Remember What the Summit Feels Like
Inspired by Andy Johns episode
Andy Johns' four-step transformation from burnout applies equally to exhausted parents grinding through the valley.
Andy Johns talks about getting through the valley by remembering what the summit feels like. In PM work, you survive burnout by understanding your suffering, seeking truth, practicing self-compassion.
You're in month seven of broken sleep. Your kid just launched a plate of chicken nuggets you cut into dinosaur shapes because the brontosaurus "looked sad." You can't remember your last conversation that didn't involve negotiating pants.
But there are summit moments. Last Tuesday they climbed into your lap with a book. That Thursday morning they said "I love you" unprompted, then immediately asked if boogers are food. The afternoon they fell asleep on your chest while you were trying to answer a Slack message.
These aren't the Instagram moments. They're just the actual summit. When you're in the valley at 3am with a screaming child who refuses to explain what's wrong, remembering these summits isn't toxic positivity. It's survival data. The valley ends. The good bits are real. The brontosaurus will eventually look happy enough.
