When Passion Burns You Out

As someone who helps people navigate burnout (and who's experienced it first-hand), this HBR article,“When Passion Leads to Burnout”, stopped me in my tracks. We often assume burnout comes from doing work we can’t stand, long hours, or ineffective leadership—and yes, those are real factors. But what about burnout from doing what we love? Passion-driven work can be just as exhausting—sometimes more so. When work feels meaningful, it’s easy to pour in more hours, more energy, more of yourself until there’s little left.

In the article, they reference two key burnout risk factors from The Mayo Clinic that hit home:
➡ “You identify so strongly with work that you lack balance between your work life and your personal life.”
➡ “You work in a helping profession.”

Sound familiar? Yes, the "always-on" culture and phone addiction play a role. And yes, some workplaces push employees to exhaustion. But we also can’t ignore the burnout that comes from loving our work so much that stepping away feels impossible. If this resonates, you’re not alone. Burnout isn’t always about hating your job—sometimes, it’s about loving it too much.

Have you ever experienced burnout doing work you love? How do you set boundaries when your passion is your profession?