Getting Stronger when fatigue strikes
It’s the end of the night, and you’re exhausted. You collapse onto the pillow with a wake of challenges behind you. From tackling your quarterly deliverables to debating how to handle a silo problem to smoothing inner office politics to spending quality time with your two kids, helping them wind down before bed - you left it all on the field today. As you lay there with barely the energy to turn the next page of your book before bed, you ask yourself - am I burning myself out? How long can I possibly keep this up?
We all ask ourselves this question when we are out of energy and feel like we gave it all in so many directions. When the long hours and tough problems empty our cognitive tank, and the personnel issues sap our emotional tank, we may question our own stamina and resilience. We may start to wonder just how long we can keep this up.
What if fatigue is a normal thing from hard work? What if the energy spent actually created something great, moved something critical forward, or paved the way for a future relationship you will always cherish? Would you still be asking yourself these same questions?
The other day, my wife and I had one of these experiences. After a long Saturday of chasing our kids, spending time with our friends and family, and squeezing the life out of every minute, we collapsed on our pillows, exhausted. But a funny thing happened. We didn’t ask each other if we were burned out; instead, we started reflecting on all the fun we had, the impact we made, the memories we will cherish, and the potential we were creating for our kids and our family - the same feeling of fatigue, but a completely different feeling of its meaning.
At TIGNUM, we have seen how fatigue can make the same person fragile or psychologically resilient. It can make them believe in themselves more, or it can raise their self-doubt. It can excite them for the future or scare them to death. So what is the difference?
Your focus makes all the difference
One of the most common differences is your focus. Do you focus on your fatigue and the effort you have put out? Or do you focus on your contributions, the impact you created, and the lessons you learned? The former leaves you zapped, but the latter can leave you energized, inspired, and hungry for more.
Do you focus on the huge amount of things out of your control? Or do you choose to deliberately and consistently focus on those things that you can influence or control? The former leaves you overwhelmed, but the latter makes you feel capable and in control.
Do you choose to focus on how you are being impacted or instead on how you can positively impact others on your team? When you choose to be an energy multiplier for others, to be we-focused instead of me-focused, and to be of service rather than helpless, everything changes. Suddenly you may find your gas tank full rather than empty.
Role modeling these behaviors should be a part of leadership. But unfortunately, most of us learn these Sustainable Human Performance skills when it is too late, and we’re already struggling with burnout. Are you going to wait?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
As TIGNUM's Managing Director of the Americas and APAC, Chris is an experienced Sustainable Human Performance coach to many CEO’s, C-suite executives, and professional athletes. In 2020, Chris was inducted into the MG100 Coaches program, an organization of some the best executive coaches, leaders and business thinkers from around the world.
ABOUT TIGNUM
TIGNUM is the major performance building block for business professionals, designed around a skill- and data-based approach that respects the individuality, focuses on the brain, evolves constantly, and creates lasting impact. Its international team comes from a wide range of fields, including human behavior, elite athletics, special forces, performance medicine, executive coaching, change consultants, and more.