By John Register, CSP, CPAE
High performance demands high recovery.
It’s a truth I learned not just through theory but also through sweat, sacrifice and some serious setbacks. As a track athlete training for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, I quickly learned that it wasn’t the hardest workouts that made me great—it was how well I recovered from them.
Our coaches built this into our training cycle. We called it periodization—three weeks of intense “loading” followed by one week of “offloading.” That lighter week wasn’t optional. It was strategic. Because if you couldn’t recover, you couldn’t train at full capacity. And if you couldn’t train fully, you couldn’t compete at your highest level.
Recovery involved massages, long naps, low-stress reading, active recovery swims and dedicated downtime. That rhythm sustained performance.
This same principle applies to leadership. Burnout doesn’t happen because work is too hard; it happens because rest is too rare.
Military Lessons: Recalibrating After the Field
In the Army, after intense field duty—full of tactical movement, zero sleep and high-stakes decisions—we didn’t just roll into the next mission. We debriefed. We cleaned gear. And then, our Commanders told us to take leave—sometimes for two weeks, sometimes a whole month. The goal? Reconnect with family. Reacclimate to daily life. Breathe. That rhythm wasn’t just military tradition—it was intentional humanization after high-stress performance.
Now, as a professional speaker, I apply the same discipline.
Speaking: Inventory Management with Rejuvenation
My inventory are the days in the calendar year. If I speak 50 times a year, I am on the road for around 100 days—a third of the year. That doesn’t account for prep days, travel days or days I return exhausted.
So, my team and I do something different: we block recovery time on the calendar before the year starts. Every October, we take key dates off the inventory. They’re untouchable. These aren’t vacations—they’re rejuvenation blocks. Rest, when scheduled, becomes a strategic, not a reactionary, approach.
Leading While Recharging
When I served as CEO of the Amputee Coalition, that recovery discipline paid off. I’d carved it into my leadership DNA—thankfully, long before I ever had a title. My mornings between 0600 and 0730 were non-negotiable. Pool time, no meetings, no calls, no emails. Just focus on emotional, mental and physical well-being. The team knew it and respected it.
Some might ask, “Who’s working at that hour?” Remember—we operate in a global economy. Time zones blur the boundaries. If you don’t protect the most critical hours, others will overrun them. I know—I’ve been guilty of answering emails at midnight. But I’ve also seen the consequences.
And I’ve learned: if I don’t pause, I can’t lead.
“The way we’re working isn’t working,” writes Tony Schwartz in his book by the same name, which helps us understand we don’t run like machines. We’re human, which means we operate best when we pulse between effort and renewal. We’re neglecting the four core drivers of high performance: physical sustainability, emotional security, mental expression and spiritual significance. If any of those run on empty, we’re not firing on all cylinders. It’s not about grinding out longer hours—it’s about recharging the right energy in the right rhythm. That’s the real key to sustained success. This recharge aligns with what athletes, Soldiers and top executives know intuitively: performance without renewal leads to collapse.
Resetting Is a Power Move
I said it on LinkedIn recently, and it bears repeating here:
“Resetting is not quitting. It’s not giving up. It’s a power move—a conscious decision to recharge so you can return with clarity, energy and renewed purpose.”
I used to believe hustle culture was the gold standard—grind harder, sleep less and success will follow. But when I lost my leg, I didn’t hustle forward blindly. I paused. I reevaluated. And from that space of rest, I reset my entire life. That break didn’t weaken me—it launched me. It made space for Paralympic medals, a new speaking career and a deeper understanding of resilience.
Look, I do not always get it right. In fact, at the end of 2024, I was moving too fast, and my body slowed me down. I became very sick, and even as I write this now, my body has not fully recovered.
Our bodies know when to slow.
Today, I reset often. I walk in nature, travel with my wife, Alice, meditate, pause to breathe and swim. These practices aren’t indulgences—they’re investments. Space creates vision. When I rest, I return with clearer goals, better decisions and the ability to move with intention instead of exhaustion.
Your Turn: Lead the Break
As a leader, your calendar reveals your values. Pull it up. Look at it day by day. Week by week. Month by month.
Where is your recovery?
Because if it’s not there, burnout is.
And here’s the challenge: don’t just schedule recovery for yourself. Lead your team to do the same. Model it. Protect it. Encourage it because a burnt-out team cannot sustain brilliance. But a rejuvenated one? That team innovates, executes and inspires.
I know we want to lead with grit. But grit without grace in recovery is a grind without growth.
Final Thought: The Champion Mindset
Recovery isn’t a weakness. It’s wisdom.
Whether you’re in the C-suite or just getting started, what separates champions from the average isn’t just effort—it’s sustainable effort. It’s knowing when to push and when to pause. And it’s making those pauses just as sacred as the hustle.
So, here’s your next play:
- Schedule recovery like it’s a board meeting.
- Protect your time like it’s your top client.
- Teach your team that performance depends on pause.
That’s how you go from burnout to brilliance.
That’s how you lead like a champion.
Get inspired with more from John Register at https://johnregister.com
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