From Burnout to Rebirth

We often find ourselves caught in the relentless cycle of a 9-to-5 grind, a monotonous rhythm of existence where every day feels like a mirror reflection of the last.

Stuck managing inventory, placating unhappy customers, and adhering to rigid company protocols. Burdened with the noisy hum of machinery and the relentless ticking of a strict schedule, performing the same tasks, over and over.

This very monotony nudges us to seek escape, to carve out a niche for ourselves where we are the masters of our destiny. For me, this meant exploring the idea of an online service to address challenges in a somewhat recognized niche.

However, the initial endeavor was not without its hurdles; I encountered periodic challenges, from dips in motivation to, ultimately, feelings of burnout. As I tried to diverge from the daily routine while still meeting its demands, it was these later stages that proved especially taxing.

I often found myself oscillating between a desire for freedom and the deceptive comfort of the familiar routine: eight hours of numbing monotony, another eight hours of feeling involuntarily detached, and the final eight seeking solace in sleep.

While I'm told there are worse fates, it frequently felt like the reins of my life were in the hands of a stranger, steering me far away from the exciting dreams I once harbored. Each attempt to break free seemed only to reinforce my chains, draining my spirit a little more every time, and pulling me back into the deceptive comfort zone.

It wasn’t until a total breakdown, that I saw a glimpse of what lay beyond the familiar. Escaping to a new realm, and engaging in activities utterly alien to my nature, was not a calculated move to reinvent myself but more of a desperate attempt at survival.

In this seemingly chaotic phase, I found peace, a rhythm devoid of pressure, and the time to reconnect with my lost passions, not as a means to an end but as ends in themselves. Letting go of material goals has revealed new areas of learning to me, especially in communication and interpersonal relationships.

Drawing from my own journey, much like the mythical bird reborn from its ashes, we all have the potential to rebound, acquiring new skills and fresh perspectives in the process. Rather than simply returning to the fray, we reenter as transformed individuals, equipped with newfound insights and tools.

Is Building Something Worth the Challenges?

After the burnout, there was an undeniable need to retreat, find solace in simpler tasks, and distance myself from the complexities of my former routine. This hiatus provided more than just a breather, it became a period of self-reflection and growth.

Unexpectedly, I acquired softer skills and learned to approach challenges with a rejuvenated mindset. And as the fog of fatigue lifted, an old flame rekindled within me. The same hands that once sought respite in manual labor now itched to code, to create, but with a clarity and purpose they hadn’t known before.

So, what about those of us who love to build and create? Those of us who find real joy in making something of our own? Maybe building a micro SaaS isn’t such a wild idea. It could be our way to break free. I thought.

It’s not about leaping onto the latest trend or discovering a shortcut to wealth. It’s about creating work that holds significance to us, something that resonates with our identity and passions.

Yet, while there's a certain allure to the rekindled passion and vision, we must approach it with care. The urgency to escape an old routine can, at times, blur our judgment, pulling us towards fresh spaces without due diligence.

Switching to a more relaxed routine can have unexpected benefits. It offers a chance for organic growth, to inadvertently gather the tools and insights we need. Rather than a hasty jump, we should be laying our foundations brick by brick, ensuring our next steps are on solid ground.

With that said, there are some hard truths we must confront.

Facing the Reality

Let’s be real, there’s a huge gap between the cozy idea of building something and the actual grind it takes to bring such a dream to life.

There are some harsh truths we need to face:

• Building something you love, in the way you love, in your spare time sounds pretty sweet, doesn’t it? But have you checked if there’s actually a demand for it?
• Do you even have any spare time? I mean the kind of free time where you’re not swamped with the usual adulting experience.
• And if by some miracle you do, is your mind really free, fresh, and bubbling with creativity to whip up solutions to real-world problems?
• Have you given a thought to how long it might take you to pull it off, given your current schedule?
• Do you possess all the know-how to take it from a mere idea to a full-blown product? And if not, do you have the bucks to pay someone who does?

These aren’t just idle questions; they're the stepping stones to understanding the nuts and bolts of creating a service amid the chaos of daily life.

They push us to see if our big ideas are just castles in the sky or foundations for the future.

In my case, creating this solution meant I had to arm myself with knowledge in several domains including cloud deployment, architecture, user-facing app development, databases, scaling, design, marketing, SEO, and sales.

While I had some grasp of these areas, I certainly didn’t know everything, and there was a significant learning curve involved.

Moreover, the relentless context switching between these diverse areas often made the experience less rewarding compared to the idyllic visualization that had originally inspired me to embark on this project.

Keeping the project running was also like watching money pour out non-stop. Servers, tools, and other tech stuff; all these came with a hefty price tag every month. A relentless drain on the wallet, making the whole venture feel way more costly and less rewarding than I’d hoped.

That period can stretch out longer than you might think.

Two Things

I’ll let you something, I'll tell you something: deep down, many of us are searching for a sanctuary, a personal nook where, for a few cherished hours, we can detach from the monotony of daily chores and work grind. It becomes our zen moment, our retreat from the world. You might think, “I’m doing this to carve my own path,” picturing a future unfettered by schedules or demands.

But here's the caveat: without a clear vision, this refuge can quickly become a mirage. Instead of a path to freedom, it may end up being a draining endeavor, siphoning away precious time and energy. The time that could have been spent with loved ones, fulfilling non-work-related responsibilities, or even simply caring for oneself. Building for the sake of building, without direction or purpose, can be as taxing as any demanding job.

And here’s another piece of reality, achieving this dream isn’t easy. You try to carve out time, in those precious moments between work and obligations, adding more stress to an already packed life.

In those weary moments, you might find yourself re-appreciating the simplicity and predictability of your 9-to-5. It lets you switch off, lleaving you to enjoy the lighter sides of life, family, Netflix, games, and extended meal times.

It makes you wonder if the "ordinary" life isn’t so bad after all, doesn’t it?

But then, there’s always that moment when something inside you starts itching again. It makes you look at another project, thinking it might be your next great escape, another beacon of hope.

I’m sharing this more as a reflection of personal experiences than anything else. I’ve walked this path time and again and have seen friends and colleagues wrestle with the same cycles.

My intention isn’t to dampen your spirits or dissuade you from your adventure.

I’m not here to discourage you but rather to shed light on some potential pitfalls and guide you around them. Offer you the clarity to make informed choices, allowing you to progress perhaps faster than expected. But remember, real change doesn’t happen overnight.

My own path

From a young age, technology enthralled me. The allure of circuits, code, and innovations captured my imagination. But as I delved deeper into the professional world, I realized that real work was a tapestry of many threads, some brilliant and exciting, others unexpectedly intricate and challenging.

While my childhood fascination evolved into a full-fledged passion, life, with its inherent unpredictability, presented situations riddled with hurdles. True, there are workplaces that foster a cool environment for creation and production, but they are not the norm. More often than not, I found that not all organizations effectively cultivated spaces where one could effortlessly bring visions to life.

It's in these challenging environments, where expectations and reality clash, that subtle strains begin to emerge in our psyche. The constant friction, and the unmet aspirations, start wearing down even the most resilient of minds.

There's a deeper realm within our consciousness, not just the surface level we're acquainted with daily, that sometimes begins to assert itself. When pushed too far, this part decides it’s time to intervene.

For me, its manifestation was neither loud nor immediate. It began with an overwhelming fatigue, followed by a sensation I can best describe as disconnection. Days became a haze; I'd stare at the screen, the familiar symbols and lines now alien, unable to discern their meaning.

I’d stare at the screen, unable to make sense of what was in front of me. Even though my eyes were fine, focusing became impossible. The screen seemed to shrink, making everything on it unseeable.

Downright torturous.

While my real eyes were working just fine, as the oculist assured, the eyes within my mind were distorting everything.

The internal representation of the world had started to glitch

New phase

I reached a point where I just had to walk away. To sum it up, I found myself yearning to do something more hands-on, something where I could repeat and perfect, and something artistic.

Stepping into the unknown felt dizzying, but it seemed safer than staying in a situation that was falling apart.

I don’t mean to make my life sound like a dramatic saga, but after really getting into restoration and cooking, I ended up in some far-off place.

In that new setting, my days were intense, following a rhythm reminiscent of a well-practiced martial art. Cooking in a bustling restaurant demanded fluidity and precision in movement, much like a practitioner who relies on instinct over thought during a bout.

Every afternoon, my body moved with a natural ease, reacting more than deliberating. However, whenever my mind tried to overthink or control the flow, the martial art lost its seamless execution, and the once fluid movements became disjointed and strained.

Day in, day out, I poured everything into the work, often finding myself completely wiped out, but there was a certain peace that would come over me as we wrapped up service each night.

Sure, the perfectionist in me was constantly tinkering, experimenting with new culinary creations, but mostly, it was about enjoying those quiet moments, sharing a meal with my team, and then, no matter how late, getting to finally relax.

It wasn’t a daily race against the clock; it was about a steady rhythm, starting in the afternoon with preparations and planning. Every day was a cycle of the same tasks, my hands getting more adept with each repetition.

The First Big Takeaway

A mind that isn’t constantly under pressure to create can accomplish so much more.

Just an hour or two a day, even in a laid-back way, got me further than the structured eight hours a day back when cooking wasn’t my day job.

Ironically, it was during this cooking phase, after taking a break from the tech world, that my explorations in the digital realm really took off. I wasn’t even trying to create some big tech product. My main goal was just to dive deeper into the world of technology, a venture I got around to eventually.

This allowed me to spend my mornings tinkering around with code, playing, and learning, just like a kid. There were no restrictions on the kind of technology I could explore, no market demands dictating which tech skills were in vogue.

If I wanted to crack code puzzles, I could just lose myself in them for weeks.

The Second Big Realization

Being around people and communicating in environments less centered around technology fires up parts of your brain that don't get much action when you’re just staring at a screen for hours, solving the same old problems.

And I’m not just talking about becoming more chatty or learning how to use the right tone of voice—it’s also about how you move.

Your body gets into a rhythm that might not seem important at first glance, but it really makes a difference when it comes to getting things done, whether you’re selling a product or just selling yourself

The Key Takeaway

I Lester Burnhamed it, with a happier twist that made things click. It wasn’t about giving up; it was about freeing up—my mind, my time, my life. For the first time, I saw how powerful a relaxed brain could be.

Here's Something to Keep in Mind

Taking the scenic route might actually get you there faster. You probably don't need to take a radical path to realize it. Here's how:

Start Small, Aim Specific

• Forget the giant projects for now. Jump into small, focused tasks that stick to what you know and love. Learn something new every day. Leave the old stuff behind.
• Taking on big, real-world problems all at once? It’s a tall order, especially when it’s just you, with limited time, trying to cover all bases. Every little detail, every single corner case; it can be too much when you’re flying solo.
• Stick to little tasks. Don’t rush to connect all the dots. Share what you find, and put it out there for the world to see. The time will come to piece it all together into something big and real.
• Keep it simple and stress-free. Learn, and grow, and when you’re ready, everything will fall into place.

Float Above the Uneven Ground

• Maybe quitting your job and changing your life isn’t in the cards right now, and that’s okay.
• Sometimes a mundane, boring but stress-free job, can become the perfect ground for learning and growing as long as you keep some time for yourself and have the means to pursue what truly matters to you.
• You don’t need radical shifts to gain clarity and focus on what truly matters.
• Ditch the endless, go-nowhere debates on social media. Step away, tune out the noise, and just listen for a while.
• Find the voices that speak to you, the ones that draw you closer to your goals, and cling to them.
• Start being mindful of the conversations you engage in. It may seem unusual at first, especially if you're accustomed to participating in discussions that ignite your passions but have little to do with your personal development.
• Avoid the things that only add noise to your life. Embrace what brings you mental clarity, order, and purpose.

Speak Your Mind

• Start communicating more. Engage in conversations, discuss your ideas, and refine your articulation.
• Consider attending workshops. Use them as a tool to sharpen your verbal and non-verbal communication skills.
• Dive into learning marketing and persuasive writing. It’s crucial when it's time to present your services to the world.
• Focus on controlling your voice and gestures. Small changes can make a big difference in how you're perceived.
• Always prioritize selling and appreciating your own skills. Value yourself and what you bring to the table first.
• Seek connections with those who share or respect your vision. Stick with the people who get what you're about.
• Slowly establish your presence both online and offline. A consistent and result-oriented footprint in public forums can establish your authority in your niche.
• Before developing a service, spend some time working on yourself. Become a well-rounded individual ready to handle the challenges ahead.
• Focusing on the product feels like the quickest way to success, but trust me, smoothing out your rough edges first will actually get you there faster and wiser.

This is all for now
See you next time!