BURNOUT IS REAL in startup pressure cookers, as much as it is in any fast-growing enterprise. Slow increases in executive workload and pressure are harder to see than stepwise jumps. Although the popular myth recommends cooking a crab in cold water gradually getting hotter, this is as painful for the crab as for the executive. Ultimately, the executive’s health, sleep, temperament, and cognition are all compromised. Be acutely observant of the small signs of severe wear-and-tear, and act accordingly, or imperil your venture.