Unveiling the Passion Paradox: Kevin Hart's Insights on Avoiding Burnout
Kevin Hart's Secrets For Avoiding Burnout
Hi everyone!
I’m closing this series of articles about Vital Energy - joy, fun, passion, and purpose - with a newsletter about the hidden threats and dangers when harnessing the power of passion and purpose.
In this newsletter, I’ll talk about the “Passion Paradox” or the “Dark Side of Passion and Purpose”.
This past weekend I watched Kevin Hart’s documentary Don’t F**k This Up! on Netflix and it got me fired up!
Kevin Hart is such an inspiring guy and one of the most driven and successful actors in Hollywood.
His inner fire and desire to do more, be better, and impact the world on a grand scale is contagious!
I remember back to 2019 when I first heard Kevin Hart talk about all these things on the Joe Rogan Podcast (episode #1275). I remember I was outwardly moved and inspired by his story of how he came from nothing and became the biggest comedian in the world, running his empire consisting of businesses, production houses, supplement lines, etc.
Binge-watching the series on Sunday - one of my favorite ways to totally and completely relax, chill out, and destress - reminded me of my desire and mission to impact the world and people around me in a positive way, trying to make the world a better place, and hopefully leave some legacy behind.
But achieving success, and making an impact on the people and the world requires sacrifices - the bigger the mission, the bigger the sacrifices required.
The Dark Side of Passion and Purpose
As I talked about in one of my recent newsletters, even though passion and purpose are some of the most significant factors for our energy, well-being, and resilience against fatigue and burnout, there’s a dark side to it.
It’s the so-called “Passion Paradox” or the “Dark Side of Passion and Purpose”.
Anything can be bad and harmful in excess - including things that are good and beneficial for us.
Passion and purpose are like fire: they light up a spark in us, unleash a reservoir of energy and well-being, keep us motivated and focused on the now and path forward, and lower life stress, anxiety, and even depression.
However, we have to be careful: if we don't know how to play with fire, we will get burned. When demands and ambitions derived from passion and purpose surpass our capabilities, that’s when problems can occur.
Pushing ourselves forward while being in red REVs is the road to disaster - burnout is one of them.
Kevin’s Secrets For Success and Avoiding Burnout
Why is it that some people can just keep going? Why is it that some people can just keep pushing and never run out of drive, energy, and strength?
The way I see it, there are a couple of major reasons why: genetics, lifestyle, mindset, psychological and spiritual factors, among others.
Here are my insights, speculations, and guesses on why Kevin can do so much, why he’s so successful, and how he’s able to avoid burning out.
1. Discipline
Ask any super successful person about what made them successful and the answer “discipline” will probably be very high in their list.
It’s the same for Kevin Hart. Discipline is a huge part of his identity and most of the credit for that goes to Kevin’s mom who was very strict with him growing up and taught him to work hard and never quit or give up.
Besides clearing time and space for us and enabling us to do things that we need to do, discipline also provides Energy for us. In the absence of distractions and indecision, focus and energy flow to activity at hand, giving us more energy to complete it.
2. Drive
Kevin Hart's relentless drive and determination are awe-inspiring. His pursuit of continuous improvement and his relentless quest to leave a lasting legacy remind us of the importance of ambition and striving for greatness.
However, this unyielding drive can sometimes push us beyond our limits, leading to burnout.
As Kevin himself exemplifies, the desire to be better, do more, and leave a legacy should be balanced with self-care and mindful attention to mental and physical health.
3. Find The Switch
Balance is hard to obtain. Sylvester Stallone in his new documentary SLY - lately so many fantastic documentaries came to Netflix (Kevin Hart’s, David Beckham’s, Sylvester Stalone’s, Robbie Williams’, Ilary Blasi’s - ex-wife of footballer Francesco Totti) - says that you have to learn to juggle.
Each thing that we’re doing in life is like a ball, so we have to learn how to switch our focus from one to another and not lose sight of the wrong one.
The more roles/responsibilities we have in life, the more precise we need to be, with our allocation of time, energy & resources. The more balls we have in the air, the less margin for error.
Kevin seems to nail this one. On the Joe Rogan podcast, he explained that he found his switch and learned how to turn it off. When he comes home from work, he puts his phone away and leaves his laptop at the office so he can be fully present in the house with his family, wife, and kids. His home is his safe place where he can switch off completely, rejuvenate, and recover his energy.
Kevin also says that he’s a “cat napper”. He can fall asleep and take a nap very easily, which is a great tool to reset the nervous system, refresh the mind, and recover some energy.
Kevin’s found his switch and is using it daily. What’s your switch and how can you use it more?
4. Love and Family
Kevin Hart's emphasis on the significance of love and family serves as a crucial antidote to burnout.
Amidst his packed schedule and tireless pursuit of success, Kevin finds solace and restoration in his family.
Family and love act as a sanctuary where one can find support, recharge emotionally, and regain the energy needed to face life's challenges.
5. Community
Throughout the documentary, Kevin repeatedly acknowledges the vital role of community and support systems.
He emphasizes that success isn't achieved in isolation; it's a collaborative effort. Kevin said multiple times throughout the series that he couldn't have done it alone, not without his brothers.
Building a supportive network, seeking help when needed, and being part of a community that shares similar goals and values can serve as a buffer against the detrimental effects of burnout.
As Kevin Hart's journey illustrates, achieving success and pursuing one's passion requires a delicate balance. While ambition and purpose drive us forward, it's essential to temper them with self-care, family time, and the support of a nurturing community.
Striking this balance not only safeguards against burnout but also ensures a sustainable and fulfilling pursuit of our goals.
Great post Jani. Great topic. I like how you’ve structured your post into sections. I feel many people on susbtack forget that we need to make our writing accessible to the scroller. Ie people who don’t have the time to read 1000 words but instead will scroll through picking up the gist through titles, bolded text and quotes. If we see something we like we then have the deeper text to read too.
Keep going. Love how you’re developing your Substack.