"Hard choices, easy life. Easy choices, hard life."
Jerzy Gregorek
World Champion Weightlifter and POET
- Date
The Pressure‑to‑Progress Playbook
posted in Built For Hard tools
Adam Kreek
A guide to turning burnout into purposeful strain
The Shift: Why Burnout Happens
Random, unstructured stress drains energy because it feels endless and pointless. Purposeful strain—work that is chosen, time‑boxed, and mission‑linked—charges the battery instead of depleting it.
The Hard Spectrum
Turn Random Stress into Purposeful Strain
- Unclear goals -> Clear, meaningful objective
- Reactive fire‑fighting -> Planned "hard reps"
- Drains morale -> Builds earned confidence
Mindset Check‑In
- Lizard – survival mode, defensive.
- Monkey – scattered, busy‑work.
- Builder – deliberate, mission‑focused.
Aim to start each work session in Builder mode.
The 5‑Step "Hard Rep" Method
- Name Your Mode
Identify Lizard, Monkey, or Builder before you act. - Link to Mission
Write one sentence on why this task matters to the bigger goal. - Structure the Rep
- Time‑block (25–50 min)
- Define "done" (measurable outcome)
- Build Support & Recovery
- Small reward at the finish line
- Micro‑rest: walk, water, breath reset
- Score the Gain
Track: reps completed, energy level, progress toward goal. Share on team board to make effort visible.
Quick‑Start Checklist
- Hold a 10‑min stand‑up to agree today’s hard reps.
- For each rep, note the mission link and done‑definition.
- Schedule a 5‑min victory huddle at day’s end.
- Review energy trends weekly; adjust rep length or recovery as needed.
14‑Day Experiment
Run the Hard Rep Method for two weeks and track:
- Team energy (1‑5 scale)
- Work completed vs. planned
- Sick days or unplanned absences
Share your highlights with us—we love good data.
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Adam Kreek is on a mission to positively impact organizational cultures and leaders who make things happen.
Kreek is an Executive Business Coach who lives in Victoria, BC, near Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and Seattle, Washington, USA, in the Pacific Northwest. He works with clients globally, often travelling to California in the San Francisco Bay Area, Atlanta, Georgia, Toronto, Ontario and Montreal, Quebec. He is an Olympic Gold Medalist, a storied adventurer and a father.
He authored the bestselling business book, The Responsibility Ethic: 12 Strategies Exceptional People Use to Do the Work and Make Success Happen.
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