Conquering Achievement Fatigue

Although not immediately obvious, ultra-runners, brides, business executives and year 12 students all share something in common. After months of training, planning, aiming for KPI’s, studying for exams and completing final assessments these individuals reach their Everest. The runner crosses the finish line, the bride says I do, KPI’s are met, and a student finishes their final exams. Then what?

The post wedding blues is a real phenomenon so is the ‘post-race blues’ where runners feel a form of situational depression, a feeling of ‘what’s next?’ after a big race. Companies can be at a loss after reaching targets and a Year 12 may start wandering aimlessly as they patiently wait for their results. This is where we enter limbo, where achievement fatigue can set in. Achievement fatigue is when individuals or organisations become consumed by their desire for greater accomplishment and recognition leading to a pervasive sense of dissatisfaction and mental exhaustion.  

Throughout 2024 St Stephen’s School has been celebrating its 40^th anniversary with several large-scale events including breaking a Guinness World Record. As the year has progressed, we’ve seen community spirit swell, students reaching new heights, and a musical production of The Addams’s Family that could have been performed in a professional venue. The question we now face is how do we keep this 40^th momentum going? How do we ensure our staff, students and community don’t suffer achievement fatigue?

We certainly aren’t the first school or organisation to contemplate such a quandary, so perhaps the Japanese philosophy of ‘Kaizen’ may be the answer. ‘Kai’ meaning change and ‘Zen’ meaning good, Kaizen is a business philosophy that can be traced back to Japan’s post-World War II era when the nation faced substantial challenges in rebuilding their economy. Originating in the manufacturing sector Kaizen focuses on continuous improvement and has been credited with revolutionising industries worldwide.

Masaaki Imai is considered the Father of Kaizen after introducing the world to his systematic management methodology in the 1986 book ‘Kaizen: The Key to Japan’s Competitive Success’. Imai (who passed away in 2023) stated that “every day is a challenge to find a better way of doing things. It needs tremendous self-discipline and commitment.”

Kaizen assumes there is always scope for improvement and one should not be completely content with one’s previous achievements and thus strive to be better. Practiced incorrectly Kaizen can result in achievement fatigue but if we look at our achievements as just one in a series of many it can assist in keeping the momentum going.

Ganbatte! I hear you cry. Yes Ganbatte (gan-ba-tay) is the Japanese philosophy focussed on doing the best you can with what you have. It is a mindset of determination, resilience and continuous improvement.  

In 2021 Albert Liebermann published ‘Ganbatte!: The Japanese Art of Always Moving Forward’. Liebermann provides a practical yet inspirational guide on becoming more resilient the Japanese way. At the core of Ganbatte is the idea that continuous effort (Kaizen) despite all obstacles is crucial to achieving long-term success. Persistence is valued more than talent.  The Ganbatte mindset requires patience and a long-term perspective whilst staying committed to your clear purpose.

I do not profess to be an expert on Japanese philosophy or language, but I do appreciate the sentiment of Kaizen and Ganbatte, I believe there is merit in using them to combat achievement fatigue.

Achievement seen through this philosophical lens would mean every milestone is merely a step in the journey of life, there is no great finish line or exam result. It is merely a signifying flag, confirmation that you are engaging in a disciplined approach to being better than you were yesterday. What does this mean for the newlyweds? A wedding is a marker of your continued loving relationship. An ultra-runner? That 80km marathon signifies your dedication to training. Likewise for our diligent year 12 student who has achieved a high result or a completed certificate and a small business hitting sales targets. It is a way of viewing life that differs from how many of us operate!

If we strive for one goal what are the ramifications when the goal is achieved or lost? Ganbatte encourages you to keep going despite the setback, to keep going despite the success and Kaizen encourages you or your organisation to seek continual improvement to your processes, systems and operations. Both embrace continuous momentum.

‘Ganbatte kudasai’ translates to ‘please do your best’ and in a world so fixated on success and achievement perhaps this is the gentle reminder we all need to breathe, take stock, acknowledge your 2024 achievements and take note of your follies. Then enter 2025 with a refreshed outlook for continuous improvement, for even those who reach the peak of Everest must find a way to climb down.