A person who knows how to recover can afford to work hard without fearing hard work.

Fear of hard work usually comes from doubt about recovery rather than doubt about effort. If you are not sure you can come back from being depleted, every demanding period looks like a risk to your whole life. Once you know how to restore yourself reliably, effort becomes something you can spend freely, because you trust the return.

Pay attention to what genuinely restores you, and get specific about it. Sleep, particular people, particular places, movement. Knowing your own recovery well is what makes ambition affordable.