When High Performance Becomes Too Much to Carry

When someone has been living on high octane performance for years and they come to coaching, the first thing they are often given is permission to stop.

Stop the endless wheel of hyper caffeinated overdrive fueled by the belief that “I am the only one who can do it.”

That belief sounds responsible.
It sounds noble.

It is nonsense.

Yes, these are capable, experienced, high performing humans.

But a body kept in overdrive for years on end will not last.

It always starts as a whisper.
By the time most people seek support, it is a deafening roar.

Being the good one.
The wise one.
The go to.
The most tolerant.
The most committed.

That was never meant to be a permanent identity.

I love a mad sprint to the finish line.

But when every day has another finish line, or five races running at once, it is not sustainable.

For every ounce of performance, there must be an equal measure of pleasure, celebration, and reflection.

I see this pattern everywhere.
Business owners.
Healthcare professionals.
Leaders.
And the ultimate endurance athletes, parents.

Constant push.
Endless pressure.
Relentless problems that can only be solved by the savior.

And when the pressure finally lifts, the body exhales.

People get sick.
Hair falls out, or grows in strange places.
Pain appears without a clear address.

Bellies bulge and paunches hang. 

Allergies show up out of nowhere.

Not because something is wrong.

Because the body is releasing stress it has been carrying, sometimes since childhood.

Humans were not designed for nonstop urgency, constant stimulation, and nervous systems bathed in sugar, alcohol, and cortisol.

This may be the world we live in.
But we do not have to grind ourselves into the ground to belong in it.

Real leadership, personal leadership, looks like this.

Knowing your values.
Making choices that align with them.
Saying no without explanation.
Letting joy count.
Resting without guilt.

This is the work.
And it is sacred.

Helping people remember who they are beneath the performance is one of the greatest honors of my life.

You do not have to do this alone.
And you were never meant to carry it all.

So tell me.

What has your body been trying to tell you lately?

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