For high-achievers who keep pushing their limits to the breaking point and still can’t quite get ahead
You didn’t work this hard to keep working THIS HARD forever.
It’s supposed to get easier, right? But you’re still hustling like you’re 25 and you are not in your twenties anymore. What you’d really like is to find some ease without dropping any balls. To slow down without losing your competitive edge.
Let’s talk about yesterday. Yesterday, when you came home from work late (again) and exhausted (always), you looked back at your day and realized you said yes to everyone. To everything. It’s what you do. It’s why you’re the go-to when anyone needs anything done (and you’re so good at being the reliable one). You’re a naturally helpful, kind and supportive person, but sometimes, it feels like you’re a dolphin in a shark tank. Your coworkers have teeth and aren’t afraid to use them.
You know you need to make more space for yourself, to live with joy! But, there are pressures on all sides that make that nearly impossible.
- Systemic pressures (literally, the system you work in. That system encourages overwork, overwhelm, and leads to burnout).
- Social pressures: It seems like everyone around you glorifies busyness and brags about how exhausted they are, like it’s a badge of honor.
- Internal pressure: Being a ‘doer’ is part of your identity. You’re here to achieve, the tougher the better, how will you challenge yourself next? The cost of that achievement? Your emotional wellbeing and relationships (aka. Joy and love).
What you’ve tried (because you’re an EXCELLENT problem-solver)
- Time management techniques
- Productivity apps
- Getting up earlier and staying up later to get more done (and maybe find a few minutes for you)
- Drinking more and more caffeine because even your high energy gets drained making sure everyone gets what they need
Listen, you’re going to keep running yourself ragged unless you’re able to honor your needs and redefine success around what genuinely fills you up.
There’s a strong link between hyper-achievers and burnout (all the way to medical leave). That’s not the kind of rest you want!
Do. Not. Panic.
I felt you panicking. You just thought I said “and I’m going to make you do less.” Which sent you into a spiral of “oh no, if I do less, then I’m not constantly creating value. If I’m not doing, producing, and achieving… what am I even good for?”
The fear around not-doing rarely gets talked about. You might joke about leaving it all behind and opening a BnB in the countryside, but there’s a reason you haven’t done it. That fear is what stands between you and ease, rest, deep relationships, and happiness that isn’t weighed down by constant stress.
Hi, I’m Heather Charlesworth, and I know this fear well.
I’ve experienced deep frustration while in a job I trained for for years, and thought would make me happy. I was working full-time while finishing my master’s thesis, going to Bootcamp three times per week, and drinking so much coffee that I had to sit on my hands to stop them from shaking. My nervous system was so jacked that I knew I couldn’t continue at that pace. But that meant questioning my “I’ve got to do it all” thinking, letting go of the guilt and shame of resting “unproductively.” For me, choosing to do things that are *not work* has been a challenge. Actively building parts of my identity outside of work has been the journey.
And you know what happened? Even with ‘slowing down’ and shifting focus away from work more often, my deliverables haven’t suffered. I have not lost my edge. In fact, I’m edgier than ever.
That is what this coaching is about. Helping you calm your nervous system, reconnect with what brings you joy, create space for yourself outside of work, and do less without sacrificing your reputation as the “get it done” person.
You might even gain a new reputation as the “get it done” person with healthy boundaries.
Courage may be required.
Coaching is simple—but not always easy. It takes courage to look at what you’re doing and be open to the idea that there might be a better way.
In 1:1 coaching, I’ll ask you to start by telling me what isn’t working in your life, and how you want to feel.
What change do you want? Why does it matter? What happens if you don’t get it—in 5, 10, 15 years time?
These early questions help you to articulate what matters, and what is really at stake.
I will ask you questions, interrogating your usual story and demanding you go deeper, leading you to a fresh perspective that lands in an “aha” moment.
Then you decide what action you’ll take, what accountability looks like, and how to measure success (on your terms).
That’s our first coaching call.
- This work is ideal for high-achievers who:
- Are willing to dig deep, to throw out your old playbook labelled “when the tough get going the going get tough” and write a new one (potential name: work smarter not harder).
- Can make the time and space in your schedule to meet twice per month for a three month commitment.
- Can schedule calls in the evening, I am currently available to take new coaching clients two evenings a week.
- THE DETAILS:
- 2x 45min sessions per month
- $400CAD
What my clients experience after our work together—it looks something like this:
You wake up early as always, you slip out of bed and get onto your yoga mat quietly. You have the thought, hey, maybe I should check my phone to see what I’ve missed. You smile to yourself, you know that there are emails and messages and requests as always. Everything you receive is urgent to somebody. You are on your yoga mat right now, and you know, in your heart, that this is exactly where you need to be.
Yes, you have a busy day, and let’s be honest, you love it. You love the business, the power to make decisions, and being in charge. But, right now is the time to invest in you. Your workout, your breathwork, your act of self-love. Everybody else can wait. You feel amazing.
It is possible to live without a constant state of fear. It is possible to perform at a high level without feeling like your worth is tied to your performance. There are people who live with a sense of easygoingness and kindness and are still high performers. They are not fueled by fear. They are moving from a place of love.
I know that vision seems like a total pipe dream right now. And I’m not gonna lie, getting there takes time, because you have to undo a LIFETIME of programming.
But you’re not afraid of a challenge.