High-achievers often burn out by over-investing emotionally, driven by an intense internal definition of success. To break this cycle, get external input from stakeholders. Their definition of "good enough" is often more reasonable and can help you recalibrate your own success metrics and boundaries.

The sign of a high-performing, intensely driven CEO is when they create enough productive tension that their board members occasionally worry if the team is being pushed too hard. This "occasional gear grind" indicates the company's engine is running at maximum capacity, which is necessary for breakout success.

The flip side of passion is that employees with a strong calling can be tough colleagues. Their intense commitment can manifest as hyper-criticism towards leaders, coworkers, and decisions that conflict with their personal vision, leading to strained team dynamics.

Individuals with a powerful sense of calling often develop an overinflated view of their own talent. This "career tunnel vision" makes them resistant to discouraging feedback, even from trusted mentors, causing them to pursue high-risk career paths without objective assessment.

Many high-achievers are driven by a subconscious need to please an authority figure who never gave them "the blessing"—a clear affirmation that they are enough. This unfulfilled need fuels a relentless cycle of striving and accumulation, making it crucial to question the motives behind one's ambition.

While psychology warns against tying your identity to your work to avoid pain from failure, high performers do exactly that. They embrace identities like "I am a writer" because this personal attachment makes excellence non-negotiable and prevents them from simply "going through the motions."

Your immediate emotional response to a new goal reveals your underlying energy and mindset. A feeling of dread is a critical early warning sign that your current path is unsustainable and heading towards burnout, while excitement signals a healthier state.

Entrepreneurs driven by external pressures like social status or financial gain, termed "obsessively passionate," are ironically less effective. This type of passion leads to a lack of boundaries, diminished focus, and an inability to balance other life roles, ultimately hindering business performance.

Ambitious people operate under the illusion that intense work now will lead to rest and contentment later. In reality, success is an ever-receding horizon; achieving one goal only reveals the next, more ambitious one. This mindset, while driving achievement, creates a dangerous loop where one can end up missing their entire life while chasing a finish line that perpetually moves further away.