The Warning Signs of An Empty Resilience Tank

  • Author: Adam Markel
Reading time: 3 min
  • Word Count: 651
Read the news article

What are the warning signs of an empty resilience tank?

HOW TO KNOW WHEN IT’S TIME TO PAUSE

In my experience, there are four primary indicators that tend to show up each time my resilience tank is running low. They don’t always show up in the same order but, without fail, they will show up one after the other, until I have no choice but to pause and take inventory.

Too Tired to Rest

The first indicator that usually shows up is full-on exhaustion with its best friend overwhelm. You’ll be struggling just to keep up, let alone get ahead. This is a sign that you’re trying to do too much and you’re spread too thin. This vulnerable position doesn’t leave much space for resilience or rest, healing or clarity.

With Exhaustion Comes Doubt

The second indicator that shows up when we start to lack clarity, Empty Resilience or peace is doubt. You’ll start to doubt yourself about things you were certain about yesterday. You’ll wonder if you’re really cut out for this. You’ll question your abilities and your decisions. This is a sign that you’re losing confidence in yourself – and that your resilience tank is running low.

And Then Everything Becomes Unsteady

The Warning Signs of An Empty Resilience Tank

The third indicator that typically shows up once we start experiencing self-doubt is how much change rocks our world- not in a good way.  You’ll find it harder and harder to adapt to change, no matter how big or how small. The world around you will seem to be moving faster and you’ll feel like you’re falling behind. This is a sign that you’re no longer able to adapt as quickly as you need to and one of the warning signs I talk about in my new book, Change Proof. This feeling of being left behind or unable to keep up is symptomatic of a low resilience reserve.

Lastly, you’ll start to see yourself as separate from others. You’ll feel isolated and alone. You won’t feel like part of a team or a community anymore. Your level of self-pity will be increasing with each day and your brain will be hazy, wondering how you spiraled to this point so quickly. When you’ve lost your connection to others, life can seem very bleak.

Avoiding the Inevitable of Empty Resilience

These are just some of the warning signs of an empty resilience tank. And living through this cycle in my personal life for many years is what brought me to the work I’m doing now. This cycle of burnout, due to an empty resilience tank, can be avoided.

In fact, people who keep their resilience tank full (Change Proof peeps!) often avoid the cycle altogether because they are consciously taking time each day and week to reset and refill that resilience tank.

In a world where rapid change is now our near-daily norm, it’s important to get ahead of these cycles that take over our lives, sometimes without us even realizing it, until we’re in the midst of chaos, trying to figure out how to get back on stable ground.

Resilience is the one quality that provides us the ability to recover quickly from setbacks, adapt to change, and keep going even when the going gets tough. Empty Resilience is a skill that can be developed, which requires practice and attention.

If you or your team are experiencing any of these Empty Resilience warning signs, it’s time to take action like engaging with a resilience or leadership keynote speaker and take care of your resilience tank, so you can take on each day with a clear mind and a strong resolve.

ARTICLE ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON ADAM MARKEL BLOG

 

Contact us at Speakers Inc and follow us on Twitter

Was this article helpful?

Further articles you may enjoy:

  • (18)

How to Craft Powerful Stories that Can Drive Culture Change There is an old adage that says: IF YOU WANT TO LEARN ABOUT A CULTURE, LISTEN TO THE STORIES. IF YOU WANT TO CHANGE A CULTURE, CHANGE THE STORIES. I had a first-hand experience with this very early on in my career. The MD of a […]

  • January 16, 2023
  • (15)

Navigating Tomorrow: The Future of Hybrid Event Planning In the ever-evolving landscape of event planning, the emergence of hybrid events has marked a paradigm shift in how we gather, connect, and share experiences. As the world continues to grapple with the implications of a global pandemic, the hybrid model has proven to be more than […]

  • February 27, 2024
  • (5)

As businesses around the world adjust to the realities of Remote Selling and working, sales and marketing, however, still need to bring in the leads, nurture the client’s relationships and close the deals. The workplace will never look the same again, and as businesses establish remote working practices, we can see that this will mean […]

  • January 26, 2023
  • (11)

A lot has happened in the past few years since my book, We’re All in This Together: Creating a Team Culture of High Performance, Trust, and Belonging, was first published in the spring of 2020. I completed the manuscript for this book (which was just released this week in paperback) at the end of 2019. I had […]

  • December 18, 2022
  • (11)

Controversial Industry Practices: A Look at Event Planning’s Dividing Lines which thrives on creativity, innovation, and collaboration. Yet, beneath its glamorous surface lies a layer of polarizing practices that spark debates and divide professionals. These issues, while uncomfortable to address, shape the industry and influence its future. In this blog, we’ll explore some of the most […]

  • January 27, 2025
  • (81)

This week, we’re spotlighting Top 5 Motivational Speakers May 2025 who are transforming audiences with their stories, insights, and unmatched stage presence: Cameron Atlas, Nikki Stone, Alex Weber, Matthew Luhn, and Maja Kazazic. But before we dive into their brilliance, let’s quickly look at what makes motivational speakers such a vital asset for events of […]

  • May 12, 2025
  • (22)

Easter is obviously when Christians celebrate a miracle that is central to our faith in Creating Distinction. We are also in the seasons of Ramadan and Passover. Although my work here is never intended to be about any particular set of spiritual beliefs, it struck me when thinking about these observances that having faith — […]

  • December 20, 2022
  • (9)

When it comes to diversity and inclusion as a leader you need to understand one thing, you need to understand that; It is more than just activism, minorities vs the privileged, and correcting the injustices I’ve observed the efforts of many organizations and leaders when it comes to diversity, equity, and inclusion, to be more civil society […]

  • December 22, 2022

Subscribe to our Newsletter and get connected:

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Newsletter

Subscribe to our newsletter and stay updated.

We use Brevo as our marketing platform. By submitting this form you agree that the personal data you provided will be transferred to Brevo for processing in accordance with Brevo's Privacy Policy.

Our Mission:

We are your partner creating memorable and engaging experiences that go beyond the event itself.

© All rights reserved 2026.  Designed using Voxel

AI Assistant
Speakers Inc Logo 2024
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.