When Passion Burns Too Bright

EI vs AI — What happens when purpose turns into pressure, and why empathy still matters in an algorithmic world

Some years ago, I was managing a nationwide sponsorship program supporting small libraries in rural areas. It was one of those projects that drew passionate people — the kind who give everything they have, and sometimes more than they should.

One afternoon, a man walked into my office. He sat down quietly and, with tired eyes, said:

“Please… stop financing my wife’s initiatives. She’s already sick and she won’t stop herself. I’m afraid I’ll lose her.”

He wasn’t angry. Just scared. Burnout wasn’t really a word we used back then, but that day I understood exactly what it meant.

It wasn’t about work hours or stress. It was about purpose turning into pressure — when the thing that gives you meaning slowly starts taking away your strength. That moment stayed with me ever since.

Reading Daniel Goleman’s recent piece on emotional intelligence in the age of AI brought that memory back - and reminded me how easily purpose can overpower perspective. He wrote that empathy is what keeps our humanity alive in an algorithmic world.

And I can’t help but agree. We talk about automation, performance, and scaling, yet the real risk isn’t losing our jobs to machines, but losing the people behind the mission. Those who care too much, work too long, and forget where they end and the purpose begins.

Over time, I’ve learned that protecting your own energy is less about balance and more about discipline. So, I’ve built a few small rituals that help me stay grounded.

• I block my lunch break every day and mark it as out of office, a small but important boundary that reminds me to pause.
• I schedule time for every major task in my calendar, not just meetings, which helps me focus and politely decline the endless stream of ‘quick syncs.’
• I usually start an hour earlier than most, when the world is still quiet, and I can prepare for the day in peace.
• I keep the first half of the day for important decisions or complex discussions, and the second half for exploration, lighter catch-ups, or creative thinking.
• And most importantly, I try to collaborate and delegate as much as possible - there’s always enough work for everyone, and doing everything alone isn’t leadership - it’s ego wearing the mask of commitment.

These habits aren’t perfect shields, but they keep me from exaggerating, from stretching too far. They help me remember that productivity without pause is just another form of burnout, dressed up as dedication.

Maybe emotional intelligence today isn’t a skill at all. Perhaps it’s a safety mechanism, the quiet balance between ambition and awareness, between building and belonging.

That, in a way, is the paradox we keep circling.

The more we automate, the more we need empathy.

The more we accelerate, the more we need space to breathe.

And the more we build, the more we need to remember why we started in the first place.