123 - Exhaustion Is Not a Flex: The Hidden Cost of High Achievement123 - Exhaustion Is Not a Flex: The Hidden Cost of High Achievement
The Chase Life Podcast
Rachel and David talk about why so many high-achieving women feel bone deep exhausted and question whether hormones or busy schedules are really to blame. They focus on self-worth, boundaries and old safety strategies that keep people overworking, and discuss more sustainable ways to protect health, energy and body composition.
41:19•24 Jun 2026
Exhaustion Is Not a Flex: High Achievers, Burnout and Owning Your Self-Worth
Episode Overview
- Exhaustion is mainly driven by constant mental and emotional patterns, not just hormones, age or a busy schedule.
- Linking self-worth to productivity turns people into "human doings" who can’t switch off without feeling lazy or worthless.
- Strong boundaries and a healthier sense of self-worth are essential to free up time and reduce burnout.
- Perimenopause, HRT and GLP medications can support energy and motivation but won’t fix exhaustion without lifestyle and mindset change.
- Cutting work hours and stepping away from hustle culture can actually increase focus, speed of execution and overall life satisfaction.
“"The main reason why you are exhausted is because of the mental and emotional patterns that you are running in your head 24-7."”
How do people cope with the challenges of staying sober while still chasing big career goals? This episode of The Chase Life Podcast zeroes in on the hidden cost of high achievement, especially for women over 35 who feel "bone deep exhausted" yet keep pushing anyway.
Rachel Godfrey openly shares her history as a "former stress addict and workaholic", describing how she once lived on dopamine hits from ticking off the next achievement, partying hard, and burning the candle at both ends. David joins her to unpack why exhaustion often has less to do with hormones, age or busy calendars and far more to do with the mental and emotional patterns running in the background every day.
You’ll hear them contrast being a genuine high achiever with becoming a stress addict, and why "exhaustion is not a flex". They talk about hustle culture, overworking as a safety strategy, and the common trap of being a "human doing" whose self-worth is tied to productivity and busyness. Rachel explains how quitting alcohol, setting stronger boundaries, and cutting her workday down to four or five focused hours has actually boosted her output and energy.
Perimenopause, HRT, GLP medications and lifestyle basics like sleep and nutrition get a reality check: they’re framed as helpful tools, but never magic fixes. As David puts it, many people are still sprinting from a tiger that stopped chasing them decades ago, driven by old beliefs about safety, worth and responsibility. The episode is aimed at high-performing women who are successful on paper yet secretly drained, frustrated with their bodies, and tired of sacrificing themselves for work and family.
It mixes hard-hitting explanations with relatable stories from clients who’ve shifted from martyrdom and chaos into better health, stronger boundaries and more strategic careers. If you’re tired of feeling tired and wondering why traditional self-care isn’t touching the sides, this conversation might be the nudge to rethink what success should really feel like.
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