Whether we are talking fitness, nutrition, firearms, or skills and capabilities related to our profession, training burnout is real. It is a topic of significance in the security industry, both physical and cyber. And in the fitness and nutrition industry. Heck, I spent a few months not touching firearms and I LOVE firearms training and practice. They have been one of the few constants that never presented that sort of issue to me for nearly 40 years and not that long ago I went through some time away because I lost motivation.
So, how do we recognize and resolve it? This is a deep, complex topic that a person could write thousands of words on and just barely begin to attack the topic. I’m not going down that road. Today is a quick hit. I’ve got a couple things I’ve learned and a link to a really solid 2 minute video on the topic.
The most common way that burnout manifests for me is procrastination at the beginning. I normally lift weights starting about 0520 (5:20 AM for civilians). When I wake up and hit the snooze button, I’m right at the beginning of burnout. It took me many years to recognize this. As it gets worse, I snooze more and more often. And then one day I decide I can put off the weight training until the afternoon or the next day and just adjust my schedule. If I let that continue, then pretty quick I bail on the whole thing.
Solution: program a break into my training schedule. Or change it to a different schedule. Or go get a class on something new. All things that work for me. Your mileage may vary.
Dr. Josh Williams is both a competitive bodybuilder and a mental health professional, which gives him an interesting insight into the topic (and many other aspects of the intersection of fitness, nutrition, and mental health).
Here’s a 2.5 minute video that is well worth your time if this is a topic you are being challenged with. Or just want some good tips for the next time you are challenged with it.
Saturday is gonna be Memes and it’s gonna be more fun! Either Thursday or Friday I expect to drop another Minuteman post.
"So, how do we recognize and resolve it?" That, sir, is the key. I don't know if this will help somebody but here goes.
Recognition. We all struggle with recognition. Most of us do not possess the ability or have cultivated it or have matured enough to recognize the warning signs. I know I seriously lacked it in my younger years. Mostly I didn't trust my inner voice. My intuition. Or didn't listen to it. It does require a serious self-awareness, introspection and brutal honesty. Those things are really hard won. It takes years of working at it. And even if one is self-aware, it still takes experience, i.e. the passage of time, to notice patterns. I've wasted many hours, days and weeks in a full-on funk. I have learned to do something called a "now for something completely different" moment, courtesy of Monty Python. I make a list of things I am interested in or places to go or what have you, write them out individually on index cards and put them in a small container. I use a little basket. About every 7-8 weeks, I will reach in and pull out one and then go do it.
My most recent one is that I started Gracie Jiu Jitsu last week. Now, I'm 62, and although I can tote a 50-pound bag of feed a hundred feet or so, I am not in shape, and it shows. But I let any expectations or measurements of my performance completely go. I am just having some fun, learning something new and focusing my attention on something other than the world or myself.
Sometimes it backfires on me. It turns out poorly. Then I just give myself a week to read or walk more. I usually end up more clear headed. But the old saying about a body motion... is very true. Sometimes I'll pull up Jocko or Peterson or Cliffe Knetchle and it works for me. Over the years, I've learned professional cake decorating, rock climbing, canning, poultry care, chainsaw use etc. All of those skills are useful. And one of those things we are still doing... we spend a day with our firearm coach and let him surprise us. Looking forward to seeing him this Saturday. But recognizing you are in a slump; you are bored, can be a very big challenge. What works for me is to plan for it. Maybe it will work for some of you all.
Great post Mr. Eric!!! And like one of my fav guys always says, "Embrace the suck"!!