Mastering Grit Without Burning Out

2 Minute Read

Grit is one of the most important skills for achieving any long-term goal - whether it’s in your life as an athlete, career, etc. — anything that requires effort. 

Grit is about being able to push through challenges. But it’s not about grinding through every challenge until we break. Burnout will ultimately lead to overall performance declines (despite our best effort to keep going). 

So how do we know when to recover, and when to push through?

When to Recover

Developing grit is important. Doing so without burnout… more important. Overdoing it will prohibit us from reaching our goals. So how do we know when it’s time to recover?

Physical Exhaustion

Prolonged physical exhaustion is the most obvious signal that it’s time to recover. When you feel physically drained, and it's not going away, your body is telling you that it needs rest (difficulty sleeping through the night is another sign). True overtraining will lead to injuries and performance declines—recovery is just as important as the work you put in.

Lack of Interest / Motivation

Losing enthusiasm & motivation towards your goals is a telltale sign that it’s time to reassess. Watching for this mental fatigue is just as important as physical exhaustion - the brain and the body move in tandem. If you're having to force yourself to take action that once felt effortless, then take some time off. That spark will come back.

When to Push

Recovery is important. But we can’t back down every time things start feeling uncomfortable. So how do we know when it’s time to push through?

You’ve Been Consistent, This Is Just Another Challenge

When you’ve been putting in consistent effort, and generally feel good, then it’s time to push through a challenge. Burnout isn’t a moment-in-time feeling - it’s persistent. You will always have moments of exhaustion / fatigue throughout your training, but it doesn’t mean that taking a step back is required. Let your overall experience guide you. If you’ve stayed consistent and continued improving, then push through.

You Have a Clear Goal in Sight

Sometimes we push through when we’re close to reaching our goal. For ease-of-argument, say you’ve signed up to run a 100 miler…. and say race day is next week. We’d argue that, for many, the race itself will throw you into "overdoing it" territory. It’s a big effort. But it’s race day. Today is the day to push through, even if the experience itself will leave you needing some time off. And in these moments, that’s okay. It’s what we signed up for. 

The Challenge is Temporary

Not every tough moment in your training is permanent. And making this can take some experience to sort through. “Am I sore because I’m overtraining? Or am I sore because I did heavy deadlifts yesterday?” We acknowledge that it can be difficult to discern, but if what you’re experiencing feels temporary, rather than a prolonged issue, then we should push through (and this is just part of the process).

Wrap It Up

Building grit is about learning when to lean in and give your best effort, and when to recover - because recovering at the right time will allow us to push further in the long run.

Stay present, listen to your body and mind, and remember: sometimes the strongest thing you can do is to take a step back. But when the time is right, we push - and earn the growth that comes with it.

And with this mindset, we can build a routine we love and train consistently. Because with consistency, we build passion.