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I swear to God, I am NOT going to burn out again.
Last year I got so sick I went to hospital twice in 2 days. In an ambulance each time. (Always make sure you're top of triage, folks...)
Was the worst Christmas ever.
And I swore this year I would readjust.
But here's the thing about us solo operators—we're addicted to being the hero. The one who handles everything. The irreplaceable genius who keeps all the plates spinning.
Until the plates start falling. And we end up face-first on a gurney with chest pain, wondering how the hell we got here again.
🔗 Stuff Worth Clicking
The Compound Effect of Small Overwhelms
Brilliant research on how tiny daily stresses stack up like compound interest—but in reverse. You don't notice until you're drowning.
Obsidian Task Management Setup
Skip the productivity porn. This is the cleanest task system I've seen that doesn't require a PhD in project management to operate.
Why Your Brain Lies About Capacity
Neuroscience behind why we think we can handle "just one more thing" when we're already at breaking point. Spoiler: your brain is an optimistic idiot.
The Burnout Recovery Paradox
Why recovering from burnout often makes you more susceptible to it happening again. Dark but necessary reading.
💸 One Worthy Tactic: The Bucket System
Here's what saved my arse this month:
I picked up contracting again. Started Lone Wolf Unleashed. Then two random sales meetings dropped into my calendar—and I closed them both. (WTF?!)
Suddenly I'd DOUBLED my buckets. Recipe for disaster.
So I got on the front foot with what I call the Bucket System:
List every "bucket" you're juggling (contracting, side business, family, health, whatever)
Set up automatic sorting in your task system (I use Obsidian with tags)
Create one command that drops tasks into the right bucket without thinking
In Obsidian: ctrl+alt+T creates a task, tags automatically sort it into buckets.
Result: Nothing slips through cracks. No more hero complex. No more ambulances.
The magic isn't the tool—it's admitting you're human and need systems that work when your brain doesn't.
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🐺 The Wolf's Rant: The Hero Complex Will Kill You
We solo operators love being the hero.
The one who remembers everything. Who handles the emergencies. Who never drops the ball.
It's intoxicating. Clients love it. We feel important. Irreplaceable.
But here's the brutal truth: Heroes die young in movies for a reason.
I spent last Christmas in hospital because I thought I could handle everything in my head. Because admitting I needed systems felt like admitting weakness.
Bollocks.
The strongest thing you can do is build systems that work when you don't. That catch the balls you're going to drop. That keep your business running when your body says "enough."
Your ego wants you to be the hero. Your family needs you to be smart enough to survive.
Choose wisely.
Switch Off Sooner. Live Larger.
P.S. - Hospital gowns have zero dignity. Plan accordingly.
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