Burnout is Not a Badge of Honor: The High Achiever’s Dilemma

Written by Guy Reichard

July 3, 2024

Uncovering the Roots of Burnout

“In the relentless pursuit of success, many high-achieving executives wear their burnout as a badge of honor, not realizing it’s a complex condition that can be rooted in trauma, as well as cause it.”

In today’s fast-paced, high-stakes corporate environment, burnout has become an all-too-common phenomenon among high achievers. It’s often perceived as a testament to one’s dedication and work ethic – a badge of honor that signifies commitment and perseverance. However, the reality is far more troubling. This mindset glorifies exhaustion, devalues the importance of wellbeing and fulfillment, and perpetuates the cycle of overwork and self-neglect.

At the heart of this issue lies the High Achiever’s Dilemma: being in perpetual pursuit of achievement, while continuously increasing one’s standards and expectations of themselves, and no matter what they achieve and accomplish, they never feel “I am enough”. There is a void within that cannot be filled or fulfilled. There is a void where there should be a natural sense of worth, self worth and ‘Good Enoughness’ but instead there’s always a sense of UnEnoughness.

This dilemma reaches even further – if one is truly a high achiever by nature, which so many claim is part of their identity, why does their success seem to be detrimental to their wellbeing and stand as a major obstacle to living a healthy and balanced life? Exploring this dilemma forces high achievers to confront the uncomfortable reality that their external success, and need to be continuously achieving, may come at the expense of their personal health, relationships, happiness, and fulfillment.

Burnout is not a badge of honor or sign of one’s commitment and loyalty; it is a symptom of underlying issues that need to be addressed. In many ways, it is akin to complex trauma and, for many, has its origins in early adverse experiences and maladaptive coping strategies that ultimately undermine both personal wellbeing and professional effectiveness. Seeing burnout as merely a workplace phenomenon and not recognizing its serious mental health implications, connected to trauma, sets a dangerous precedent. It encourages others to push themselves to the brink of collapse, creating a toxic culture, and unhealthy downward effects.

This article delves into the hidden and unspoken aspects of burnout, presenting many of the interconnected contributing factors, and concludes with an invitation to explore Self Leadership as a pathway out of burnout and towards authentic fulfillment and wellbeing.

Overview

Understanding Burnout Through a Trauma-Informed Lens
Burnout and Traumatic Stress – Reaction or Adaptive Response?
Comprehensive Burnout Formula / Equation
The Exploitation of High Achievers and the Perpetuating Cycle
Breaking the Cycle – Cultivating Resilience & Self Leadership

Understanding Burnout

Burnout is a state of chronic physical and emotional exhaustion, often accompanied by cynicism and feelings of reduced professional efficacy. It’s purported to result from prolonged exposure to stress, particularly in a work context.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes burnout as an occupational phenomenon rather than a medical condition, describing it in terms of three dimensions:

Emotional Exhaustion: Feeling drained and depleted of emotional resources.

Depersonalization/Cynicism: Developing a negative, callous, or excessively detached response to various aspects of the job.

Reduced Personal Accomplishment: Experiencing feelings of ineffectiveness and lack of achievement at work.

While these symptoms are widely recognized, burnout is more than just feeling overworked or tired. It is a complex condition with deep psycho-physiological roots.

Burnout Through a Trauma-Informed Lens

To better understand burnout, and see it for what it really is, more than just a work phenomenon, I propose that we need to look at it through the lens of trauma, another area steeped in misconception. For more information on trauma, please see: “It’s Time We Talk About Trauma“.

Many are only familiar with ‘Acute Trauma’, which results from a single, overwhelming event or defined period, such as an accident, natural disaster, violent experience, or war, etc.

Many, however, are not familiar with ‘Complex Trauma’, which develops from repeated and prolonged exposure to stressful situations that do not seem inherently catastrophic but nevertheless, over time, and without resolution, result in trauma.

Trauma can stem from unrelenting work and life stress, unresolved stacked stressors, unaddressed and unprocessed emotional pain, persistent inner conflict, and identification with maladaptive behaviors that perpetuate stress dynamics. In this context, burnout can be seen as a stage in traumatization or as an adaptive trauma response, in reaction to prolonged exposure to stressors that overwhelm an individual’s capacity to cope.

It’s not just the daily grind that wears many down; it’s the accumulation of stressors over time, compounded by numerous factors, including inner conflict, and internalized beliefs and behaviors that were developed as protective mechanisms but have become maladaptive, and reinforce traumatization or re-traumatization.

Burnout shares many characteristics with trauma, particularly in how individuals repeatedly expose themselves to stressors without adequate recovery, coping mechanisms, or resolution. Here are some ways in which burnout and trauma are connected:

1. Chronic Stress Response

  • Hyperarousal & Hypoarousal: Burnout involves a prolonged stress response, similar to hyperarousal in trauma. The body remains in a constant state of readiness and defense, which can lead to physical and mental health issues. As a response, the nervous system may finally switch to hypoarousal causing immobilization, with symptoms of fatigue, lethargy, brain fog and confusion.
  • Physical Symptoms: Chronic stress from burnout can lead to headaches, gastrointestinal problems, sleep disturbances, and cardiovascular issues, reflecting the body’s strain.

2. Emotional Dysregulation

  • Emotional Exhaustion: Persistent exposure to stressors without relief leads to emotional exhaustion, similar to how trauma can deplete emotional resources.
  • Cynicism and Detachment: As a coping mechanism, individuals may develop a detached or cynical attitude to protect themselves from further emotional strain, which parallels some trauma responses.

3. Cognitive and Behavioral Impact

  • Impaired Decision Making: Burnout affects cognitive functions, leading to difficulties in decision-making, concentration, and memory, akin to the cognitive impacts of trauma.
  • Avoidance Behaviors: Individuals might avoid work-related tasks or social interactions as a means of coping with overwhelming stress, similar to avoidance behaviors seen in trauma responses.

4. Social and Interpersonal Effects

  • Isolation: Burnout can lead to withdrawal from colleagues, friends, and family, contributing to a sense of isolation and loneliness, which exacerbates the condition.
  • Interpersonal Conflict: Increased irritability and reduced patience can strain relationships both at work and in personal life, mirroring the social difficulties often associated with trauma.

So, what is trauma, actually?

Trauma is a multifaceted psychological and physiological series of responses to adverse experiences that overwhelm our ability to cope. It’s a dynamic and unfolding process that happens within a person that alters them, and has far reaching damaging effects. From very little alteration in oneself to a complete and painful change in oneself and a consequential disconnect from one’s true self, one’s wisdom, and sense of agency. Over time, we lose touch with who we really are and live mostly in protection mode led by our survival parts and adaptations, preventing us from living and experiencing our full potential.

Renowned experts such as Bessel van der Kolk, Gabor Maté, Peter Levine, Robert Scaer, Paul Conti, and Francine Shapiro have extensively studied and elaborated on the nature of trauma, and some of them have developed highly effective approaches that help people recover from trauma. Here are some definitions that encapsulate their insights:

  • Bessel van der Kolk: Van der Kolk emphasizes that trauma is not just the result of a single overwhelming event but can stem from a series of distressing experiences that disrupt one’s sense of safety and stability. Trauma is stored in the body and can affect physiological processes long after the event has occurred.
  • Gabor Maté: Maté underscores that trauma is not what happens to you, but what happens inside you as a result of what happens to you. He highlights that trauma can arise from chronic stress, emotional neglect, and unmet needs in childhood, leading to deep-seated psychological and physical impacts.
  • Peter Levine: Levine’s work suggests that trauma resides in the body’s nervous system. Trauma can result from both overwhelming single events and cumulative stressors. It manifests through patterns of hyperarousal, dissociation, and dysregulation.
  • Robert Scaer: Scaer emphasizes the concept of “trauma spectrum disorders,” highlighting how even seemingly minor events can accumulate and cause significant trauma. He points out that trauma often results from a combination of genetic predispositions, developmental experiences, and ongoing stressors.
  • Paul Conti: Conti notes that trauma often persists and compounds because it is not adequately acknowledged or addressed. The stigma and shame surrounding trauma can lead individuals to suppress their experiences, exacerbating the effects.
  • Francine Shapiro: Shapiro’s development of EMDR therapy is based on the understanding that trauma disrupts the brain’s processing of information. She posits that trauma can result from both major catastrophic events and smaller, persistent negative experiences that disrupt normal emotional functioning.

Burnout and Traumatic Stress

Here are two ways to look at burnout through a trauma lens; they aren’t mutually exclusive; they may both be accurate.

Burnout as a Result of Chronic, Unresolvable Stress

Burnout can be seen as a consequence of prolonged exposure to unbearable stress, especially in high-pressure environments. Chronic workplace stress and the relentless demands placed on high achievers can be traumatizing over time.

The symptoms of burnout – exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced professional efficacy – can be seen as effects on the body and mind that correlate with symptoms of Nervous System Dysregulation.

After periods of intense Sympathetic Nervous System Hyperarousal, where individuals experience more energy, hypervigilance, anxiety, irritability, restlessness, and sleep disturbances, the brain/body may ultimately switch to Parasympathetic Hypoarousal, where individuals experience reduced energy, fatigue, brain fog, flat affect, memory loss, disconnection and dissociation.

Example: An executive facing continuous, unrealistic expectations and unmanageable workloads may develop burnout as a result of this sustained pressure and stress, which can be considered a form of ongoing trauma.

Burnout as an Adaptive Protective Mechanism

Instead of seeing burnout or trauma as the consequence of prolonged stress, it may be that burnout (like many other ‘diseases and disorders’ – e.g. depression) functions as a protective mechanism, in this case, forcing individuals to slow down or stop altogether and take a break from the sources of their stress. It can be seen as the only viable solution; the body shutting down (immobilization) to prevent further harm from what has so far been unrelenting and unresolvable.

Example: An overworked employee may become so burned out that they are compelled to take a leave of absence, which, while initially debilitating, prevents further exposure to the harmful environment and dynamics.

Risk of Recurrent Burnout

If an executive has experienced burnout in the past and recovered, they are generally at a higher risk of experiencing burnout again. Likewise, if one has experienced adversity or trauma in their past, the likelihood of burnout is higher. This increased risk is due to several factors:

  • Residual Stress: Even after recovery, residual stress and unresolved underlying issues can linger.
  • Altered Stress Response: Previous burnout (or trauma) can alter an individual’s stress response, making them more sensitive to stressors.
  • Cumulative Effects: The cumulative effects of repeated exposure to high stress can weaken the individual’s resilience over time, as well as sense of identity.
  • Behavioral Patterns: The return to previous behavioral patterns (such as perfectionism and overworking) without significant change in coping strategies can lead to recurrent burnout.

Recurrent burnout is often more severe due to the compounding effects of stress and the potential for greater psychological and physiological damage over time. Chronic exposure to high levels of stress without adequate recovery can lead to more profound and persistent health issues.

Being a High Achieving Performer is Not the Issue

Not every high achiever, however, who experiences unrelenting stress arrives at burnout, so it is clear there are other important factors involved. There are many who thrive when they strive under difficult conditions.

The following section offers a ‘Burnout Formula’ or Equation, and includes a variety of potential contributing factors. With the addition of each factor, the likelihood of burnout/trauma becomes greater.

Comprehensive Burnout Formula / Equation

To better understand the multifaceted nature of burnout and its connection to trauma, I’ve developed a comprehensive, though figurative, formula that encapsulates the many contributing factors. This is merely hypothetical (it’s not real or tested) but it highlights how each element – ranging from early childhood experiences to current workplace dynamics – adds layers of internal stress, increasing the likelihood of experiencing burnout. The more factors an individual has, the higher their susceptibility.

These factors include internal conflicts such as the pressure to maintain financial stability and status, the fear of perceived failure, perfectionism, and unresolved childhood stressors. Many of these stressors have been ingrained for decades, originating in childhood, and reinforced through adolescence, adulthood, and professional life. This formula underscores how deeply these elements are intertwined and how they collectively drive the burnout cycle.

Burnout = ∑ (Early Life Factors) × (Adaptive Protective Programs) × (Adult Stressors) × (Workplace Environment Factors)

Breaking Down the Formula:

Early Life Factors

Burnout doesn’t start in the boardroom; its roots can often be traced back to early life experiences. Various factors in one’s upbringing can predispose individuals to develop coping strategies that later contribute to burnout:

  • Attachment Issues (AI): Insecure attachments and emotional neglect in childhood can lead to an enduring sense of inadequacy and a constant need to prove oneself.
  • Sensitivities (S): Highly sensitive individuals may be more prone to feeling overwhelmed by stress and may develop perfectionistic, compliant, or appeasing tendencies to gain approval.
  • Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE): Trauma, abuse, neglect, and family dysfunction can create deep-seated emotional wounds that influence adult identity, behavior and health.
  • Parental and Family Pressure (PFP): High expectations and pressure to perform can instill a belief that one’s worth and identity are tied to achievements.
  • Societal Pressure (SP): Societal norms and expectations regarding success and achievement reinforce the idea that one must constantly strive for more.

Adaptive Protective Programs (Protective Parts & Roles)

In response to these early life factors, individuals often develop Adaptive Protective Programs (APPs) – strategies, behaviors and thought patterns implicitly developed to help them navigate their challenging environments to prevent pain, shame and fear. These can be highly effective for a time, but over time, we begin to identify more with these parts/programs, losing touch with the wisdom and agency of our Authentic Self. (Much more on these here: https://www.heartrich.ca/blog/what-is-self-leadership/)

These include:

  • Inner Critic (IC): An internal voice that constantly judges, criticizes, and belittles oneself.
  • Perfectionism (P): Striving for flawlessness to gain approval and avoid criticism.
  • People Pleasing (PP): Seeking validation and avoiding conflict by meeting others’ needs.
  • Overwork (O): Using work as a means of coping, supplying self-worth, and proving loyalty.
  • High Achieving (HA): Continuous pursuit of success and recognition to supply self-esteem needs.
  • Conflict Avoidance (CA): Avoiding confrontation, and one’s own anger, to maintain stability and approval and minimize anxiety.
  • Boundary Challenges (BC): Difficulty or inability to say no and set and assert one’s needs and limits out of fear.

These, and many more protective programs, like Impostor Syndrome, are all explored in Self Leadership Coaching through the lens of Internal Family Systems’ Protector Parts and Roles. While these programs can be highly beneficial in the short term, in helping individuals manage inner turmoil and anxiety, achieve success, and navigate challenging situations and environments, they become maladaptive over time, when individuals fail to see they only increase and perpetuate stress and contribute to eventual burnout or other severe issues.

Adult Stressors (AS):

Adult Stressors represent a broad spectrum of pressures and challenges that individuals face daily. These stressors can stem from various aspects of personal and professional life, including financial pressures, relationship dynamics, health concerns, caregiving for elderly family, and societal expectations. The struggle to balance work, family, and personal aspirations often leads to chronic stress, which can have a profound impact on mental and physical wellbeing.

  • Professional Demands (PD): High expectations, workloads and pressure to perform in professional life.
  • Personal Life Stress (PLS): Balancing countless personal and professional responsibilities and issues.
  • Lack of Support (LS): Insufficient emotional and social support contributing to a sense of isolation.
  • Security Paradox (SP): Pressure to maintain income and status, combined with fear of losing these if they leave, and fear that other workplaces will be equally stressful.

Workplace Environment Factors (WEF):

  • Workplace Culture (WC): Competitive and high-pressure work environments.
  • Lack of Control/Power (LC): Feeling powerless and lacking autonomy in decision-making.
  • Conflicting Values (CV): Misalignment between personal values and organizational values.
  • Dysfunctional/Covert-Abusive Management (DM): Toxic leadership, micromanagement, and covert abuse.
  • Unclear Expectations (UE): Lack of clarity regarding roles and responsibilities.
  • Unwritten Rules (UR): Informal norms that create confusion and stress.
  • Unfairness (UF): Perceived or actual unfair treatment, favoritism, and bias.
Expanded Formula: Burnout = ∑ (AI+S+ACE+PFP+SP) × (IC+P+PP+O+HA+CA+BC) × (PD+ PLS+LS+SP) × (WC+LC+CV+DM+UE+UR+UF)

The Exploitation of High Achievers in the Workplace:

In many corporate settings, there exists a culture that:

  • Rewards overwork and discourages taking any kind of healthy breaks, leading to chronic stress and burnout.
  • Encourages perfectionism and unrealistic standards, fostering a fear of failure and inadequacy.
  • Promotes competition over collaboration, isolating individuals and increasing stress.
  • Values productivity over wellbeing, discouraging self-care, personal time, and fulfillment.
  • Suppresses vulnerability and open dialogue about struggles, leading to shame and isolation.

Corporate cultures often exploit (not necessarily consciously or maliciously but that is surely possible) high-achieving, perfectionistic, people-pleasing individuals. These employees are seen as reliable and dedicated, willing to go above and beyond to meet the demands of their roles. However, this exploitation comes at a significant cost.

High achievers are often given excessive workloads, unrealistic deadlines, and are expected to be available at all times. Their dedication is taken for granted, and their personal needs are overlooked. This exploitation not only leads to burnout but also fosters a toxic work environment where the wellbeing of employees is secondary to productivity and profit.

The Perpetuating Cycle:

  • Shame and Fear: Individuals internalize the high-pressure demands, feeling shame if they can’t meet expectations. This leads to a cycle of silence, where everyone believes they are alone in their struggles, thinking others are managing better.
  • Self-Inflicted Trauma: In an attempt to keep up with perceived norms, individuals push themselves beyond their limits, perpetuating their own trauma through relentless work, neglect of self-care, and unaddressed emotional and physiological needs.
  • Cultural Reinforcement: This behavior is often rewarded in corporate cultures, further reinforcing the cycle. The culture thrives on the efforts of high-achieving, perfectionistic individuals who feel they must sacrifice personal wellbeing for professional success.
  • Reinforced Identity: The constant pressure to perform and achieve can cause individuals to identify themselves solely by their professional accomplishments. This reinforced identity becomes difficult to break, as their sense of self-worth is tied to their external success. Over time, this can lead to a loss of personal identity, making it even harder to step back and prioritize personal wellbeing. This cycle of over-identification with work perpetuates the unhealthy dynamics, as individuals continue to seek validation and self-worth from their professional achievements rather than their inherent worth, intrinsic values and human needs.

The Illusion of Success

Many high achievers equate external markers of success – such as titles, money, and status – with happiness and fulfillment. However, these achievements often come at the expense of personal wellbeing. The pursuit of success can lead to a relentless cycle of striving for more, never feeling truly satisfied, fulfilled, or even simply good enough. High rates of Impostor Syndrome/Phenomenon among highly educated, trained and experienced people show that we are out of touch with something fundamental within that supplies self-belief and self-esteem – the Self.

True success is not measured by external achievements but by a sense of balance, fulfillment, and wellbeing. High achievers must recognize that their worth is inherent, and is not defined by their professional accomplishments, status, titles or the opinion of others. True success is when one is able to satisfy their needs in effective and healthy ways, fulfill their values in all facets of life so they can lead a free, balanced and authentic life.

Breaking the Cycle

While changing the corporate culture is undoubtedly important, the foundational step in breaking the cycle of burnout lies in individual transformation. Only healthy, whole, and Self Led people can drive courageous, meaningful and positive change within their organizations. The real job of recovery and breaking the cycle is the journey back to wholeness, self acceptance, and the cultivation of inner safety (and Good Enoughness) through Self Leadership.

Resilience

True resilience is not merely about enduring stress or bouncing back from adversity; it is about returning to our Authentic Selves, in a state of safety, calm and confidence after facing setbacks, pain, and challenges. Burned-out high achievers have been living much of the time in survival or protection mode – constantly under threat – in a state of chronic stress. Achievers will benefit greatly when they learn to return to a state of inner safety, living more of the time in the Social Engagement System, so they can realize the peace and ease and fullness that comes from living from their Authentic Selves. (Read, “The Heart of Resilience” a Polyvagal Theory informed article.) However, this is no small feat.

High achievers living in survival mode are in a near-constant state of fight-flight response, reacting to stressors as if they are immediate threats. This state prioritizes short-term survival over long-term growth and wellbeing, leading to the maladaptive behaviors of hypervigilance, perfectionism, overwork, and people-pleasing that we explored above. These behaviors, which have been cultivated for years (or a lifetime), and which they’ve identified with, are driven by an implicit belief that their survival and success depend on them, thus keeping individuals trapped in a cycle of inner conflict, stress and burnout.

Disidentification & Developing a Diverse Identity

Self Led individuals seek to understand and appreciate their human needs, and they learn to satisfy them in healthier, more balanced, and sustainable ways. They have a heart-rich connection to their values, what matters most in their hearts; values that are clear, prioritized, and honored daily through their choices, actions, and the way they care for themselves, others, and the world around them.

To break the perpetuating cycle, we must lovingly and courageously ‘dis-identify’ from our Protector Parts and Roles (Adaptive Protective Programs) and embark on the journey to reconnect with our Authentic Selves, our values, and our full potential. This means we get to cultivate a diverse array of Parts and Capacities within us – not only the protective kind. Becoming Self Led restores and supplies our natural creativity, confidence and self-esteem from within, rather than relying on a perpetual but fleeting supply of external validation, titles or achievements. While accomplishments will still be a byproduct of values-based purposeful actions, they no longer define our worth or supply our self-esteem.

Becoming Self Led involves:

  • Awareness, Presence & Acceptance: Cultivating mindful awareness, presence and radical acceptance of all that is, including uncomfortable emotions and all our parts and programs. This involves developing the ability to stay present and fully engage with the current moment, and all our emotions, without judgment or resistance.
  • Safety and Social Engagement: Cultivating self-regulation helps us move into the social engagement system, where one feels safe and connected within and with others. This state allows for genuine relationships and collaboration, fostering a sense of belonging and support, as well as optimal performance.
  • Managing the Mind: Developing skills in thought management to help in recognizing and changing limiting beliefs or thoughts that don’t serve us. This process includes challenging and transforming these beliefs and thought patterns to align more closely with our values and goals, promoting a healthier and more positive mindset.
  • Emotional Intelligence & Compassion: Enhancing emotional intelligence involves recognizing, understanding, and managing our own emotions, as well as empathizing with others. Self Led individuals cultivate self-compassion, and compassion for others, which is crucial for healing and personal growth.
  • Authentic Self-Connection: Reconnecting with the core, compassionate Self that is inherently calm, clear, confident, and creative. Building trust in Self and learning to return to Self when you’ve been triggered and react with an old protective program.
  • Cultivating a Balanced & Diverse Identity: Developing a multifaceted, diverse identity that is not solely defined by professional achievements or status. This balanced identity supports long-term wellbeing and fulfillment. Recognizing and valuing our multiplicity – the diverse array of parts, capacities, and interests within us; our loving parts, creative parts, adventurous parts, assertive parts, wise parts, as well as, all our protective parts and programs like the Inner Critic, etc. Each part is a way of being ‘us’ and has unique strengths and perspectives that can be called upon as needed. (To coin a new term: DiversIdentity / DiversIdentification.)
  • Needs & Values: Identifying and honoring your personal/authentic needs and core values is fundamental to leading a fulfilling life. Understanding what truly matters to you can guide your decisions, helping you to prioritize activities and commitments that align with your authentic self, thereby reducing stress and enhancing overall wellbeing. This includes embracing assertiveness, effective boundary setting, optimal work life balance, consistent self care, and more.
  • Purpose & Meaning: Identifying and aligning with a deeper sense of purpose and meaning in life. This involves reflecting on what truly matters to you beyond professional achievements and using this understanding to guide your actions and decisions.

Cultivating Self Leadership is the cornerstone of breaking the cycle of burnout. By becoming Self Led, individuals not only improve their own wellbeing but also become catalysts for positive change within their organizations, and communities. By taking a stand for what truly matters, Self Led individuals can influence their work culture positively and courageously. Though the fears are real, they do not succumb to the fears of losing work, others’ opinions, or losing so-called status. Instead, they embrace being who they really are and making a positive difference by embodying and actualizing their Authentic Selves.

Conclusion

How long will you allow burnout to be worn as a badge of honor, masking the chronic stress and deep-seated trauma that it truly represents? How long will you tolerate unhealthy internal and workplace dynamics? The time for change is now. You have the power and agency within you to lead a courageous, fulfilling life that not only enhances your personal wellbeing but also makes a positive difference in the world.

By embracing Self Leadership, you can break free from the cycle of overwork, fear, and shame. You can reclaim your natural confidence and self-esteem, aligning your actions with your true values and human needs. This journey back to wholeness and authenticity is the essence of resilience – emerging from adversity with renewed presence, wisdom, heart and purpose.

As more people become Self Led, we can collectively transform abusive, toxic workplace cultures into robust, satisfying, and enriching environments. Together, we can foster workplaces where wellbeing is prioritized, and professional success isn’t only measured by achievements and titles but by one’s own measures of health, positive influence, and fulfillment.

If you’re ready to take the first step towards this transformation, consider Self Leadership Coaching. Let’s work together to create a better future for ourselves, our workplaces, and the world.

Read other Trauma-Informed Self Leadership Articles on the HeartRich Blog:

 

2 Comments
  1. Lesley A Simon

    Your review of Trauma and how it relates to Burnout along with your Comprehensive Formula for Burnout is very helpful. I think I have a better understanding now how burnout develops and how is it different for each individual. On the surface most people aren’t aware of what stressors past and present are affecting oneself and those with whom we work with. We need to continually look deeper and hopefully have more compassion for ourselves and others.

    Success is perceived in many different ways and yes it is often an illusion. Thanks for tips on how to Break the Cycle.

    Reply
    • Guy Reichard

      Thank you, Lesley. Great insights. I’m glad you found the review helpful!

      It’s true that many of us are unaware of the various stressors impacting our wellbeing and those around us. I believe you’re right, by looking deeper and fostering compassion for ourselves and others, we can begin to break the cycle and create healthier, more supportive environments. Thank you for your thoughtful comment and for taking the time to engage with the article.

      Reply

Please Leave a Reply

You may also like…
if there are no results – you can email me and tell me to write something new 🙂

Beyond Positive Intelligence: Why Real Growth Requires More than Just Positivity
Beyond Positive Intelligence: Why Real Growth Requires More than Just Positivity

Positive Intelligence, aka PQ, focuses on identifying and overcoming internal ‘saboteurs’ – so-called negative thought patterns that can interfere with success and wellbeing. While this model resonates with many, it also presents critical limitations, particularly for individuals with histories of trauma, chronic stress, or unresolved inner conflict.

This article examines the strengths and shortcomings of the PQ framework, exposes the risks of oversimplified coaching approaches and inadequate coach education, and makes the case for a more trauma-wise, compassionate, and heart-centered approach – one that supports both coaches and individuals in fostering deeper self-awareness, self-acceptance, healing, and authentic growth.

HeartRich Resilience: Developing A System for Authentic Flourishing
HeartRich Resilience: Developing A System for Authentic Flourishing

Imagine a compass guiding you in life, not just to “survive” but to live deeply, meaningfully, and resiliently. The HeartRich Resilience Compass is designed with nine interconnected facets, each representing an area of your inner world and a suite of principles and processes or skillsets we can learn.

When you learn to turn these ‘Dials of Influence’ from the negative, destructive side toward the positive, life-affirming side, you begin to embody your truest self. You no longer react out of fear, avoidance, or survival; instead, you consciously choose your responses, acting with intention, clarity, and heart.

A Year of Reckoning and The Call for Love and Courage
A Year of Reckoning and The Call for Love and Courage

I had not one inkling that the final year of my 40s would turn out the way it did. This past year has reshaped both my inner and outer life in ways I could never have anticipated. I hate to admit it, but I was incredibly naïve, and ignorant. The writing was quite literally, on the wall….

As I turned 50 just days ago, I find myself contemplating how this year of horror, trauma, violence, and hatred has fundamentally shifted my identities – as a Jew, an Israeli, a Canadian, a family man, friend and neighbor, and as a professional who tries to bring more heart to the world.

Share This