Overachieving is all about going above and beyond expectations. But let’s be real—you’re not interested in just meeting expectations. That hasn’t been your style for a long time. The standards you set for yourself – Sky-high. So high, in fact, that you struggle to believe anyone would actually settle for those pesky little “requirements.”
But here’s the problem: going above and beyond can backfire.
- That might not actually be what was wanted in the first place. Maybe the requirements were there for a reason.
- You might not get the accolades you expect for doing so much more. (Annoying, but true.)
- You run the serious risk of burnout. And then what?
The Overachieving Cycle: A Ride You Don’t Want a Ticket For
Overachieving isn’t just a personality trait—it’s a full-blown cycle, and it looks something like this:
- Performing beyond expectations for an activity, achievement, or person.
- Putting your needs aside as you gain momentum or experience setbacks.
- Riding an emotional rollercoaster of wins and losses.
- Tuning into your inner critic as it nitpicks mistakes and ignores small victories.
- Hesitating as you try to get things just perfect before moving forward.
- Watching others do less and somehow get more (seriously, how?).
- Feeling resentful about all the effort you put in with little recognition.
- Experiencing exhaustion, trouble focusing, and overwhelming emotions.
- Hitting burnout like a brick wall.
- Feeling overwhelmed by that burnout, but instead of pausing, you pick up a new task with high expectations, hoping this time, success will feel different.
Sound familiar? It’s exhausting just reading that. And yet, so many high-achieving women live this on repeat.
Why Rest is Revolutionary
We live in a culture where busy is worn like a badge of honor. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if “busy” starts beating out “fine” as the most common answer to “How are you?” But what if we stopped wearing exhaustion like a trophy and started valuing rest as a power move?
Rest is not the enemy of achievement—it’s actually a critical piece of the puzzle.
1. Rest Allows for Reflection
We glorify effort and end results, but we don’t talk enough about the in-between: the pause, the reset, the recalibration.
Taking time to reflect means:
- Checking in with your values and priorities to make sure your efforts align with what actually matters to you.
- Recognizing the lessons you’ve learned and integrating them before rushing to the next challenge.
- Making sure you’re chasing goals that fulfill you, not just goals that look impressive.
Without this pause, you risk spending your energy on things that don’t truly serve you. Rest gives you the chance to course-correct before you wake up one day wondering, Why am I even doing this?
2. Rest Supports Growth and Healing
Growth hurts—because change is hard. Think about it: when you work out, you don’t get stronger by lifting non-stop. You build strength by allowing your muscles to recover between workouts.
The same applies to personal and professional growth. Rest isn’t just about doing nothing—it’s about allowing your mind and body to integrate the hard work you’ve already done. It’s about:
- Letting yourself process big shifts without setting off alarm bells in your nervous system.
- Giving yourself time to acclimate to change so you don’t sabotage your own progress.
- Preventing burnout so that you can sustain high performance over the long haul.
Research backs this up. In my Stanford course on employee stress management, we learned that people who incorporate rest between high-effort periods actually sustain better performance over time than those who just push through. Think of rest as an investment in your long-term success.
3. Rest Redefines Your Self-Worth
Many high-achieving women equate their value with their output. Not just doing—but achieving.
The problem? If your worth is tied to external achievements, you’re always at the mercy of the next goal, the next success, the next approval from someone else. But what if you were already enough without overextending yourself?
Rest is an act of self-trust. It’s saying:
- “I don’t have to prove myself through constant effort.”
- “My value isn’t measured by how exhausted I am.”
- “I deserve joy, presence, and peace—not just success.”
Reflect on your childhood: How was achievement viewed in your household? Was there an underlying belief that only hard work made you worthy? If so, it’s no wonder you struggle to rest without guilt. But that belief isn’t serving you anymore.
Overachieving as a Trauma Response
This one’s deep, but it’s worth considering: for many, overachieving isn’t just a habit—it’s a response to early conditioning. Maybe you learned that being useful or successful kept you safe, loved, or accepted. Maybe achieving was the way you earned approval.
If that’s the case, slowing down might feel uncomfortable—even threatening. But here’s the truth: you don’t have to earn your worth. You are already enough.
Rest is the Secret Weapon to Success
Top-tier athletes swear by rest and recovery as a crucial part of their training. Why? Because they know you can’t sustain peak performance without it. The same applies to you.
If you want long-term success—without burnout, resentment, or exhaustion—start treating rest as essential, not optional.
How to Break the Overachieving Cycle and Prioritize Rest
Ready to make rest your new power move? Start here:
✅ Schedule rest like you schedule work. If it’s not on the calendar, it won’t happen. Treat downtime as a non-negotiable commitment.
✅ Redefine success. What if success wasn’t just about doing more, but about doing what actually matters?
✅ Challenge the guilt. When you feel bad for resting, ask yourself: Where did I learn that my worth is tied to productivity? Then remind yourself: Rest is productive.
✅ Say no (without an explanation). Overachievers often take on too much. Practice declining tasks that drain you—without justifying why.
✅ Embrace imperfection. Done is better than perfect. Perfectionism feeds overachieving, and it’s time to break that cycle.
The Bottom Line
Rest isn’t lazy. Rest isn’t weak. Rest isn’t a reward for when you finally “deserve” it.
Rest is revolutionary.
It’s a radical act of self-care in a world that glorifies burnout. It’s the key to sustainable success. And most importantly, it’s your birthright.
So take a deep breath, put your feet up, and remember: sometimes, the most powerful thing you can do is nothing at all.
