From Constant Recovery to Sustainable Excellence

"I don't want work that I need to recover from."

If that sentence resonates with you, you're not alone.

Here's what I want you to know: Your instinct that work shouldn't require constant recovery isn't entitlement. It's evolution. You've grown past the old story, and now you're ready for something better.

For years, I've heard and seen colleagues describe themselves as "recovering journalists," as if the job itself is a wound that we're all expected to nurse forever. And I'll be honest: that just never sat right with me.

Not because the work isn't grueling—it really is. Not because the stress isn't crushing—it really can be. But because we've accepted the idea that exhaustion is the price of excellence. That the only way to do meaningful work is to burn ourselves down completely, then somehow rise again the next morning.

I lived that way for 26 years. The late-night Slack messages. The Sunday calls that shattered a restful weekend. The low-grade anxiety that never quite left my body.

But here's the truth we rarely admit: we created this culture. Which means we can also reimagine it.

Other demanding fields build in recovery. Doctors emerge from residency and find balance. Athletes push through seasons but take real off-seasons. Even lawyers—yes, lawyers—are talking seriously about integration and sustainability.

Journalists? We just recover, constantly. It feels like being on a hamster wheel.

But what if recovery isn't enough? What if you've hit the point where you're done—when you need an offramp?

That doesn't mean abandoning your identity or devaluing the skills you've sharpened for decades. It means recognizing that burnout is a signal, not a sentence. It's a checkpoint asking: What else might be possible with the talents I already have?

The Adrian Wojnarowski Wake-Up Call

When Adrian Wojnarowski walked away from ESPN—from millions of dollars and the pinnacle of sports journalism—the industry was shocked. But those of us who've lived in high-pressure newsrooms understood right away.

His departure letter said it all: "Time isn't in endless supply."

Think about that. Here's someone at the absolute peak of their profession, with unmatched access and influence, saying: This isn't sustainable. This isn't how I want to spend my remaining years.

Woj understood something that many of us miss: Having a calling doesn't mean accepting any terms. Being mission-oriented doesn't mean sacrificing everything at the altar of the work.

The reaction was telling. Some called him crazy for leaving money on the table. Others called him brave for choosing differently. And some whispered to themselves: "I wish I could do that, too."

What Woj's decision means for you: You don't need to be at the pinnacle of your profession to make this choice. You don't need millions in the bank. You just need clarity about what matters most and the courage to act on it. His story gives you permission to question your own unsustainable pace.

Why Your Dedication Makes This Harder (And What to Do About It)

Here's what makes this particularly challenging for mission-driven professionals: We're not just doing a job. We believe we're serving something bigger.

Journalists protect democracy. Teachers shape futures. Healthcare workers save lives. When your work has that weight, stepping back feels like abandonment.

But consider this: What if sustainability is also part of your mission?

What if the best way to serve your calling is to ensure you can do it for decades, not just years? What if the real sacrifice isn't your health but your ego—the part that needs to be the hero who never rests?

Athletes understand this. Tom Brady didn't play every snap. He protected himself strategically so he could play into his 40s. LeBron James spends over a million dollars annually on recovery because longevity is the goal.

Yet in journalism, in teaching, in so many mission-driven fields, we act like burnout is noble. Like exhaustion equals commitment.

Reframing Sacrifice and Service

The people I coach often struggle with guilt when they consider leaving demanding roles. "But this is important work," they say. "People depend on me."

Yes, and that's exactly why you need to be strategic about sustainability.

What this means for your career: You get to redefine what commitment looks like. You get to choose which sacrifices actually serve your mission and which ones just serve a broken system. Think about the trade-offs you're actually making:

• Short-term intensity vs. long-term impact

• Being everything to everyone vs. being excellent at what matters most

• Momentary heroics vs. sustained contribution

• Individual martyrdom vs. systemic change

The hardest truth? Sometimes the most radical act is refusing to take part in a broken system. Sometimes the best way to honor your calling is to reimagine how it's pursued.

Creating Your Sustainable Mission

If you're ready to stop needing recovery from your work, let’s start here:

Define your non-negotiables: What aspects of your mission are essential? What parts are just tradition or expectation?

Identify energy drains vs. energy sources: Which parts of your work genuinely fuel you? Which parts are slowly depleting your reserves?

Question the culture, not yourself: Is exhaustion really required for excellence, or is that just what we've been told?

Consider new models: How could you pursue your mission in a way that sustains rather than depletes you?

Remember: You're not abandoning your calling by seeking sustainability. You're making sure you can answer it for years to come.

The Choice Is Yours

You have more options than you think. Your skills are more transferable than you realize. Your mission can be pursued in ways you haven't yet imagined.

The question isn't whether meaningful work requires suffering. The question is whether you're ready to prove it doesn't.

What's one aspect of your work that exhausts you most—and what would it look like to transform or eliminate it? Share your thoughts in the comments—whether you're contemplating change or have already made it.

I’m Richard Taliaferro. I’m a certified career coach specializing in helping mid-stage professionals gain clarity on their career journey. I’ve written a guide on how to escape the work hamster wheel. Click here to download yours.