There's Passion and there's Burnout

I've always been fascinated by the concept of burnout. As someone who pushes their limits daily, working through at least 24 pomodoris everyday, I've often wondered: am I burnt out?

My friends call me a machine. My focus is unwavering, my passion unquenchable. Yes, I get physically tired, but I sleep like clockwork at 10:30 ish PM every night. This has been my rhythm for decades together.

By definition, I should be burnt out - in a state of physical and mental exhaustion due to prolonged high stress. Design is demanding; it requires giving birth to ideas. The labor is real and painful. Imagine a chick breaking out of its shell - I go through this multiple times a day with each new idea.

Yet, instead of feeling burnt out, I feel the opposite. The eustress is exhilarating. These idea 'labor pains' are awesome. My internal growth is exponential, and I sleep better because of the exhaustion. Why? Because I love what I do.

This realization led me to a new understanding: there's passion, and there's burnout.

When you love what you do, it's passion. When you don't, it's burnout. It's that simple.

So, here are some tips from someone who doesn't experience burnout, on how to avoid it:

1. Do what you love and love what you do. Love is the common denominator. If it's not there, don't do it. This filters out nonsense and creates space for what truly matters.

2. Own your career and your calendar. Nothing enters without your permission. Have the courage to say no and protect your boundaries.

3. Work never ends - you need to end it. My endpoints are sleep time, wake time, walk time, cooking time etc. Life is the base and work happens in-between. I don't rush it. Every day follows the same routine, helping me catch any disruptions quickly.

4. Take rest seriously. I've learned there are seven types of rest: physical, mental, emotional, social, sensory, creative, and spiritual. Recently I started practicing all of these dilegently.

5. Killing yourself doesn't make you a hero. It's irresponsible. True strength lies in saying no, not always saying yes.

6. There's no success or failure, only learning.

While I love my work deeply, a Tamil saying keeps me grounded: 'அளவுக்கு மீறினால் அமுதமும் நஞ்சு' - Even nectar becomes poison beyond a certain point.

In the end, it's about finding that sweet spot where passion fuels you without consuming you. It's a delicate balance, but one worth striving for.

What more would you add to the tips around handling passion and not getting into burnout?