Why High Performers Miss the Signs of Burnout (Until It’s Too Late)
The Hidden Costs of Hustle
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Introduction
The phone rang on the landline in the lab. Startled awake from where I had fallen asleep at my computer, I wondered who it could be.
I stumbled over to answer—it had to be someone looking for me. Only a few people knew I was there. It was a friend, informing me that my mother, who was 3,000 miles away, had been trying to reach me.
I had spent the night in the lab, where I had no reception. Desperate to find me, she had combed through my cell phone bill, which was still attached to hers, and called every California number she could find. It was just shy of 6:15 a.m. local time.
The Normalization of Burnout Behavior
This had become my life—late nights and early mornings. It would be over a decade before I could get a full night’s sleep. I had unknowingly trained my body to function on just five hours of rest (thankfully, I now enjoy a full eight hours).
Looking back, I see how unhealthy and unsustainable this work pattern was, but at the time, pulling all-nighters felt like the only way to keep up with the demands of graduate school. I believed I had too much to do and too little time.
In reality, there was so much more at play—something I’ll explore in my memoir—but, simply put, I was unknowingly setting myself on the path to burnout at a very young age.
These work and sleep habits didn’t end with graduate school. They followed me into management consulting and even into entrepreneurship. I took pride in my ability to accomplish so much in such little time. My ability to bunker down and focus was phenomenal—until it wasn’t.
Teetering on the Edge of Burnout (for Years)
Burnout crept in gradually. My ability to focus and sustain my energy diminished, little by little.
A longtime advocate of self-care, I did take breaks—I traveled and invested in my creativity. But every time I returned to a “normal” work schedule, the early warning signs of burnout resurfaced. At the time, there was no language for what I was experiencing. It would take another decade before I had the words to describe it.
I now know that I was constantly fluctuating along the burnout spectrum—sometimes edging closer, sometimes pulling back, but never fully recovering.
Eventually, the inconsistency of my recovery and my inability to create sustainable work habits led me straight into full-on burnout.
I felt like I had lost my motivation and drive. I wondered where my ability to focus and complete things had gone. It felt like I had lost everything.
Redefining Success
Life forced me to slow down and prioritize self-care.
Due to serious external circumstances—including temporarily losing my eyesight for two weeks—I had to find a new way of living.
I realized I had been playing a dangerous game with burnout, normalizing unhealthy work habits (and cultures) for over 20 years, until everything came to a screeching halt.
I had entered high-performance, high-pressure environments at a young age, and in doing so, I had developed the limiting belief that burnout was synonymous with success.
Even now, part of me still asks: But isn’t it?
No—it is not.
It took a complete reorganization of my life—starting from within and radiating outward—to finally see that hustle culture, at least for me, is a myth. It is not my path to success. If anything, it has been an obstacle.
I still value high performance and excellence in my work. But now, I achieve it in ways that are aligned with my well-being.
I won’t get into the politics of how and why hustle culture serves only a select few—at least not today.
What I will say is this: Slowing down allows you to find your true north. Authenticity and purpose provide the fuel that sustains you.
Looking Forward
The burnout epidemic is more than a crisis—it’s a signal. A call for transformation in how we approach work and life. The growing emphasis on wellness and mental health by both individuals and organizations is a direct response to this urgent need.
As an organizational development consultant, I believe the future of OD lies in fully integrating mental health and wellness into the fabric of organizations. It can no longer be treated as a perk or an optional benefit attached to select compensation packages.
It is fundamental—to humanity, to culture, and to the evolution of business. While it has always been essential, I am grateful that we are now in a moment where its impact on the bottom line is both undeniable and widely recognized.
I’m encouraged to see Gen Z embracing this shift early in their careers. Now, it’s time for Millennials, Gen X-ers, Baby Boomers, and beyond to step up—modeling sustainable work practices while learning from the next generation in the process.
Paid subscribers find the assessment here to see if you are at risk of burnout.
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