilling? Is the Compensation fair? Can you afford the Expenses?

Once you have a clear understanding of which element you’re lacking in, you’ll have a good sense of how to fix the problem and quench burnout.

---

A Special Thank You

This post would have been substantially different without the reply from @minion2thequeen so I want to encourage you to follow him on Twitter.

My Book

Hey, You know my book is coming out in January. What’s stopping you from preordering it today? Grab your copy now and I’ll send you the audiobook, free of charge, one month early.