Is sprinting to success leaving you breathless and behind?

Toss out these 3 productivity lies keeping you busy and overwhelmed

Original image by Mizuno K via pexels. Modified by Author.

I confess… I’ve been on the quieter side lately. I’ve spread myself thin like a crepe and burnt myself crispy. I finally cracked and was left picking up the pieces.

Plus, with the winter season approaching, I also felt the desire to slow down, even though the workaholic part of me wants to push harder since there is only so much time left in the year.

But I went against my old patterns of pushing through, and I chose to pause.

I sat with all these uncomfortable thought patterns and feelings to identify where it all went wrong with my planning, my approach, and my mindset.

That sucked, and I’m still in recovery from burning myself out for a good chunk of this year. I thought it was fine and that I could push through, but my faulty reasonings led to my current state.

Exiting the burnout fast lane

In a world where we’re constantly encouraged to do more, achieve more, and have more, it’s easy to feel like you’re constantly falling short in some way. Not only that, but you’re also asked to do it faster and perform with clockwork-like consistency as if you’re a machine.

…and these hustle-inducing paradigms have been unconsciously sabotaging your long term progress and overall wellbeing.

Because you are human.

Because you have a life outside of work.

Because you also have your own unique blend of values, beliefs, experiences, skill sets, needs, and wants, too.

It doesn’t help when you try to disregard all that and act like someone else, hoping to find the “right” shortcut or method to success as soon as possible.

So, honestly, ask yourself—what is all that rushing doing to you? What's behind that pressure to do it all and do it all now?

The most common top-level answer is financial because you’re trying to make x amount of money as soon as possible due to the various financial obligations heavily weighing over you. (Psst, that’s also one of the most common and easiest sales hooks to get your attention and money, too.)

But there are other underlying factors contributing to your stress, overwhelm, and soul draining patterns.

And what if going against these common beliefs is your best business strategy instead?

Here are 3 productivity lies that are unconsciously sabotaging your progress towards building a Soulfueled business:

1 - More means better

We live in a society that’s all about more—more accomplishments, more productivity, more hustle, and more possessions. But how often do we stop to ask, "Is this pace sustainable?" “Do I really need this?” and “Is this what I truly want?”

We’re trained to chase after more, which leads to greed. We’re encouraged to buy more, which leads to hoarding. We’re taught that we’re not enough in some way, which leads to low self worth and lack of self confidence.

When you push yourself relentlessly, you risk losing yourself trying to be like someone else or trying to impress others. You risk exhaustive burnout and sacrificing what actually matters. You risk draining your passion, focus, and motivation—the very things that fuel your business.

Plus, when you’re trying to replicate the output of a team as a solopreneur, that can easily lead to feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, and burnt out from juggling all the roles you need to play simultaneously in work and life.

INSTEAD: Focus on “less but better.” Commit to fewer things, stop spreading yourself so thin, and concentrate on doing things better. Simply, it’s about quality over quantity.

Plus, don’t promise anything when you’re burned out and overstretched. You might feel like things would get better if you did more. But all that moreness can become unnecessary pressure and end up wasting your precious resources.

A prior mentor told me to “Say yes to everything and buy everything. It doesn’t matter if you use it. Do that to open more doors and create more opportunities for success.” That sounded like a good idea initially, until I took that to the extreme and wasted all this money hoarding seemingly warehouses full of shelf help content and spent all this time chasing after the next, newest, or latest idea. I not only realized how damaging that advice has been, but I also now see through his underlying intent of encouraging me to spend more money with his organization.

Less doesn’t mean worse or not living up to your potential. Less means you can develop better focus, higher quality of work, and more space for your creativity, enjoyment, and other priorities in life.

2 - Push harder to get there faster

Seeing other people’s progress can make you feel like you’re not doing enough or fast enough. You might think that if you push yourself harder or force your way through to get the results you want faster.

But that’s not always the case. Instead, take a look at what’s really necessary for where you’re currently at. Are those self imposed deadlines actually required? Is that right next step to take right now? Are you setting realistic goals that factor in all of your responsibilities, downtime, and those inevitable surprises life throws your way?

Many of us set these ambitious schedules assuming we'll have uninterrupted focus or as if that’s the only thing we need to do. But life, especially life as an entrepreneur, rarely follows a perfect plan.

INSTEAD: Sometimes, the best thing you can do for your progress is to slow down, breathe, and release unnecessary pressure you put on yourself.

When you honor downtime and a slower pace, you’re giving yourself the time and space to recharge and find better clarity. You’ll feel more grounded, refreshed, and actually more effective.

Honor the pace and the season you’re in—whether it’s the season of your business, your life, or the actual year. Each has its respective influence over your focus, productivity, and output.

For example, winter is coming (for the northern hemisphere). It’s a natural time to wind down, reflect, and plan for what’s next. It’s a season to let go of the pressure to "keep up" and honor the natural slowing down that this time of year encourages. You could also be in a winter-like season of your business, even at other times of the calendar year.

Taking a pause can lead to the greatest insights, ideas, and even the answers you’ve been looking for, too. There is a lot of wisdom in aligning your planning with these natural cycles, however you want to categorize them.

3 - Spend all your downtime to get ahead

Many of us push ourselves as if every moment of not "doing" is a sign of procrastination, laziness, or failure. But is it really? The truth is that this approach can take a toll on your wellbeing, your creativity, and especially your business.

You might have to do this to some degree if you have a full time job. You could probably do that if you don’t have a partner, kids, or family members who also need your time, energy, and attention. Regardless of your situation, giving up your downtime needs to be more intentional with clear boundaries, or else you might sacrifice more than what you want.

INSTEAD: Rethink your "unproductive" time. Watching a movie, indulging in hobbies, or even just daydreaming—activities often dismissed as distractions—are essential parts of recharging. Just as sleep restores your body, downtime restores your mind. It’s a chance to process all you’ve been through, reflect on your progress, and give your mind the space to make connections that you might not see while you’re deep in the daily grind.

Rest isn’t just about recuperating—it’s essential for connecting to your creativity, finding your flow, and returning to your zone of genius. Give yourself permission to rest, so that you can create space for inspiration to strike. When you push yourself too hard, you can lose that ease and natural spark and replace them with stress and strain.

Instead, listen to what your body and mind are telling you. If you’re feeling that urge to slow down, honor it. This isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of Soulfueled wisdom. Rest fills your cup so you can show up for your work, your clients, yourself, and others in your life with the full version of you, instead of a drained shell.

So, what are you rushing towards?

I had to ask myself this and ruthlessly modified my goals and schedule for the next few months. I created more space for me to reflect and breathe. I set firmer boundaries to protect my downtime and vacation.

The hardest part was being honest with myself as to what wasn’t sustainable or realistic for me. Just because it’s right for someone else, that doesn’t mean it’s right for me. I had to face my own limitations and own up to what I could no longer do.

Let’s rethink the rushing hustle and embrace a steadier, more intentional path. Honor where you are in this season of your life and business. Give yourself permission to step back, reflect, and recharge.

This approach will not only protect your wellbeing but also lay a stronger foundation for long term success. After all, it’s only when you give yourself the space to breathe that you can truly connect with your highest potential.

Focus on doing what’s right and Soulfueled for you.

USEFUL JOURNAL PROMPTS

What’s the season you’re feeling in your business and in your life right now? What can you do to help support yourself mentally, emotionally, and physically to honor that? What are the resistant thoughts and behavior patterns stopping you?

P.S. If this helped you question the pressure to do more and reminded you to honor your current season, tap the 💜 as a quiet vote of support. Share or restack this post to help others realize that slowing down isn’t falling behind… It’s how we build sustainably!