Decoding Burnout and the Mind: My Journey as a Transformation Strategist
Simone-Ellen Keller
While navigating the realm of high performers here in New Zealand, I've observed a fascinating and concerning pattern. Many high-performing Kiwis, me included, have faced the pitfalls of burnout and an unsettling urge to change jobs frequently.
It's disconcerting, considering our nation's average annual job turnover rate is 39%. As I delved deeper beyond the routine workplace challenges, I recognised the crux might be our collective understanding (or lack thereof) of our minds.
In my work as the founder of Genius You, I've passionately emphasised the importance of understanding the mind. We Kiwis, driven by an innate desire for excellence, often find ourselves trapped in cycles of overwhelming emotions and perfectionism, especially when we lack a framework to navigate our minds.
This reality became even starker when I came across the 2023 study by Unispace, which highlighted that New Zealanders are, sadly, more prone to burnout than any other nationality. The disconnect arises from the chasm between our fervent ambitions and our grasp on mental functioning. From my experience and research, I've seen how most of us are limited by a pre-existing mental framework, potentially stifling our true capabilities.
Throughout my career, I've taken great pride in introducing my clients to a fresh perspective on understanding the mind. And the results? A dramatic surge in job satisfaction and performance.
As I often discuss in my sessions, the methodologies we've inherited about achieving our desires may only sometimes serve us sometimes. It's not merely about what we aspire to but understanding the 'how' behind our pursuits. The hollow search for titles or status can lead to disillusionment without an underlying comprehension of genuine satisfaction.
This thirst for success, deeply ingrained in many of us, demands more than just potential. It requires an evolved framework of the mind. Without it, burnout, discord, and fractured personal connections become our unfortunate reality. I often liken our minds to high-performance machines, suggesting that achieving our ambitions becomes more precise and fulfilling once we understand and operate our 'Ducati motor' effectively.
If you're someone resonating with these sentiments, I'd love to share some insights that have shaped my work and benefited many:
1. Embrace Emotions
Negative emotions are not our enemies. They carry messages. Dive deep and understand what they're signalling to you.
2. Align Intentions
Seek depth in your aspirations. For instance, instead of merely dreaming of a yacht, reflect on deeper desires like freedom and exhilaration.
3. Navigate Emotions Intelligently
Challenges are inevitable. Equip yourself to handle them mentally without accumulating undue stress for yourself or your loved ones.
In my journey, I've realised that genuinely understanding our minds has the potential to amplify personal success and shape a more harmonious, holistic world. It's a journey to break barriers and discover our intrinsic brilliance.