Think about it:

• How often do you find yourself working when you promised yourself a break?

• Have you ever thought, “I wish I could work less” while simultaneously cramming in one more task?

• Do you catch yourself saying things like, “I just need to finish this before dinner” or “Next year, I’ll finally take that class... once I have X under control”?

When we´re talking about being a leader or an entrepreneur, coaching doesn´t always go deep enough, it moves people forward but doesn´t always raise self-awareness sufficiently, dealing only with what´s conscious, offering short-term fixes and feel-good moments over lasting change. 

We all want to be viewed positively and engage in 'impression management' to influence others' perceptions. Simplifying or downplaying difficult aspects of a situation or yourself to make it more socially acceptable is sometimes called 'glossing', it´s part of the emotional labor we all do to manage our emotions outwardly to meet the demands of our roles.

People with performance-based identities tie their self-worth to external achievements. This often leads to anxiety about others' perceptions, with success measured against ever-changing benchmarks and comparison with people's accomplishments. Sound familiar? 

What’s heartbreaking is that people aren’t broken. We are functioning exactly as designed; our ability to adapt is phenomenal. We’re experiencing a natural response to a world not designed for how we operate best.

But I don’t care about fault; it won’t fix it. I can’t wait for someone to realise they have power and take action. In the meantime, I, and you, risk losing valuable years of our lives.