Having passion for your job is one of the best things that can happen to you. But you cannot let that passion become the path to your burnout. What do I mean by that? I am referring to the kind of passion that makes you go above and beyond nonstop, the kind that does not let your mind shut down or your body take a break.

I am not saying do not have passion or do not go above and beyond. I am saying do not let it consume you.

I am guilty of this myself. I love my job. I love the opportunity I get to impact student athletes and others within the community by helping them grow, become healthier, and stay available. But I have also poured so much of myself into my work that it has led to burnout. Long hours. Constantly checking on everyone else. Not taking enough time to decompress or truly disconnect from work. Always on the go, go, go.

And it was not just because I wanted to be.

I remember my first job as an athletic trainer. I was fresh out of my master’s program and landed a Division III position. It sounded amazing. Only ten sports at a small, female led college. Until it turned into, “You are currently our only AT.” And do not get me wrong, I loved it there. I learned so much.

Thankfully, I had two amazing colleagues who helped when they could. But I remember one day, probably after weeks of working sixteen hour days, calling and saying, “I need someone to come cover for me because I am feeling the burnout and my athletes deserve the best.”

Some people might think that was weak. Honestly, I thought that too. But the reality is that it was strong. I knew I needed help.

It took about a month before I had my first real day off.

I remember it vividly because I was in NYC with a few friends. It was a Sunday. There was only one practice scheduled around 3:30 or 4:00 p.m., and it was supposed to be covered. Everything had been planned for over a week.

Or so I thought.

Around 1:45 p.m., I got a call from my supervisor saying the coverage was not going to be possible. I was confused and concerned. Long story short, I could not make it back in time. I was far away. Thankfully, those same two amazing colleagues figured out a way to get to that practice.

But that did not stop my supervisor from sending me a long message saying that if I was the point of contact and circumstances changed, I needed to drop everything and get back to campus.

I was furious.

I was not getting paid much. I was working every single day for around sixteen hours. I was already burnt out but trying to push through because “that is just how the profession is sometimes.” Even my friends, who were also athletic trainers, could not believe it.

I had essentially become the Head Athletic Trainer without the title or the salary.

That experience forced me to confront something I had not thought about yet. When passion meets poor boundaries and broken systems, it turns into exploitation instead of fulfillment. Passion became the excuse for overwork, unrealistic expectations, and ignoring basic human limits.

All of this is to say, do not let your passion for your job lead you to burnout.

Yes, I burned out, and it happened early in my career. But I found a way to care deeply about my athletes, my job, and my profession while also taking care of myself. I truly believe that is the ultimate goal. Finding balance in the things that bring you joy so they do not become the very things that drain you.

Passion should fuel you, not consume you.

This is a series because there is so much about passion in this profession that needs to be talked about.

If you are feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, or stretched too thin, I hope this reminds you that you are not weak for needing rest and you are not wrong for wanting balance. You can care deeply about your athletes and your career without sacrificing yourself in the process.

In the next part of this series, I will talk about what it looks like to protect your passion through boundaries and self care in a profession that often glorifies overworking.

Asking for help isn’t weakness. Take care of yourself!

See y’all in the next one.
-C