Avoid the Burnout-Avoidance Cycle

This episode is short and direct — and it centers on an idea that's easy to overlook: rest isn't something you earn after the work is done. It's a skill you have to learn while you're doing the work. Most of us don't struggle because we lack motivation. We struggle because we don't know how to manage our energy over time. We push past the point where the work is actually getting better and mistake exhaustion for progress. What I've learned is that rest isn't about quitting or losing momentum. It's about staying in the game long enough to do meaningful work without burning yourself out. Here's the core idea: Rest isn't a break from discipline — it's part of it. Learning when to pause, step back, or reset isn't a sign of weakness. It's awareness. And like any skill, it gets better with practice. This episode is about recognizing those signals earlier, respecting them, and building a pace you can actually sustain. In today's episode I cover:

• Why rest is a skill, not a reward
• How to avoid burning out without losing momentum
• What sustainable effort really looks like

If you've been feeling run down or stuck in cycles of overwork, this episode is an invitation to rethink how you pace yourself — not to do less, but to work in a way you can keep doing. Until next time, protect your energy — and remember that rest is a skill.