I think artists struggle way less with burn out than 9-5ers. But yes, I do agree that going cold turkey with your 9-5 ain't gonna do the trick if the paycheck brings your food and pays your bills.
We need more content on how to realistically slow down the occurrence of burnout for people whose lives depend on 9-5 and they can't just go cold turkey and become an artist like the few privileged ones
Really? Interesting…I suppose it really depends on the job but I would have said artists struggle much more because of the uncertainty many peole just end up having to do stuff they don’t like in order to make money….like client work or social media
Sometimes, the bravest act is to step back and reassess, rather than doubling down on efforts that leave us feeling hollow. It’s all about finding what resonates with who we are, not just what we think we should be doing.
Excellent post, thank you. This makes so much sense. Understanding our neurochemistry really helps to understand different states and how to optimise for maximum creativity and authenticity while avoiding burnout. Great insights 👍.
It really feels like an existential crisis. Because if you don’t do it the way you’ve always done, if you don’t behave the way you always have, then who are you? That’s the question that scares us.
I totally agree. There’s only so much progress we can make through grind and hustle tactics, and most people burn out before the needle actually moves. I think the real shift comes when we trade force for better alignment. Thankfully, there are far better approaches than sheer willpower, one of which is what some call "outer intention." Thank you for sharing your insight.
Well said. I resonated with me, profoundly so. I think most of us have got lost in the discipline spiral on one or several occasions. Thank you for sharing, it really was what I needed to hear this this morning.
Totally get that. I think everyone should experiment on their own. If you get stuck it can be really helpful to try other people’s systems out but if you want to create your own go for it 😀
"Protect your signal" is just great! I've been practicing paying attention to how my body feels when I'm writing--not just the ordinary stuff like neck and shoulder tension, but how my body is responding in real time to the subject I'm addressing. If I'm writing out of my own curiosity and desire to learn and I know the writing will get me there, no matter how difficult it is, I want to go back to it. That feeling in my body is very different from the locked up feeling I can get when my driver is that I'm upset about something that's harming people and I want desperately for others to understand that harm. I write from both places, and both are part of my "signal," but the feeling while I'm writing is entirely different. I hope one day I'll figure out how to write about harm and not have my body be wrecked while I'm doing it. I think there's something here about putting my own pain on the page, rather than just trying to state the facts as logically as possible, but I am just experimenting as this point. Thanks for a great piece.
It’s really telling to listen and be aware of your body isn’t it? I sometimes find myself holding my breath when writing and have to keep reminding myself to slow down and breath
I’m not sure I’m in that spiral (I’m not disciplined nor productivity junkie-I work from intuition) but I feel exhausted by the focus on metrics created by the exact way Substack is designed. Trying to let go of that yet after persistent growth over a year it’s hard to see numbers decline for no reason I can ascertain that is out of my control due to the algorithm and upgrades or resets. I’m not in control of the algorithms. When you suddenly have no visibility on Notes and that’s been the major source of new subscribers - what can you do differently? I think your system sounds good and I like the idea of sitting down and mapping out a strategy for the week of 15 notes that are in alignment with your message. That is something I can do.
It has made the process for writing notes thoroughly enjoyable for me. In terms of growth it’s probably worth circumventing the algorithm and collaborating or partnering with others
I’ve discovered this newsletter at the critical moment of my life journey. For many years, I’ve been pushing myself, only to discover that I’ve been pushing in the wrong direction. I lost myself trying to be “like everyone else” (whatever that means). Thank you for your writing! It does help me navigate this challenging period in my life.
Your substack is unfailingly great. I'm a new subscriber, and an old hand at writing for a living. Thank you for helping me see things so much clearer.
I think artists struggle way less with burn out than 9-5ers. But yes, I do agree that going cold turkey with your 9-5 ain't gonna do the trick if the paycheck brings your food and pays your bills.
We need more content on how to realistically slow down the occurrence of burnout for people whose lives depend on 9-5 and they can't just go cold turkey and become an artist like the few privileged ones
Really? Interesting…I suppose it really depends on the job but I would have said artists struggle much more because of the uncertainty many peole just end up having to do stuff they don’t like in order to make money….like client work or social media
The common behavior in both success and failure? Consistency.
Sometimes, the bravest act is to step back and reassess, rather than doubling down on efforts that leave us feeling hollow. It’s all about finding what resonates with who we are, not just what we think we should be doing.
Super helpful article, thanks Ben.
glad to hear Roger :)
Excellent post, thank you. This makes so much sense. Understanding our neurochemistry really helps to understand different states and how to optimise for maximum creativity and authenticity while avoiding burnout. Great insights 👍.
Thanks Anna. Come from years of personal experience
It really feels like an existential crisis. Because if you don’t do it the way you’ve always done, if you don’t behave the way you always have, then who are you? That’s the question that scares us.
I totally agree. There’s only so much progress we can make through grind and hustle tactics, and most people burn out before the needle actually moves. I think the real shift comes when we trade force for better alignment. Thankfully, there are far better approaches than sheer willpower, one of which is what some call "outer intention." Thank you for sharing your insight.
100%
Well said. I resonated with me, profoundly so. I think most of us have got lost in the discipline spiral on one or several occasions. Thank you for sharing, it really was what I needed to hear this this morning.
Thanks for reading. I think it is a constant reminder that we need
Ben, thank you. I resonated with that post. Hard.
Need to build my own system for notes / short from in general now.
I know you sell your system and it's probably a banger, but I need to figure out my own way.
Totally get that. I think everyone should experiment on their own. If you get stuck it can be really helpful to try other people’s systems out but if you want to create your own go for it 😀
Good one. I tried Instagram and Tik Tok. Both felt like chores . Substack aligns with me so far.
Noooo I just missed the early bird!!!! 😭
Are you referring to the 15 Note system?
Yes! Sorry if I commented in the wrong place. 😣
No probs. I just sent you a message
"Protect your signal" is just great! I've been practicing paying attention to how my body feels when I'm writing--not just the ordinary stuff like neck and shoulder tension, but how my body is responding in real time to the subject I'm addressing. If I'm writing out of my own curiosity and desire to learn and I know the writing will get me there, no matter how difficult it is, I want to go back to it. That feeling in my body is very different from the locked up feeling I can get when my driver is that I'm upset about something that's harming people and I want desperately for others to understand that harm. I write from both places, and both are part of my "signal," but the feeling while I'm writing is entirely different. I hope one day I'll figure out how to write about harm and not have my body be wrecked while I'm doing it. I think there's something here about putting my own pain on the page, rather than just trying to state the facts as logically as possible, but I am just experimenting as this point. Thanks for a great piece.
It’s really telling to listen and be aware of your body isn’t it? I sometimes find myself holding my breath when writing and have to keep reminding myself to slow down and breath
I’m not sure I’m in that spiral (I’m not disciplined nor productivity junkie-I work from intuition) but I feel exhausted by the focus on metrics created by the exact way Substack is designed. Trying to let go of that yet after persistent growth over a year it’s hard to see numbers decline for no reason I can ascertain that is out of my control due to the algorithm and upgrades or resets. I’m not in control of the algorithms. When you suddenly have no visibility on Notes and that’s been the major source of new subscribers - what can you do differently? I think your system sounds good and I like the idea of sitting down and mapping out a strategy for the week of 15 notes that are in alignment with your message. That is something I can do.
It has made the process for writing notes thoroughly enjoyable for me. In terms of growth it’s probably worth circumventing the algorithm and collaborating or partnering with others
Yes I’ve been too exhausted 🤪
Great advice!
I’ve discovered this newsletter at the critical moment of my life journey. For many years, I’ve been pushing myself, only to discover that I’ve been pushing in the wrong direction. I lost myself trying to be “like everyone else” (whatever that means). Thank you for your writing! It does help me navigate this challenging period in my life.
It’s so easy to get caught in that cycle which is why I’m hyper aware it
Your substack is unfailingly great. I'm a new subscriber, and an old hand at writing for a living. Thank you for helping me see things so much clearer.
Thanks for the kind words Martha. That means a lot 🙏