Your energy is finite. Most people give it away to things that don't deserve it. To drama that doesn't matter. To people who drain them. To problems they can't solve. And then they wonder why they're exhausted. It's not the work. It's the waste. Protection isn't selfish. It's strategic. You can't pour from an empty cup. You can't lead from burnout. You can't build anything real when you're running on fumes because you said yes to everything and everyone. Boundaries aren't walls. They're filters. And you need them. The best leaders know what's worth their energy and what's not. They know which battles to fight and which ones to walk away from. They know who gets their time and who doesn't. That's not being cold. That's being intentional. And it's the only way to last.