Robert Herjavec: Want to Avoid Burnout? Quit Your Bitchin'. 'I work my ass off for the privilege of being this busy,' the Shark Tank judge says.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Being busy is a common side effect of success, and that's nothing to complain about, says Robert Herjavec. He doesn't have much sympathy for whiners.
Instead of dwelling on what's wrong, the optimistic Herjavec Group founder and CEO says people should focus on what's right, especially entrepreneurs like him who've made something out of nothing and have the packed schedules (and bank accounts) to prove it.
Related: Shark Tank Star Robert Herjavec on the 5 Worst Sales Sins
"We're overloaded, we have a lot going on, and that's a good thing," he recently told Entrepreneur on the Culver City, Calif., set of Shark Tank. "The starting point for avoiding burnout for people like us is not complaining. Nobody cares about your complaints, so keep them to yourself."
The idea, he says, is to channel the energy you would've wasted whinging about your obligations into being grateful for your accomplishments, and for all of the doors of opportunity that open to you as a result of them. In other words, quit your bitchin' and retrain your brain to have an attitude of gratitude.
Herjavec also suggests you drop the toxic "negative self-talk" while you're at it.
Related: 20 Quotes on the Importance of Thankfulness and Gratitude
"It's the subconscious words that we use to trick ourselves that we have to be careful of," he says. "Think about it, as entrepreneurs who make our own rules and schedules, we get to do this. That's why I try not to say "I have to do an interview today,' or "I have to come to the set or "I have to go to work.' I try to say, "I get to do this.'
I work my ass off for the privilege of being this busy. So when you get there, don't complain."
To glean more of Herjavec's advice, check out Shark Tank's Season Eight premiere on your local ABC station. It airs on Sept. 23 at 9 p.m. ET.
