Runners feel it, so do dieters, writers and musicians. It’s that feeling you get when you’ve been pushing hard, visualizing your goals and then feel the energy drop. You know the mission is just as worthy as ever, but you’re tired, and the motivation just isn’t there. You hit a plateau or drop off altogether. Sustaining commitment for the long haul requires a different kind of energy and a different kind of thinking from what powered you up in the first place.
Sometimes, being a charitable giver can feel the same way. Whether it’s the response to an acute crisis like a wildfire, the recognition of a long-standing injustice like the racial reckoning after George Floyd’s murder or the ongoing effort to chip away at complex challenges like educational achievement for disadvantaged children, the initial passion can flag.
