INTHEBLACK October 2026 - Magazine - Page 55
“High achievers set realistic goals and show
up as competent and self-aware, and display
a high level of emotional intelligence. They use
failure as fuel for their learning and growth,
and generally speaking, they tend to play to
their strengths. So, whatever they do, they do
it well,” Baillie says.
Overachievers are often driven by a fear
of failure rather than a drive for success.
“The result is basically self-sabotage: doing
things like setting unrealistic expectations,” she
continues. “When they are failing, it can trigger
feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt.”
Burnout is also a problem. “Overachievers
exceed their own boundaries,” Baillie says.
“It pushes them to the anxiety zone, so they
constantly feel that they are missing the mark
and they are not good enough.”
The problem with overachievement — an
issue Baillie sees often in her role as a
coach — is that it is ultimately unsustainable.
“That is why you have a lot of mid-career
dropout, especially among women,” she says. “It
becomes too difficult.”
Many overachievers are shaped by the reward
and recognition they received for achievement
as young people. It is a problem that continues
into the workplace. Society rewards overachievers,
observes Marks.
“We hear how hard they work: they worked
the weekend, they stayed up all night, and that
is revered,” she says. “Of course you have got
to work hard, but it becomes an issue when
it goes beyond what is a normal expectation
of a human being.”
THE END OF OVERACHIEVEMENT
Self-awareness is vital to overcoming
overachievement. A frank self-evaluation
can reveal the root cause of the behaviour,
Marks says.
“Ask, ‘What is driving me to operate this
way?’, especially if it is costing you in other
areas of your life, whether that is your
relationships or your health.”
The next step is to find clarity on individual
values, purpose and goals. “Be clear on
what success looks like — that is different
for all of us,” Marks says. This knowledge
enables professionals to approach their work
life strategically.
“If you are getting to the end of the week
and it has all been a blur and you have just been
reacting to urgent tasks, that is a good signal
for you to step back and ask, ‘What really
matters to me here? If I did one thing today,
what is going to create impact or move me
closer to what matters to me?’”
For Marks, the answer was surprising.
“I learned early on that rest is a strategy that
gives you perspective,” she says. Marks began
building downtime into her schedule, even
if it was just 10 minutes between back-to-back
meetings to reset rather than racing from one
task to the next. She also learned to be kind
to herself.
“Remember that you are showing up and
doing your best,” she says.
SENSE CHECK
Taking a more sustainable approach to
achievement can be challenging, Marks
acknowledges. “It is going against the norm.”
But, she believes, “If you do not value your time,
no one else will”.
Engaging in regular “sense-checking” can
help ensure boundaries are upheld. “Ask, ‘Do
I need to go to 27 meetings this week? Where
can I add the most value?’” Marks says.
“It requires being brave enough to own your
value, but also to communicate that to others:
‘This is what I can do, this is what I cannot do,
and this is why it is going to deliver more value’.
Be really clear around that impact and tie it
back to what matters for the business.”
She also says it is important to respect
personal limits. “You only have so much
capacity and you want to show up with a full
tank instead of an empty one.”
AUTHENTICITY AT WORK
Organisations benefit from encouraging
employees to adopt a more sustainable
working life.
“As leaders, they make better decisions, and
they focus on what matters,” Marks says. “But,
more than that, they are modelling to their team
what it looks like to be a good leader. They are
being authentic, rather than putting on a mask
or pretending it is all fine.”
This type of leadership resonates with
younger generations, she says. “Younger
employees do not see success as an endurance
race; they see it in terms of their purpose
and their ability to create impact within their
work environment.”
A more engaged workforce is also a win from
a business point of view.
“The organisation benefits from things like
better decision-making and staff retention,
but also in terms of creating an environment
where people feel they belong and can bring
their whole selves to work,” Marks says. “If we
are asking people to leave their life at the door,
we will not get the best out of people as leaders
or as individuals.” ■
READ
an article about
how managers
can help with
employee burnout
EXPLORE
CPA Australia’s
Stress Management
online course
intheblack.cpaaustralia.com.au 55
