Purpose Is the Antidote to Burnout

October 27, 2025

Welcome to another beautiful week. When an idea sparks that I think is worth sharing, it becomes this weekly newsletter. If something hits home, write back. I love conversations. This is Weekly Spark #23.

Last week, I was part of a Mental well-being panel for founders. We spoke about the need to slow down, finding your own anchor, and how burnout and recovery look different for each person.

Burnout isn’t just about exhaustion. I think it is deeper than that. It’s about emptiness.

It’s what happens when you’re running fast but can’t remember why. Burnout is not only the late nights or endless Slack messages.

It is:

1. Waking up already tired.

2. Feeling busy but not alive.

3. Doing good work that no longer feels meaningful.

4. Achieving goals that look great on LinkedIn but feel hollow inside.

Burnout is what happens when activity replaces alignment. When your calendar is full but your heart is not.

As I was enjoying social connections, celebrating my son’s birthday over the weekend and reflecting on how I want to show up this week, it occurred to me… 

Purpose is the antidote to burnout!

Purpose doesn’t make the work easier. It makes the struggle worth it.

It gives pain direction. It transforms stress into service. It turns survival into significance.

He who has a why to live can bear almost any how. — Viktor Frankl

Purpose isn’t a slogan. It’s oxygen. When you lose it, even small tasks feel suffocating. When you find it, you can walk through fire and still stand tall.

What I See in Coachees and Teams

When individuals rediscover their purpose, everything changes:

Energy returns. Clarity replaces chaos. Action feels natural again.

When organisations help their people find purpose, metrics follow — engagement, performance, retention. But more than that, culture becomes human again.

Because purpose builds resilience.

You can’t “train” someone to stay motivated — but you can help them remember why they started.

🌱 How to Start

If you feel you’re drifting, start small. 

Ask yourself: 

• When do I feel most alive? 

• What would I do even if no one paid me?

• Whose life improves when I show up fully?

Write the answers. Then read them out loud. There’s your clue.

💬 Final Spark

Burnout is the body’s way of saying,

“You’re spending energy on something that doesn’t matter enough.”

The antidote isn’t a vacation. It’s vocation.

Find your purpose — and the fire will follow.

With clarity and courage, Utkarsh

(Coach | Founder, IgnitedNeurons | Believer in Purpose over Pressure)