From Burnout to Balance

I didn’t recognize him at first.

At a basketball game in Seattle, I ran into an old fraternity brother. He had lost 100 pounds—a complete transformation. As we caught up, he shared how years of stress in a government office had weighed him down, both physically and emotionally, for decades. The pressure had consumed him.

It made me think: Was there a time in my life when I felt like that?

Absolutely.

Years ago, I worked at a large law firm, where pulling 48-hour shifts was not only normal—it was expected. We slept at our desks, pushed through deadlines, and ran on caffeine and adrenaline. It wasn’t sustainable. After two days, I could barely think straight, yet the demands never stopped.

Our social lives were on hold. Our families barely saw us. And ironically, we weren’t even making that much money.

Looking back, I wonder—what was the quality of our work during those sleepless stretches? What was the cost to our health, relationships, and well-being?

The Hidden Weight of Burnout

Like my fraternity brother carrying 100 pounds of stress for 30 years, many of us carry invisible weight—the pressure to perform, the expectations, the exhaustion. It shows up in our bodies, our minds, and our lives.

Burnout isn’t just about working too hard. It’s about:
✔ Physical and mental exhaustion that drains our energy.
✔ Constant stress that impacts our health and happiness.
✔ Team struggles and high turnover, as people break under pressure.

And here’s the hardest part: We don’t always realize how heavy it is until we set it down.

There’s a Better Way

If I could go back, I would have done things differently. I would have led every conversation with love. I would have been the voice of reason in the chaos.

But the truth is, we don’t need to go back—we can change how we lead today.

✔ What weight are you carrying that’s affecting your health and happiness?
✔ What would happen if you put it down?
✔ How would your life and leadership transform if you led with love instead of pressure?

Life is too short to carry unnecessary weight. Let's choose a different way.

OB