Stuck in the Self Improvement Wheel
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Yesterday, a client told me he needed a break and was going off the grid the weekend, adding: "I plan to bring a book on self-esteem with me."
"Please don't," I pleaded.
Once upon a time, Ferris, Huberman & Sinek sat on my nightstand.
Rather, their books and a few others from highly productive men promising the key to power, leadership, and, you know, s u c c e s s.Ā
They all lured me to go the extra mileāat work, at the gym, and even with my meditation.Ā
I am all about "Knowing thyself"!Ā
Because who wants to live someone else's life?
But in the quest to conquer myself, I got trapped in the self-improvement loop, where... burnout preys.
Burnout signals 2 positive things:Ā
1- you have the drive to reach your dreams andĀ
2- you are ready to leave hustle culture behind.
Recruiting is searching for talent like dogsĀ forage for truffles.
Beyond the job-specific skills, I seek Vision, Resilience, and Ambition.
Yet these are theĀ exact qualitiesĀ that trigger burnout in executives.
I couldn't comprehend the connection until I experienced my own burnout.Ā
To give you some context, years ago, I was at the office of the Head of HR of an iconic fashion brand. When she told me to reschedule a meeting between the candidate I was presenting and her CEO, I started sobbing ...
over a rescheduled meeting!
I realized something was very wrong.Ā
I was exhausted.
So, I tried the usual remedies: better sleep, time management, and exercise. It did help.
But eventually, the old patterns crept back in.
That's when I had the nightstand realization!
Burnout is not a problem to be solved.
It's a wake-up call from our soul.
The only way is to jump out of it.Ā
When we try to muscle through with more of the same driven strategies, we just dig ourselves in deeper!
You're better off sparing your energy.Ā
But here's the good news: there'sĀ another way of working. I call it "zero gravity work."Ā
Just like a spaceshipĀ must break free from Earth's gravitational pull to reach outer space, we must break free from the weight of old patterns and beliefs to reach our dream life.
Over this series of 4 newsletters, I'll share 3 zero-gravity guidelines that helped me make this shift and that I use to empower my clients to work with light and ease.
Eventually, burnout will become a thing of the past.
I'll dive into the first Zero Gravity Guideline that changed everything for me: aim for the moon!
There is a lighter way of "doing" that awaits us all.
Cosmic hugs,
Agate
Want more?
Here's some clients' journey look likeĀ with coachingĀ
Sometimes poetry is the best medicine.Ā
And here isĀ 10 rules of neuroplasticity because your brain is always changing!