Still Burning

Years ago, I remember a colleague casually remarking, “We all know this is a burnout business. No one can do this for too long.”

When I shared that impression with a business coach, he challenged the assumption. Yes, there are weekly deadlines, and yes, there are complicated logistics, and yes, the readership’s needs and habits constantly change. But, he said, you only burn out if you’re pouring your energies into a job that’s not a good fit. If your job fits your talents and abilities, you may sometimes need a vacation, but you shouldn’t entirely lose the desire to keep going.

I wondered about that take over the years. I wonder about it still. Is the feeling of burnout due only to a mismatch between job and employee? Does the perfect job obviate the possibility of ever burning out? Or can even a born accountant or inspired artist reach a point where they’ve got nothing left to give?

There’s a publication I keep an eye on that does something interesting, sort of like professional musical chairs. They keep shifting their talent into new niches. I don’t know who initiates this — a wise manager or the writers themselves — but I have noticed the changes over the years. The food critic who became an opinion writer, the Russia expert who took over the Washington bureau. New assignments mean new sights to absorb, new sounds to decipher, new contacts to meet, new nuances to master — a professional challenge that keeps work fresh.