Substance Abuse


A good number of invincible executives—despite their forward-looking attitude, family time, less need for sleep, and good work-out habits—do experience burnout. What causes it and how do they handle it?

One major cause of career burnout is substance abuse. Some of our most prominent politicians and jurists have admitted to substance abuse issues in their lives. There have been reports that President Bush had an alcohol problem when he was a young adult. Chief Justice Rehnquist developed a problem with prescription painkillers after years of excruciating back pain. Three people I interviewed for the book confidentially confessed to having burned out due to a substance abuse problem—alcohol in two cases, drugs in the other.

If a president, chief justice, and multiple top executives can succumb to substance abuse, so can you. Never delude yourself into thinking that you are too strong or successful to become dependent on a chemical. In fact, my informal research reveals that substance abuse tends to strike intelligent, creative, and charismatic people at least as often as it strikes those who are down and out. The greatest enemy to defeating a substance abuse problem is self-delusion.

"At first the drugs actually energized me, but it was like a snow-balling mortgage on my life. For every couple of hours of extra lift I could get immediately, I needed a full day or more of recovery time," one of my interviewees told me. The other, an admitted alcoholic, said he began drinking to overcome shyness in social situations. "As I started to gain professional success, I was expected to do more socializing—at home, after work, at fund-raisers—and I found that a few drinks made the conversation easier."

In each case, it took about a year for the problem to manifest itself in the traditional ways—interfering with work and family life. And in each case, the invincible executive (1) admitted the problem outright; (2) sought help—from friends, family, and/or professionals; (3) went "cold turkey" and never looked back; and (4) as part of his own therapy, committed some time to helping others who had similar problems.

Another major cause of burnout is weathering a professional storm. I spoke earlier about how Sheryl Crow had to deal with biting statements from band members and coworkers after the success of her first CD. That left her feeling burned out. I also spoke about how aerospace executive Tom Gunn had to weather a two-year federal investigation into bribery that ultimately led to his exoneration.

Despite the differences in their professions, both Crow and Gunn handled the burnout associated with unfair accusations in a similar manner. Both opted for a change in scenery. Crow went from Los Angeles to her Missouri home and on to Europe; Gunn moved from St. Louis to Phoenix. A change in physical location—even if just for a couple of weeks—really helps you overcome burnout and other similarly stressful situations. Both did a lot of reading, as well. Crow read The Fountainhead, for example. Immersing yourself in another world—one where there is suffering and renewal—is also a critical element of overcoming burnout. Finally, every executive who admitted to burnout looked inward for guidance. Even those who were not previously religious added a spiritual dimension to their lives during times of crisis.




Staying Power. 30 Secrets Invincible Executives Use for Getting to the Top - and Staying There
Staying Power : 30 Secrets Invincible Executives Use for Getting to the Top - and Staying There
ISBN: 0071395172
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2003
Pages: 174

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