The secret source of high achiever’s challenges (from burnout to people pleasing, and everything in between)

I’ve spent the last 7 years working with high achievers to build more aligned, engaging, and balanced careers. In that time, I’ve noticed a lot of recurring patterns and bad habits in my overachieving clients, and interestingly, there’s one thing that unites them all.

The most common patterns I see are:

1. An existential crisis, as a result of making impressive career choices that aren’t aligned with what they actually want.

2. Burnout, due to continuously overcommitting and refusing to ask for (or accept) support.

3. Analysis paralysis, due to fear of making the wrong choice.

4. Staying stuck and small, avoiding getting outside of their comfort zone due to feeling like they always need to know everything, and they can’t ask for support.

Behind each of these high achiever challenges, there’s a common thread: pressure.

High achievers feel an immense amount of pressure - pressure to perform, pressure to look impressive, pressure to never need help, to name a few…

Ultimately, many of these pressures come back to the high achiever need to “maintain their image”. These overachievers have meticulously built a name for themselves on their high standard of performance. Each day, they strive to uphold this standard, raising the bar higher and higher. The potential fall from grace becomes increasingly daunting as they navigate the delicate balance of portraying perfection.

But here's the thing: Pressure is not a badge of honor; it's the unseen force that hinders your true potential. 

With almost every single one of my clients I see that pressure turn from a motivator into a stressor. While they once thought it was the thing that made them successful, suddenly it’s their kryptonite, and they feel terrified and overwhelmed. This pressure can lead to each one of the bad behaviors I outlined above: feeling stuck, making fear-based decisions, overextending…

So, tell me: If you’re struggling with any of those issues, is pressure to blame for you? If so, it might be time to start alleviating that pressure, because let me tell you: it’s not as good for you as you think it is. ;)

xoxo, Chris

P.S. Want to learn how to unpack the pressure? Register my free workshop here.