Musings of a Former Overachiever

Hosted by Holly Lewis

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Sep 2026

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About the show

As an overachiever, it's likely that you can ignore just about everything in pursuit of your goal....your health, your family, and your well-being. You might even be a workaholic. I know I was. This way of life leads to burnout. Even though outward appearances say you have it all, you wonder why you are not happy. Something is missing. This podcast will help you learn ways to have a healthier relationship with work and achievement so that you can create a life that's balanced, healthy, and full of joy.

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60 recent

September 28, 202619 min

What's Fueling Your Ambition?

Same Speed, Different Fuel: Achievement Motivated by Love vs. Fear What if the thing that made you successful is also what's wearing you out? For high achievers, fear can be incredibly effective, but it comes at a cost. In this episode, we explore what's really fueling your ambition and how to keep your drive without feeling chased. You'll learn how to tell whether love or fear is running the show, why the goal isn't to get rid of fear but to take it out of the driver's seat, and the question every overachiever should ask: "If nobody were grading me, what would I want?" If this resonated, follow the show and share it with a fellow overachiever. #Overachiever #Ambition #Burnout #Mindset PS: Join the free ⁠Overachiever's Lab⁠ to explore ways to experiment with what's not working for you.

September 14, 202618 min

What Do You Want? When Overachievement Costs You Desire

You know how to solve problems, hit deadlines, and show up for everyone else. But ask what you actually want — and does anything come up? In this episode, we dig into why high performers often lose touch with their own desire, how "I should" quietly replaces "I want," and what it actually takes to rebuild that connection. If you've ever felt more responsible than intentional, this one's for you. 🎧 Topics: overachievement, burnout, desire vs. obligation, intentional living, leadership, self-awareness PS: Join the free Overachiever's Lab to explore ways to experiment with what's not working for you.

August 24, 202622 min

Well That Must Be Nice

Ever catch yourself silently judging a coworker for saying no, or rolling your eyes at someone who asks for help "too easily"? In this episode, we dig into why judgment isn't something to eliminate — it's a flashlight pointing at the invisible rules you've been living by. We unpack how overachievers, high performers, and leaders unconsciously build personal rulebooks from family, work, and culture, and how those hidden "shoulds" quietly shape self-worth, burnout, leadership style, and workplace culture. You'll learn a simple self-awareness exercise to trace any judgment back to its root rule, question whether that rule still serves you, and start rewriting it with real evidence instead of willpower. If you're a high achiever, people-pleaser, manager, or anyone tired of running on autopilot rules you never chose, this episode will change how you see your own reactions — and other people's. PS: Join the free ⁠Overachiever's Lab⁠ to explore ways to experiment with what's not working for you.

August 17, 202617 min

Collaborating with Fear

Fear doesn't always feel like fear — sometimes it shows up as confusion, sometimes as "I don't feel like it," sometimes as overthinking dressed up as due diligence, and sometimes as urgency, the sudden need to fix, respond, and solve right now. In this episode, we break down four of fear's favorite disguises, why they're so easy to mistake for personality traits or discipline problems, and a simple body-based practice for telling the difference between real information and avoidance in costume — so fear gets a voice, but never the final vote. Here's a link to the workbook I mention in the episode. Here's a link to my friend Lori's Somatic Intention Setting audio. I use it all the time! PS: Join the free ⁠Overachiever's Lab⁠ to explore ways to experiment with what's not working for you.

July 20, 202612 min

Death by a Thousand Tolerations

What if the pressure, distraction, and overwhelm you're feeling aren't coming from one big thing, but from a thousand tiny tolerations? In this episode, I explore how the things we've stopped noticing, multitasking in meetings, constant email interruptions, and unnecessary urgency quietly shape both our lives and our workplace cultures. The good news? We have more agency than we think. One conscious choice at a time, we can begin creating cultures of clarity, presence, and intention instead. PS: Join the free ⁠Overachiever's Lab⁠ to explore ways to experiment with what's not working for you.

July 12, 202612 min

The Voice That Is Shoulding on Your Parade

Are you motivating yourself with "should," or creating unnecessary pressure? In this episode of Musings of a Former Overachiever , I explore how the word should quietly triggers guilt, shame, and a nervous system threat response that makes clear thinking harder. Discover why the opposite of "should" isn't doing whatever you want. It's making conscious choices that align with your values. You'll learn: Why "should" often feels like you're doing life wrong The difference between choice and consequences How to shift from pressure and obligation to agency and self-leadership If this episode resonated with you, follow the show, leave a review and share it with another overachiever who's ready to lead with less pressure and more clarity. PS: Join the free ⁠Overachiever's Lab⁠ to explore ways to experiment with what's not working for you.

July 5, 202612 min

Who sets your Priorities?

Getting sick forced me to cancel my plans this week, and it led to an unexpected question: Were these actually my priorities, or had I been operating on autopilot? In this episode of Musings of a Former Overachiever , we explore how illness can reveal your hidden operating system, why high performers often confuse urgency with importance, and how your nervous system may be choosing your priorities without you realizing it. If you've ever struggled to slow down, felt guilty for resting, or found yourself constantly reacting to everyone else's needs, this episode will help you reclaim agency and lead your calendar with intention instead of habit. PS: Join the free ⁠Overachiever's Lab⁠ to explore ways to experiment with what's not working for you.

June 28, 202615 min

Quitting Before You Try: Why Overachievers Wait for Certainty

Are you gathering information, or are you looking for relief? Many overachievers believe they're searching for answers, but what if they're actually searching for relief from uncertainty? In this episode of Musings of a Former Overachiever , I explore why we sometimes quit before we try, how overthinking becomes an attempt to "purchase certainty," and why confidence often follows action rather than precedes it. If you've ever found yourself stuck in planning, refining, researching, or waiting until you feel ready, this episode is for you. PS: Join the free ⁠Overachiever's Lab⁠ to explore ways to experiment with what's not working for you.

June 21, 202612 min

The Difference Between Important and Immediate

Have you ever noticed how quickly you move when an email comes in, a text pops up, or a sudden problem appears? For many high performers, what we call "responsibility" or "proactivity" is actually just a socially acceptable form of anxiety management. We mistake the immediate relief of solving a problem for true effectiveness. In this episode of Musings of a Former Overachiever , we dive deep into the dark side of proactivity. We explore why our nervous systems prefer a completed email over an unfinished strategic vision , how overachievers accidentally steal growth opportunities from others , and how to find the powerful middle ground between constant reactivity and total avoidance. PS: Join the free ⁠Overachiever's Lab⁠ to explore ways to experiment with what's not working for you.

June 14, 202612 min

When Responsibility Goes on Autopilot

Ever hear yourself thinking, “Why am I always the one who has to do everything?” That resentment may be telling you something you don’t want to hear: you had a choice, but you didn’t consciously make it. In this episode, we explore the connection between resentment, agency, and the automatic choices overachievers make. You’ll learn why “I don’t have a choice” often means “I don’t like the consequences of my choices,” and how resentment can become useful data for making more intentional decisions. Because you always have choices. You just don’t get a consequence-free life. PS: Join the free ⁠Overachiever's Lab⁠ to explore ways to experiment with what's not working for you.