Burnout rarely arrives suddenly. Long before the mind recognises it, the body has usually been sending signals. Fatigue, tension, discomfort, or a quiet sense that something is not right often appear before we can label the experience as burnout.
In this episode of the Women Emerging podcast, Veronique Bourbeau, a record-breaking ultramarathoner, CEO and founder of Run4Humanity, reflects on what running thousands of kilometres has taught her about burnout and resilience. Her experience shows that preventing burnout when leading is less about pushing harder and more about learning to listen to the signals that the body sends before the mind tries to override them.
Listen to Your Body
One of the most striking ideas in Veronique’s reflections is that burnout is often felt physically before it is understood mentally.
When pressure builds, the body usually reacts first. Pain, exhaustion, disrupted sleep, or emotional heaviness appear before the mind fully registers what is happening. Yet many people ignore these signals because they have been trained to keep going regardless.
Veronique explains that the real danger begins when we stop acknowledging how we feel. Instead of recognising the signals, we try to convince ourselves that everything is fine. Over time, this disconnect between how we feel and how we think we should feel becomes unsustainable.
Recognising difficult moments is not weakness. In fact, one of the most important steps in preventing burnout when leading is giving yourself permission to say: I am not okay today. Accepting that reality allows the process of recovery and adjustment to begin.
I am not okay today
Why Purpose Matters in Preventing Burnout
Running thousands of kilometres brings inevitable moments of doubt. Physical pain, exhaustion, and uncertainty can all appear at the same time.
In those moments, Veronique does not focus on the finish line. Instead, she focuses on the next step in front of her — the next kilometre, the next breath, the next action she can realistically take.
Breaking overwhelming challenges into smaller, manageable steps allows progress to continue even when the larger goal feels impossible.
Purpose also plays a powerful role. Veronique’s running is connected to a larger mission: expanding access to clean water through Run4Humanity. When actions are linked to something bigger than individual achievement, the difficult moments feel part of a meaningful journey rather than obstacles that must be avoided.
This idea extends far beyond endurance sport. Purpose helps transform pressure into direction.
What Veronique Leaves Us Thinking About
1. Pay attention to physical warning signs
Burnout often appears in the body before it appears in the mind. Fatigue, tension, and discomfort may signal that something deeper needs attention.
2. Acknowledge when you are not okay
Pretending everything is fine can deepen exhaustion. Recognising difficult moments is often the first step toward recovery.
3. Stop focusing only on being better
When pressure increases, constantly trying to improve can add stress. Instead, begin by noticing how you feel in the present moment.
4. Focus on the next small step
Overwhelming challenges become manageable when they are broken down into the next action that can be taken right now.
5. Be kind to yourself when energy is low
Burnout recovery is not about forcing more effort. Sometimes the most effective response is reducing pressure and focusing only on what truly matters.
6. Reflect on what needs to change
Moments of burnout can reveal expectations, pressures, or habits that are no longer serving you.
Burnout is not simply the result of working too hard. Often it is the result of ignoring the signals that the body has been sending for some time.
Learning to listen to physical signals, emotional responses, and deeper purpose can change the way we respond to pressure when leading.
To hear Veronique Bourbeau reflect on resilience, endurance, and recognising burnout before it overwhelms us, listen to the full conversation on the Women Emerging podcast.
One Comment
Very insightful.