Why We Cut Off Our Needs

The toxic Road to Burnout in a High-Speed Society

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(Kerstin Linnartz, be better) In a world that praises productivity, speed, and achievement, burnout has become a chronic issue, especially for high-performing individuals. People find themselves constantly on the go, striving for success at work while juggling demands of family, friends, and personal growth.

In this high-speed society, one vital component is often overlooked: our own needs.

As someone who has both experienced burnout and now coaches others in avoiding its pitfalls, I have come to understand that real, lasting success without sacrificing well-being requires addressing the main pillars of our lives. Our bodies, minds, emotions, financial stability, and sense of spiritual fulfillment are all interconnected. When we ignore or minimize these needs, it leads us down a path of stress, exhaustion, and ultimately, burnout.

Why Do We Cut Off Our Needs?

Our culture has conditioned us to equate busyness with importance and productivity with self-worth. This mindset is prevalent among high-performing business people who are often pressured to perform at their peak, regardless of the cost to their health. In chasing this "perfect" level of productivity, we start neglecting basic needs – eating well, getting enough sleep, managing emotions, maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Over time, this becomes a habit, and we convince ourselves that ignoring these needs is necessary to get ahead.

This is compounded by societal pressures to remain constantly "plugged in." The idea of self-care becomes a luxury that many feel they cannot afford or even judge as ?weakness“. Eventually this approach will backfire. Ignoring fundamental needs leads to burnout, sapping us of energy, creativity, and motivation. The drive for success, ironically, ends up hindering it.

The Three Most Common Mistakes Leading to Burnout

High-performing professionals often make three key mistakes on the road to burnout:

1. Ignoring Physical Needs: Many high achievers overlook the importance of physical health. They skip meals or stress-binge-eat, sacrifice sleep, avoid exercise, believing that these are "optional" in pursuit of their goals. Over time, this neglect strains the body and impairs mental function.
2. Suppressing Emotions: In the high-stakes business world, emotions are often seen as a weakness. Many people push their feelings aside, aiming to appear unshakeable. However, suppressing emotions or numbing them with alcohol or other substances does not make them go away. Instead, it creates an emotional buildup that, without release, can lead to stress, anxiety, and eventually, emotional exhaustion.
3. Compromising Personal Values and Fulfillment: The relentless drive for financial stability and career success often overshadows the need for personal fulfillment and purpose. People may find themselves compromising on things that are personally meaningful or engaging, leading to a sense of emptiness and disillusionment, which they then try to fill with over consumption- a vicious circle.

In today’s high-pressure world, high achievers often face burnout by prioritizing career success at the expense of essential personal needs, such as physical health, emotional resilience, and personal fulfillment. This cycle of self-neglect not only erodes well-being but also impairs productivity over time, creating a pattern that many find difficult to break, especially when they fear losing control or falling behind.

Breaking out of this cycle can be challenging, particularly for those who fear that slowing down or asking for help might result in losing control or falling behind. However, even top performers recognize the value of support. Even high achievers make use of mentorship. For example, Steve Jobs relied on the guidance of Andy Grove, Intel’s former CEO and former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz sought guidance from business mentor Bill Campbell (Harvard Business Review, Forbes).

Mentorship allows leaders to maintain success while fostering personal balance, helping to prevent burnout without the fear of losing momentum in their careers.

If you find yourself struggling to maintain both health and fulfillment, don’t hesitate to seek support—mentorship can be instrumental in achieving lasting success without compromising well-being. Remember: asking for help is not a weakness, but a sign of accountability.

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Further reads:

The Benefits of Mentorship: A study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology found that individuals with mentors reported greater career satisfaction, lower levels of burnout, and a stronger sense of work-life balance. Mentorship was shown to provide essential support in coping with workplace challenges, helping individuals maintain personal well-being while achieving their goals (Journal of Applied Psychology, 2004).

Holistic Well-being and Performance: Research from the American Psychological Association (APA) underscores the importance of nurturing physical, mental, and emotional health to maintain high performance and personal fulfillment. The APA highlights that addressing these interconnected aspects prevents stress accumulation and burnout, promoting long-term success and life satisfaction (APA, 2015).