Musings of a Former Overachiever

Hosted by Holly Lewis

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Jul 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

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!

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.

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.

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. P.S. The Overachiever Lab is a community for overachievers who are tired of overthinking, overcommitting, and putting unnecessary pressure on themselves. Together, we're learning how to lead, achieve, and thrive from clarity, ambition, and enjoyment instead of pressure. Come ⁠join ⁠ the conversation. We'd love to have 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. P.S. If this episode hit a little too close to home, you're probably my kind of person. The Overachiever Lab is a community for overachievers who are tired of overthinking, overcommitting, and putting unnecessary pressure on themselves. Together, we're learning how to lead, achieve, and thrive from clarity, peace, and enjoyment instead of pressure. Come join the conversation. We'd love to have 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. Ready to keep your ambition but lose the pressure? Urgency, overthinking, and constant pushing don't have to be the price of your success. If you are ready to stop keeping your foot on the gas and start achieving from a place of clarity and peace, join us inside The Overachiever Lab on Skool . Connect with a community of high performers challenging old assumptions and experimenting with a healthier way to thrive. Subscribe & Review: If this episode resonated with you, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Stay Curious: Keep up with future episodes by hitting that follow button.

June 14, 202612 min

When Responsibility Goes on Autopilot

Ready to stop saying yes to everything and start leading your life with intention? Join the Burned Out Overachiever Lab on Skool and get free access to my class, The Magic Power of Saying No . You'll learn why saying no feels uncomfortable, how overachievers accidentally create overwhelm, and how to set boundaries without guilt. Your future self will thank you. Join here: https://www.skool.com/burned-out-overachiever-lab-4941/about

June 5, 202611 min

Why Overachievers Need Experiments, Not More Discipline

Have you ever noticed that overachievers often treat life like a final exam? Every decision feels loaded. Every mistake feels personal. Every outcome feels like evidence of whether we're competent, capable, or worthy. In this episode, I'm exploring why experimentation may be one of the most powerful mindsets for overachievers. I discuss: Why many high performers are optimizing for emotional safety instead of growth The neuroscience behind experimentation and why it feels safer than dramatic change How the scientific method can help you challenge hidden assumptions Why self-trust is built through evidence, not affirmations How to use field notes and small experiments to break patterns of perfectionism, overthinking, and pressure If you've ever struggled with perfectionism, hyper-responsibility, overthinking, or the belief that you need stress to succeed, this episode will challenge some assumptions you may not even realize you're carrying. Because sometimes the next level of leadership isn't about working harder. It's about becoming curious enough to test whether the rules you've been living by are actually true. PS: If you are looking for peer support and other ideas to help you cultivate more peace in your life, join me on Skool here .

May 20, 202618 min

Rewiring Beliefs Without Lying to Yourself

Most people are already using thought chains unconsciously. One mistake becomes an identity. One fear becomes a life strategy. In this episode we explore what thought chaining is, why affirmations often fail, and how beliefs actually change through progressive nervous system-safe shifts. I break down the neuroscience behind predictive processing, cognitive dissonance, memory reconsolidation, and identity stability, while walking you through a practical step-by-step process for using thought chains to rewire limiting beliefs without forcing fake positivity. If you’ve ever felt stuck between who you are and who you’re trying to become, this episode will help you understand why. PS: If you are an overachiever who wants to learn how to stop overcommitting and allow some spaciousness in your life, come join us on Skool!

January 22, 20269 min

From Fixer to Leader: Letting Go of the Rescue Reflex

If you’re the one who always steps in, smooths things over, or fixes issues before they escalate, this episode is for you. We explore why overachievers feel compelled to save others from failure, how this pattern forms, and why it costs more than we realize. You’ll leave with a new way to think about responsibility, leadership, and when stepping back is actually the strongest move. If you want a space to unpack patterns like this with other high-performing leaders, join my free Skool community: Burned-Out Overachiever’s Lab It’s a practical, low-pressure space where we run small experiments, talk honestly about over-responsibility, and practice leading without constant bracing.