Burnout and the Successful Business Owner: How to Avoid and How to Recover
Mike Garrison
Life is better with a Guide. Special Needs Parent and Fanatic Fly Fisherman. Helping business owners love their business and their life through value acceleration
I know burnout well. Personally and professionally, I have met this nemesis on the field of battle (our hearts and minds) and the conflict continues.
I imagine you know that enemy as well.
So many of my clients and friends over my multi-decade coaching career have been taken out at one time or another by it. Some, unfortunately, lost the battle and it is tragic.
I am a big fan of John Eldredge and his book/movement: Wild at Heart. John and his talented team recently released a series of free cinema-quality videos on their YouTube channel.
These videos are not about business, per se. However, like all examinations of what challenges us, they definitely are relatable to our lives as business owners.
I believe, more and more, that the root cause of burnout is disconnection.
Our hearts are disconnected from our businesses and our lives. Many of us didn’t start out that way, but gradually and insidiously, the world poisoned our hearts and we lost our purpose.
So many businesses don’t sell and there are many different reasons. At the core of it, I think the business owner becomes so burned out that they don’t have the belief and energy to propel them to move to the next level on exit planning…or even running it. This is an epic tragedy that has ripples throughout communities and can devastate economies locally.
When your heart is connected to your business you are ‘inoculated’ against burnout in many ways.
You know why you are doing what you are doing and are able to be more resilient to challenges and struggles. This connection doesn’t eliminate the challenges and problems, but rather it provides a margin for you to recover from it.
Who is helping you fight burnout or prevent it?
You need community and you need it now.
This is a challenge for successful business owners, and I have a few suggestions.
Pretty heavy stuff I realize for a business blog, but I make no apologies. This is really what I have observed over decades of being blessed and honored to help business owners who are financially successful feel like it was worth it AND be equipped and empowered to fight on.
You are unbelievably special and amazing. There isn’t anyone like you, and there never will be again. If you need help, please don’t hesitate to reach out, comment below or message me. You are worth it.
All the best and tight lines,
Mike
Your honesty about burnout resonates deeply. It's a battle that so many of us face, and recognizing it is the first step towards healing. ??
Vice President at Oldcastle | Instilling confidence in leaders through organic content | Host of The Passionate Pro Podcast
4 周Burnout is a critical issue in the financial sector, and recognizing its signs can help advisors find balance and maintain their passion for the work.
Private Practice Counseling and Consulting
4 周Nice thoughts and really great suggestions. I took four days over the last weekend to attend to my heart as you mentioned. It’s something no person can see, but everyone will experience. I have found that people who experience burnout, have spent an inordinate amount of time attending to externals like performance, outcomes results, economics, and very little on their internal selves. The best barometer for how we’re doing with that is the quality of our relationships.
PhD in entrepreneurship, prior entrepreneur experience, researcher, educator, mentor, and supporter of all things entrepreneurship.
4 周This is a real thing…..
Chaos Coordinator at The Social Buzz Lab: A Strategy First Digital Marketing Team helping brands, companies and individuals build Buzz on social media for over 15 years. Fueled by coffee and a love of marketing. ?
1 个月Such an important topic for entrepreneurs; most of us have been there. Good info Mike Garrison , looking forward to checking out the Wild at Heart content.