The term burnout is a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Why?
Because energy isn’t something we “have.” It’s something we have to create.
In this article I’ll share a simple guide to mastering the art and science of energy production, and keeping your inner fire burning bright.
Describing ourselves as burned out is the equivalent of describing ourselves as broke…
Whenever we use a descriptive phrase to refer to a transient state we reduce our power to change our situation.
When I was younger, I was broke. The solution? I had to learn how to earn money.
Being broke wasn’t a character trait, a marker of identity, or a “disorder.”
It was a call to action.
When we use the term “burnout” to describe a low energy state we miss a powerful opportunity to learn and master the energy equation.
Mastering the Energy Equation.
In this episode of the Physiology First podcast I describe what I call the Energy Equation. Simply put, it take energy to make energy.
An object at rest remains at rest, and an object in motion remains in motion at constant speed and in a straight line unless acted on by an unbalanced force.
-Newton’s Laws of Motion
We are an animal that has evolved to move. The unbalanced force that is creating an unprecedented health crisis? A modern lifestyle that makes it possible to remain sedentary and still survive. This is an undeniable achievement with a hidden cost. The survival instincts that prompt movement are growing dormant in an age of unprecedented abundance.
The key to adapting to our environment with agency, and evolving on purpose, is to maintain the momentum to keep the wheels our wheels in motion. This doesn’t mean nonstop movement without rest. It means understanding the balance between rest and action while avoiding inertia.
Overcoming Inertia
Inertia-The resistance an object has to a change in its state of motion.
The tendency of an individual to continue doing exactly what they’re currently doing isn’t “laziness.” And it isn’t “burnout.” It’s inertia. Change is hard because resistance to any deviation from our current state of motion is an energy cost. Understanding whether this change produces more energy, or less, is the most important skill we can cultivate if we aim to lead an adventurous, evolving, high energy life.
Without the energy to start making energy we are trapped in a state of inertia.
How do we beat this Catch-22 and commit to the initial energy investments that yields a lifetime of returns?
By getting honest about why our energy is depleted in the first place.
As I discuss in episode two of the Physiology First podcast, our energy should be relativley high if we are on a path to purpose in our lives.
Every small step forward should be a motivating factor.
The neural energy of dopamine, noradrenaline, and adrenaline should, ideally. be elevated by the adventure of our lives.
If this isn’t the case, it’s possible that we stepped off the path to purpose.
Or, weren't on it to begin with.
Equally common, and summed up in one of my favorite quotes about the term burnout, is the possibility that we are on the right path, but the strategies that we are utilizing aren’t working.
"Burnout actually comes from failing and things not working. Momentum is really energizing. The lack of momentum is super draining. I find that I have infinite energy to work on things that I find interesting and that are working, and almost none to work on things that I either don't find interesting or aren't working."
- Sam Altman
By keeping our deepest goals in sight we can summon the energy to restart the wheels of motion and begin to produce the energy that leads to energy production. By refining our strategy and building our 21st century skills we can get better at identifying new paths to the summit of our goals. All of this takes energy, and it makes energy.
So, what is energy?
Understanding the physiology of energy is the key to beating burnout and fueling our inner fire across the lifespan.
What is Energy?
On a foundational level, energy is ATP. This is the energy produced by the nutrients we consume, once converted to useable energy by the mitochondria of our cells. Most of us learned in high school that mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell…and most of us were bored out of our minds by this revelation.
The science of ourselves requires context beyond the chemical reactions that make life possible. It needs to remind us to fuel our inner flame.
If we found out that our house was on fire, we would have the physical “energy” to leave. No one is “burned out” when the house is burning down…
Neural energy, or brain energy, stems from a group of brain chemicals know as the catecholamines. Dopamine, noredreneline, adrenaline.
The mechanisms for increasing the “energy” to create more energy are simple, powerful, and immediately affective.
Our Physiology First Online program provides a detailed roadmap for sustained energy production, along with a fun, supportive, community to create energy with.
This January our monthly learning module is: The Benefits of Barefoot Training. Join the evolution below.
Some simple tips to explore the power of The Energy Equation for yourself.
Cold plunges are a staple at our Physiology First campuses. The core benefit, aside from a deeper knowledge of our nervous system, and a working set of stress and anxiety management skills, is an immediate increase in brain energy. Dopamine levels are increased by up to 530% and noradrenaline levels are increased by up to 230% followed a bout of cold exposure.
Going for a run not only increases adrenaline levels, but the increases adrenaline helps power your run. Another example of the energy equation in action.
Refraining from digital stimulation to the point that it lowers your dopamine levels is “low energy” way to restore energy balance by not depleting our brain energy in the first place. The moment that you begin to feel decreased motivation and a sense of compulsive, unfocused, mindless scrolling, out the phone away, and go back to the energy factory to fuel up.
The Energy Equation: From Mechanism to Mastery
If energy is a simple as boosting brain chemicals by jumping in an ice bath, or lacing up our running shoes, we should have high energy simply as a result of our habits. Yet, the incredible thing about humans is that we aren’t simply mechanical animals. We are driven by the desire for purpose, meaning, and belonging. We have personal aims and objectives that require energy to achieve. The lens for keeping these goals in focus, and seeing the path towards achieving them with clarity, begins by meeting the baseline needs of our physiology. Ultimately, the closer that we orient towards the path to purpose in our lives, the more that brain energy is regulated through a sustained sense of motivation related to the impact that we are making in our own lives, and on the lives of others.
Students helping one another chill-out in the cold plunge at our campus in Freeport, Maine. The student in the plunge is experiencing all of the brain boosting benefits of cold exposure. He is also one of the most motivated, goal oriented, and purpose driven young people I have ever met. The relationship between our psychology and our physiology is bi-directional. Maintaining and improving our psychological health is easier when we’ve created a foundation for sustained motivation by meeting the needs of of our physiology, first.
The combination of mental and physical energy that exists when the needs of our body are met, and the course of our lives in aligned with our highest potential, is unparalleled.
It is the key to fueling our inner fire across the lifespan.
When we aren’t sure where to start in building our path to purpose, or, we’ve taken detour and need the energy to get back on the trail, an immediate energy boost is available to us all.
It begins by learning about the power of our physiology, first.
The future of learning is learning about ourselves. In episode three of the Physiology First podcast I’ll cover the science of motivation, from mechanism to mastery. I’ll share a blueprint for creating motivation that lasts, along with simple, powerful tools and skills that we share with youth and families at our Physiology First campuses.
Our goal at Physiology First is to share the latest science of health and human potential with the next generation. Learn how you can help support our mission to help youth and families unlock the power our their physiology by checking out our Evolution Isn’t Over campaign.
Are you interested in joining the evolution?
This January 11th we are training leaders in healthcare, education, and performance training to teach the Physiology First Approach in their communities!
Join our Level One Certification program and help create a paradigm shift in health and human potential!
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