It all started with a simple question. How do you maintain your passion, especially when passion can drive burnout? And when you're a Renaissance Person with multiple passions, is the challenge even greater??

In this solo episode, I dig into some research on passion and burnout from Harvard Business School professors Jon Jachimowicz and Ryan Buell and reframe them for Renaissance People. I look at the three facets of burnout and how they can be addressed.

I also share four strategies I use to feed my passions and that I support my coaching clients to do: find boundary-spanning projects, keeping a “sparkly” side interest, sharing resources reciprocally, and finding community.

If you're looking for a community of multi-passionate Renaissance People, I'm bringing us together virtually once a month in "Fertile Grounds" where we can support one another, share ideas and resources, and collaborate.

Promised Show Notes Materials (take a drink):

• Sign up for updates on my podcast and what’s happening in the Renaissance People Community.
• Get updates on Fertile Grounds, a monthly virtual gathering of multi-passionate Renaissance People, kicking off Tuesday, August 18, 2026&!
• Work with me to Find Your Golden Thread or for Career Coaching
• Join the Renaissance People group on Facebook
• The Anxious Achiever Podcast
• Can Passion for Your Work Drive Burnout? with Jon Jachimowicz (Anxious Achiever podcast episode)
• Dr. Jon Jachimowicz’s website
• Dr. Ryan Buell and operational transparency
• Four things I do to help feed my passions
• The Growth of Growing playlist on YouTube (clips also available on my Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn accounts).
• AllSpice Culinarium
• Meryl Evans on LinkedIn
• More about artistic swimming

Follow Sara Kobilka on Social Media:

LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | BlueSky

A few themes I discussed:

1:06 Research on passion

4:08 The 3 facets of burnout when it comes to passion

5:12 How reducing demands helped me keep this podcast going

13:52 The 4 ways I feed my passions

20:47 Expansion, contraction and a definition of progress

23:20 How I’m building a web of support with Fertile Grounds

If you’re extra curious, check out Renaissance Woman Consulting to learn more about some of the many types of work I do.

And should you care to support the production of this podcast, I’d love it if you’d buy me an oat milk cappuccino, my caffeinated beverage of choice.

This podcast is hosted and edited by Sara Kobilka.

Theme music is by Brian Skellenger

Podcast distribution support provided by K.O. Myers of Particulate Media