Burnout: It’s as Frustrating as a Broken Down Car

Have you ever thought about how much we can learn from the cars that we drive daily?  Just a couple of days ago, my wife had a friend scheduled to come hang out with her and our kids until her friend texted and said that her car had overheated and that she couldn’t make it.

Now… I want to be up front and let you know that I know very little about cars.  I am 34 years old and I have grown up in the generation that has never changed oil and pretty much is instructed to take our car in every time we see a light go on.  As a man in the church I grew up in said… “I know almost everything there is to know about ball, that is baseball, football, basketball, etc., but I have no clue when it comes to cars.”

However, when my wife told me that her friend could not make it because her car overheated, it got me wondering about why cars overheat.  After doing some brief research, this is what I found.  Cars overheat because there is something inside the cooling system of your car that is preventing the absorption, transportation or release of heat.  This can be caused by leaks, coolant issues, blocked hoses, radiator problems, a broken water pump, etc.  The site I looked at then said, “If you notice your car is overheating, turn the heat on in your car, as this will help move hot air out of the engine compartment, and bring it into a trusty mechanic right away. Ignoring the problem can cause your engine system to fail, which can mean thousands of dollars in repairs!”

Now… if you are still reading this blog you are probably wondering where I am going with all of this?  What do we have to learn from a car overheating?  How does this relate to my life?  Here are six key takeaways that I found from the overheating example.

Takeaway #1: Overheating Is Real and It’s Called Burnout

We might refer to our cars overheating, but when the same thing happens to us as individuals it is called “burnout.”  Here is how HealthGuide.org International describes burnout…

“Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet constant demands. As the stress continues, you begin to lose the interest and motivation that led you to take on a certain role in the first place.

Burnout reduces productivity and saps your energy, leaving you feeling increasingly helpless, hopeless, cynical, and resentful. Eventually, you may feel like you have nothing more to give.

The negative effects of burnout spill over into every area of life—including your home, work, and social life. Burnout can also cause long-term changes to your body that make you vulnerable to illnesses like colds and flu. Because of its many consequences, it’s important to deal with burnout right away.”

Takeaway #2: Burnout Is an Inside Problem

The next thing for us to take away is that burnout is an inside problem that we do not see the effects of until it gets bad enough.  You don’t usually walk through a parking lot and spot the cars that are overheating.  In fact, the only time you usually spot these cars is when they are on the side of the road and smoke is billowing up.

When we think about our lives, burnout or overheating always starts from the inside.  We like to blame burnout on our circumstances or relationships, but the reality is that burnout is an inside issue or heart issue.  Proverbs 4:23 says, “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”  Circumstances and relationships can influence behavior, but not determine it.  Ultimately, we have a sin problem deep in the core of our hearts that has the tendency of moving towards burnout instead of resting in our Savior.

Takeaway #3: There Are Many Things That Can Contribute to Overheating

Although burnout is a condition that starts in the heart, there are many things in life that can contribute to or influence burnout.  Just like we learned from an overheating car, there are many different problems that can lead to this overheating and burnout.  Here are a few…

• Lack of a relationship with God
• Not eating well or exercising
• Overworking
• Finding rest in money or possessions instead of God
• Lacking relationships
• Fear of man
• Using addictive substances or behaviors to cope with life instead of God

Psalm 139:23 says, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!”  If you are experiencing burnout, it starts with your sinful heart, but what is contributing?

Takeaway #4: When You See Overheating, Take Immediate Small Steps

If you have identified a burnout problem in your life and have noticed some contributing factors, start taking some small steps to make changes.  Not big steps… small steps!  92% of New Year’s Resolutions fail because they try to tackle big changes.  The Unstatus Your Quo® Growth Plan that we have developed tackles small changes or small steps.  This is key to burnout.  Your first small step is probably going to be to start spending time with God.  Check out a previous blog on this topic by clicking HERE.

Takeaway #5: Ignoring Overheating Can Cause System Failure

I highlighted a quote above when referring to cars that said… “Ignoring the problem can cause your engine system to fail.”  Have you ever heard the definition of insanity?  It is doing the same thing and expecting different results.  An overheating car will not just get better without a change.  The same is true for me and you.  Something has to happen!  Don’t ignore the problem.  Address burnout head on.  Seek help and start small.

Takeaway #6: Preventative Care Can Combat Overheating

If we are wise, we don’t just wait until there is something wrong with our car to take it in to the mechanic.  Instead, we routinely take our car in to have it serviced and checked out in order to prevent overheating and other issues from taking place.  The same is true with our lives.  Preventative care can help us avoid burnout.  Here are a few preventative tips…

• Spend time in prayer and in the Bible daily
• Eat healthy and exercise daily
• Put healthy boundaries on your work
• Be generous with your money and possessions
• Prioritize your wife and children
• Be deeply engaged in Christian community
• Be a part of God’s mission of making disciples

There are very few things in life that are as frustrating as car trouble.  Most of us have been there and have learned a few lessons along the way.  My prayer is that we would also learn some lessons about burnout and grow in our knowledge of God’s sovereignty and goodness.

Noah