In partnership with
Hi everyone! Remember to click the “In partnership with Wallstreet Prep” above; this brings you directly to the “Wallstreet Prep” website and helps support my newsletter! There are two ads in this article; one from Wallstreet Prep (as seen above) and one from Particle! Also, just to clarify, you do NOT have to sign up or do anything past clicking the ads.
Cardiac Hypertrophy
“The cost of sustained overload quietly builds beneath the surface and slowly leads to collapse…” - Part 1.
You might think that by “collapse” I mean exhaustion. If so, you’ll be surprised to hear that, just like dysfunction is only the beginning of cardiac hypertrophy’s symptoms, exhaustion is nowhere near the final stage of overworking’s negative progression.
Part 2: What Burnout Really Does to You
As I covered in part 1 – in both cardiac hypertrophy and overworking – increased demand, either from more rigorous (high pressure) blood pumping or due to more job/school related work, leads to a compensatory action. In cardiac hypertrophy, this action is the thickening of either the heart chambers or the heart wall, and in overworking, this action can manifest as longer work hours, more effort, and more extreme perfectionism.
Initially, this action is successful at decreasing the tension that the heart – or you, in the case of overworking – feels. In overworking, more effort leads to a temporary sense of competence and control over your workload. But at some sudden point, this same action results in the reverse effect. In cardiac hypertrophy, the heart muscle grows so thick that it begins to become stiff and less efficient as fibrosis (stiff scar tissue) develops. Similarly, when you overwork yourself, your creativity and drive slowly begin to fade, and – due to brain fog, sleep disruption, and chronic stress – your mistakes increase and your efficiency decreases as burnout emerges. Just as the heart would likely fight against its decreasing efficiency through more expansion, you would try your best to resist burnout and push through the exhaustion. Nonetheless, this attempt would only increase the onset of eventual collapse: heart failure in cardiac hypertrophy, and possible death (yes, death) by extreme stress or overwork, also known as karoshi.
Now Men Can Fight Eye Bags From Home
Worried about eyebags, dark spots and wrinkles? Particle Face Cream is the #1 selling solution for men to tackle these issues. Boasting over 1,000,000 satisfied customers, Particle is easy, effective and worth adding to your routine. Get 20% off now with the code BH20!
Of course, karoshi is rare, but it is still possible and has occurred before.
To help you envision overworking in real life, let's review a short anecdote demonstrating overworking’s typical progression.
Alex started his second semester feeling invincible, viewing his extra effort as a helpful adaptation to a heavy workload. Much like the early stages of cardiac hypertrophy, his overworking was initially asymptomatic; Alex was convinced that consistently working was a necessary compensatory role for academic success.
But the transition to a pathological state was abrupt and shocking. One afternoon, Alex was blindsided when he felt short of breath and his heart began pounding during a routine walk to class. Brain fog also descended on Alex, leaving him stunned and unable to focus on a single sentence. He was horrified as he realized what was emerging: uncontrollable burnout. What Alex thought was an efficient engine of productivity had reached its "critical mass," transforming his peak performance into a sudden collapse.
Earn your PE certificate online. Build an MBA-style network.
The Wharton Online + Wall Street Prep Private Equity Certificate Program gives you the knowledge and tools top professionals use to analyze investment opportunities.
Learn from senior leaders at top firms like Carlyle, Blackstone, and KKR.
Get direct access to Wharton faculty in live office hours where concepts become clear, practical, and immediately applicable.
Study on your schedule with a flexible online format
Plus, join an active network of 5,000+ graduates from all over the world.
Enroll today and save $300 with code SAVE300.
Program begins February 9.
No matter how important the work, none of us want to find ourselves in Alex’s situation. Luckily, just as cardiac hypertrophy can be reversed, there is a different, healthier route in the face of an increased, overwhelming workload…
To be continued :)
Sources:
Images: