| One phenomenon I’ve noticed is the outsized number of tech entrepreneurs, start-up founders, and workaholics who get really really into endurance sports. The correlation is undeniable and it goes both ways. I know a ton of endurance guys from my youth who I grew up training with and competing against that ended up starting their own businesses. They poured themselves into their work and became very successful after their endurance careers dried up. I started to wonder, what’s going on here? Part of the explanation for the obsession with endurance sports among tech workers and start-up founders is that their foundation for what constitutes good health and fitness is entirely wrong—like most people out there. They drop $10K on a nice bike and put in 20-30 miles on the pavement every weekend while avoiding any weight training or sprinting because they mistakenly think that’s the best way to be fit, healthy and live long. However, a commonality I see between these two groups—elite endurance athletes and high-level tech workers—is that both are very good at enduring pain. They can handle drudgery and persist through extreme discomfort, whether physical or mental. But here’s the thing about all that. Just because you can endure the discomfort doesn’t mean you should. The ability to endure the oxidative stress, tissue breakdown, and burning pain inherent to single-minded mental and physical focus doesn't imply you aren't going to be damaged by those things. The stress is still hurting you. It’s still impeding your family life. It’s still cutting into your ability to be happy. Endurance is a valuable skill that should be cultivated but not abused. Use it sparingly and always recover from it. Endurance athletes need more protein than strength athletes, and I bet it's similar for start-up founders and workaholics. They need more sleep, more sun, and more time to decompress. If this newsletter describes you, make sure you're taking care of yourself. The mental toll bleeds into the physical realm. Have you noticed this correlation too? Have you ever felt the physical effects of mental work? Let me know all about it in the comment section of this week's New and Noteworthy. | 