Image prompt: the engine and the road, killer slasher childrens book, Pastel Art, Signage, 2D, Pentagon
[The following was copied and pasted from GPT-4 after I fed it a transcript of a 3 minute ramble I had recorded while walking just now and asked it to turn it into a 3000 word blog in the style of Morgan Housel]
The Engine and The Road: Rethinking Sustainability
Imagine yourself as a meticulously designed engine built for the long haul. The purpose of this engine? To move. To generate momentum. To carry yourself and others forward, through your career, your passion, or your day-to-day life. But now think: What happens when you floor this engine without any breaks? The answer may sound simple—burnout. But let's dissect this further, especially when some believe that an engine's worth is in how hard it can be pushed.
The Multiple Facets of Sustainability
Sustainability has become a catchphrase. From eco-friendly products to stable economies, it seems everyone is searching for the sustainable option. Yet, when it comes to personal sustainability, the narrative often takes a back seat. What do I mean by personal sustainability? It's your ability to perform your job or pursue your passion in a manner that doesn't deplete you to the point of quitting or, worse, losing your sense of self.
The Startup Conundrum: Scale vs. Effort
In the startup ecosystem, there's a fascinating paradox. Early on, you're told to "Do things that don't scale," to go that extra mile for every client. While this approach is good to get you off the ground, it doesn't serve you well when you're trying to reach cruising altitude. You need to shift gears. You can't keep running an entire company like you did when you were a team of five.
Now, let's address the elephant in the room. Some people would argue that to succeed, you have to constantly operate at full throttle. After all, didn't all those overnight successes we hear about work 100-hour weeks? The answer is more complicated than a simple yes or no. While it's true that effort is a significant contributor to success, continual 100-hour weeks present a skewed form of sustainability that may not work for everyone.
The Teacher's Tale: An Unsustainability Story
Let's take a deep dive into the world of teaching—a profession that's often cited as a 'labor of love.' Teachers indeed carry an enormous load. It's not just about imparting knowledge but also grading, mentoring, and sometimes, playing the role of a parent, counselor, and friend.
Now, there's a view that if you truly love what you're doing, you'd put in all the hours needed to be excellent at it. Quitting or even taking a break would be tantamount to betrayal or failure. But here's the thing: even passion needs to be sustainable. Teachers are humans, not inexhaustible resources. And if you push human resources to their limits, there are costs—drop in quality, health issues, or even leaving the profession altogether.
The Art of Saying No
In a world that's obsessed with the hustle, saying "no" is almost sacrilegious. But here's another perspective. Saying "no" to tasks that you can't do well or can't manage isn't a sign of laziness; it's a sign of specialization. Every "yes" you give has a hidden cost, often paid for by robbing time and energy from other tasks you should be focusing on.
The Equation of Sustainability: A Revisit
In the original post, the equation for sustainability was simple: keep your energy input greater than or equal to your energy output. But for those who believe in "put your head down and shut up and work," this equation looks incomplete. For them, running on a deficit is not necessarily a bad thing; it's an investment in future success.
This argument holds some weight. Yes, investments often require you to put in more than you get out. But every good investor also knows that diversified portfolios are less risky. In the context of personal sustainability, diversifying could mean learning to balance different aspects of your life—work, family, health, and personal growth. An all-in investment in just one of these aspects could be the equivalent of putting all your eggs in one basket.
Adaptive Strategies for Sustainable Living
Adaptation is key. What works today might not work tomorrow. Similarly, the level of energy you can output today might not be the same a year from now. This holds true even if you are of the mindset that hard work trumps all. Circumstances change, both externally and internally. Adapting to these changes doesn't mean you're giving up; it means you're smart enough to modify your strategy for long-term success.
The Ripple Effect
Finally, let's acknowledge the widespread implications of personal sustainability. When a teacher burns out, it's not just a personal loss; it's a societal loss. Similarly, when a startup founder faces burnout, the repercussions aren't limited to them; it affects the employees, investors, and even the industry to some extent.
Concluding Thoughts
Personal sustainability is not about avoiding work; it's about intelligently managing your energy so that you can work better, for longer. It's not an excuse to slack off but a strategy to enable growth—both personal and for those who depend on you. So the next time you're asked to go the extra mile, think carefully. Assess the cost and decide whether it's a sprint you can afford, keeping in mind that life is not a sprint; it's a marathon.