From Doing to Being: Elegant Avoidance in High Achieving Culture

The “Clean Addictions” of High Performers

Not all escapes look like addiction in the traditional sense.
Some look noble. Impressive. Even enviable.

·        The executive who works 70 hours a week.

·        The founder who can’t take a weekend off.

·        The leader who fills every hour with meetings, “strategy sessions,” and hustle.

It’s not alcohol. It’s not drugs. But it’s still numbing.

Psychologists call it “escapism by over-functioning.”
I call it the subtle escape—a socially rewarded way to avoid silence, feelings, and presence.

According to a Harvard Business Review survey:

• 56% of professionals say busyness is costing them sleep,

• 51% say it’s stealing time from hobbies and relationships, and

• nearly half admit it erodes their overall well-being.

So the cost is not just time.
It’s soul.

Why Stillness Feels So Unsafe

For high achievers, stillness isn’t neutral—it’s threatening.

Because in stillness, uncomfortable questions surface:

·        Am I actually fulfilled—or just fueled by recognition?

·        If no one noticed, would I still do this?

·        What am I avoiding by filling my calendar?

The irony is that the very leaders who crave impact often end up trapped in this cycle: constantly doing, rarely being.

And the more they do, the less they feel.

The True Cost: A Hollowed-Out Heart

The danger of productivity-as-escape isn’t just exhaustion. It’s hollowness.

It robs leaders of presence. It creates businesses that look good on paper but feel empty to run. It erodes connection—with self, with team, with loved ones.

It numbs the heart.

And when the applause stops, the loneliness is deafening.

Moving From Doing to Being

I’m not against productivity. Achievement is beautiful when it’s rooted in presence. I've always been a high-achiever myself...

But there’s a world of difference between:
✨ Creating from fullness and
⚠️ Escaping through busyness.

Reinvention starts with a pause. With noticing. With asking the hard question:

👉 What do I reach for when stillness arrives?

That question is not comfortable—but it’s the beginning of freedom.

A Reflection for You

This week, I challenge you to audit your calendar. Not for efficiency. For honesty.

·        Which tasks give you life?

·        Which are anesthetic?

·        What are you avoiding by staying busy?

Because the world doesn’t need leaders who are simply productive.
It needs leaders who are present.

And that begins not with more doing—but with more being.

For more on Being v Doing, request my free Guide: Achieve More By Doing Less: 12 Essential Strategies for High-Achieving Leaders and Entrepreneurs to Overcome Overwhelm to Cultivate More Presence for Authentic Success