Tough Love Thursday: AITA or Do I Rest and Recover?

"Am I an a**hole?"

First, Shana Tovah to everyone celebrating Rosh Hashanah! In this high holiday's spirit of introspection, it's the perfect time for a Tough Love Thursday. Let's talk about how you rest and recover, and why that matters.

So, as you approach the weekend and new year, it might be time to ask yourself: "am I an a**hole?"

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting different results. Being an a-word can be similar: thinking toughness can outsmart science.

Quick story. Years ago, I was training hard to get into fight shape, and my elbow started swelling. My doctor diagnosed tendonitis—where a tendon gets inflamed, usually from overuse. The only effective treatment is to rest the affected tendon, along with using ice and anti-inflammatories, until it heals.

After my appointment, I immediately returned to the gym. While grimacing through a set of pull-ups, I told my coach about the diagnosis. After a pause, he asked, "Are you an a**hole?"

"How do you treat tendonitis?" he demanded. "Rest it," I said. "Does it get better if you keep inflaming it?" With growing awareness, I replied, "No."

"And what are you doing?" "Not... resting it," I answered. "So, are you an a**hole?"

I had to admit, at that moment, yes, I was. I thought grit could overcome an overuse injury, pushing through would help me reach my goals. I was wrong. I stopped, reconfigured my approach, rested, and my elbow healed.

Now back to you. Yesterday at the gym, I saw a TV monitor showing exercise tips. The number 1 tip? DON'T SKIP REST DAYS. The science is simple: without rest, your muscles won't heal or grow properly, and you're flirting with injury.

The same applies to you, knowledge workers and constant hustlers. Skipping rest stunts your growth and invites burnout or illness. Rest is essential, not weakness. It’s the science of optimal performance. So this weekend, and this year, don’t be the a-word. Take the rest you need to recover, then crush your goals.

I believe in you!