A Room Full of High Achievers

This weekend I had the opportunity to speak at the Tri Delta Convention.

If you’re not familiar with Tri Delta, it’s the second-largest Panhellenic sorority in the country. It’s also the one I joined 26(!) years ago at Wake Forest. In many ways, it felt like coming home — even though I was a first-time attendee.

Allow me to set the stage.

More than 600 women from all over the country gathered in Denver: collegiate members serving in chapter leadership positions, alumnae who give generously through volunteer roles, and staff who work tirelessly to ensure meaningful experiences for members.

In other words, every. single. person. in attendance is a high achiever.

But listening to them downplay their many accomplishments, you’d never know it.

I was honored to lead two sessions of my signature workshop, Lead Without Limits: Tackling Perfectionism, Imposter Syndrome, and Burnout.

After introducing the signs, symptoms, and prevention strategies, I led participants through an interactive exercise that invited them to reflect, reframe, and recalibrate their relationship with failure.

As soon as they began discussing in small groups, the energy in the room became electric. Charged. Empowered.

The real spark ignited when they shared — openly, vulnerably, and compassionately.

Take the woman who recently survived a life-threatening illness, lost a loved one, and ended her marriage. In front of 150 other people — many of whom she'd just met — she reframed her perfectionism. Doing so allowed her to receive compliments about her strength, recognize her own resilience, and not shrink away from a roaring round of applause.

Then there’s the college student who’s president of her local chapter. Her imposter syndrome surfaced as self-doubt about her ability to lead and whether she was even the right person for the job. Flipping that critical self-narrative into a headline about being chosen rather than selected by chance changed her entire perspective.

And finally, there were many women over 40 who had experienced deep burnout. They cautioned their younger counterparts to loosen their grip on the need for control now to chart a more fulfilling, values-aligned future.

While their individual challenges were unique, the themes they shared were universal. As were the compassion and support they offered one another.

But why?

In my experience as a coach, most people would never talk to their friends the way their critical inner voices repeat self-limiting talk tracks.

Real change begins when we choose to offer ourselves the same grace we so freely offer others.

Let this be your invitation to stop equating your productivity with your worth, questioning whether you’re good enough, or ignoring the 12 stages of burnout.

If you need help, consider these two questions: What do you want the outcome to be? And what are you willing to do about it?

Here's the reality: The only person who can change your situation is you, but you don’t have to go it alone.

I’m always in your corner. 🧭

Brain Food

If the reflection above resonates with you, I also recommend this recent Fast Company article on the connection between feeling "not enough" and burnout. I especially appreciated the writer’s emphasis on self-awareness, self-knowledge, and self-compassion. It's a timely reminder that when self-doubt creeps in, the most powerful response often isn't working harder. Instead, it begins by examining the internal narratives that shape not only how we lead, but how we live.

In the Spotlight

Keynote Speaking

The next time I attend Convention, I dream of delivering the keynote from the main stage! Judging by this weekend's response — a 100% recommendation rate and a 4.83 out of 5-star average rating — I feel one step closer. If you're planning a conference, leadership retreat, or company event, I'd love to partner with you to create an experience that equips, energizes, and inspires your audience.

Real Talk

What we often mistake for ambition is sometimes fear in disguise. Fear of failure. Fear of disappointing others. Fear of not being enough. Fear of not being liked. If you haven't seen it already, I invite you to watch my TEDx talk, The Perfectionism Trap: The Hidden Cost of Doing It Right. Here I explore why perfectionism can quietly hold us back, and how redefining success can help us move forward with greater clarity, confidence, and purpose.

A Different Take on Freedom

As we celebrate Independence Day this week, I hope you'll also take a moment to consider another kind of freedom: the freedom to stop chasing impossible standards, trust yourself a little more, and live with greater intention.

Sometimes the most courageous act isn't doing more. It's giving yourself permission to do things differently.