Overachievers: You have too many plates spinning and you’re about to shatter

You’re the one who gets it done.
The one who says “I’ve got it” and means it.
The one who can handle this.

The question is, at what cost are you “handling” all of this? Are you sleeping? Are you snapping at people you care about? Is your health declining? Does it feel like everything will come crashing down around you if you slow down even a little bit?

Most people who find themselves in this situation are well-meaning, hard-working, extremely impressive people. But, living with that amount of pressure day in and day out is not sustainable for anyone.

If this sounds like you, you’re likely headed straight for burnout. Let’s talk about how to prevent that.

The Spinning Plates Analogy

Think of your life like a giant circus act. You’re on stage, keeping dozens of plates spinning at once. People are clapping, they’re cheering, they’re in awe of you.

Many of those plates are yours. Others? You picked up from someone else who needed you in a moment of desperation and you were happy to keep their plate spinning for them.

For a while, you stay in control. You're juggling work, home, friendships, appointments, deadlines, all of it. Your energy says, “I can do it all.” It might even feel great!

Here’s the problem: No one can spin that many plates forever. Over time, you start to get tired and worn down. People forget they handed you a plate and never took it back. They assume their plate is yours now and you start believing it, too.

The pressure builds:

If I screw up, if I drop a plate, this whole thing comes crashing down.
You stop asking for help. You stop sleeping. You stop feeling like yourself.

Sound familiar? Yup, that’s burnout sneaking in.

The 12 Stages of Burnout (Yes, There Are That Many)

Burnout isn’t just one moment of collapse. It’s a slow creep, often invisible until you’re already knee-deep in it. Psychologists Herbert Freudenberger and Gail North outlined 12 stages of burnout. You might recognize yourself in one (or several) stages.

1. Compulsion to prove yourself

2. Working harder

3. Neglecting your needs (sleep, food, movement)

4. Displacement of conflict (you feel irritable, resentful, but unsure why)

5. Revision of values (friends? hobbies? what are those?)

6. Denial of problems

7. Withdrawal (you ghost social plans or feel like you can’t show up as yourself)

8. Odd behavioral changes

9. Depersonalization (you feel detached from your own life)

10. Inner emptiness

11. Depression

12. Burnout syndrome (complete collapse, mental or physical)

The danger? If you’re high-achieving, people around you might not notice. Because from the outside, the plates are still spinning. The show must go on.

But inside, you’re falling apart.

Glass vs. Plastic Plates: What Actually Matters?

Here’s what we want you to hear at Moxie Wellness: Not all plates are created equal.

Some are glass and some are plastic. Many of us are walking around unaware of which plates are which. But the truth is, it’s okay (and even necessary) to let plastic plates drop.

Glass plates:

• Your health

• Sleep

• Primary work responsibilities

• Mental well-being

• Core relationships

Plastic plates:

• That meeting that could have been an email

• A social event you’re dreading

• Someone else’s emotional labor

• Saying yes because you feel guilty

• Folding the laundry or doing the dishes

You don’t have to drop everything. But you do have to start prioritizing. Because burnout doesn’t reward your loyalty or grit. It just sucks the life out of you.

The Way Out Isn’t Hustling Harder

If you’re reading this, maybe you’ve already dropped a few plates. Maybe you’re exhausted, resentful, or completely disconnected from your “why.”

Here's the good news: Burnout is reversible, but only if you slow down long enough to see it.

Start here:

• Identify which stage you’re in. Burnout doesn’t always look like collapse. It might look like numbness or irritability.

• Name your glass plates. What do you need in order to function? What feels non-negotiable?

• Start giving plates back. The ones that never should have been yours in the first place. (Yes, even if people are disappointed. Their disappointment is not a plate you need to spin either).

• Ask for help. This is the hardest part for high achievers. But it’s also one of the bravest.

• Work with someone who gets it.A therapist or coach who understands burnout and high-functioning anxiety can help you rebuild, not from scratch, but from a stronger, more sustainable place.

You Don’t Have to Earn Rest

At Moxie Wellness, I work with people who are used to running the show. People who are really good at hiding the cracks. You don’t have to fall apart to deserve support. You don’t have to earn rest by working yourself to the edge.

Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is stop spinning, even if just for a moment, and ask:
Is this the life I want to be living?

I’m here when you’re ready to start sorting through those plates together. Schedule a free consultation or set up your first therapy appointment today.