Why You Overwork:

Beat Your Upper Limit & Find A Better Way

Throwback to a work trip to NYC, where I wandered Central Park.

Hi Friends,

I’m working with two executives right now who, even though things are going well, feel compelled to do more–pushing themselves to overwork or fill every moment with tasks. It’s not just them: over 70% of leaders regularly overwork. And it’s not just leaders; many of us have felt this mysterious drive to pile things on, even when we need a break. 

But, overwork, busyness, and endless desire to check items off our “to-do” lists are often about something more profound–an upper limit problem. 

In his book, The Big Leap, Gay Hendricks, a renowned psychologist, describes the Upper Limit Problem as a subconscious pattern where we limit our happiness, success, and fulfillment—often without realizing it. When we envision bigger dreams, we may experience self-doubt, fear, or an urge to stay busy, which can keep us from fully allowing ourselves to enjoy these positive changes. This inner resistance is our mind’s way of keeping us within a comfortable (but limiting) status quo and can prevent us from expanding into our full potential.

I experienced my own upper limit problem when I launched my first business. As a new entrepreneur, I finally had the freedom to work on something meaningful and to structure my time in a way that truly supported me. Yet, I quickly slipped into a familiar, self-sabotaging behavior: overwork.

Instead of enjoying the success and freedom I’d earned, I nearly pushed myself into a second burnout. Even when there was no urgent reason, I worked late, obsessed over minor details, and filled my time with endless tasks. Looking back, I know that overwork was rooted in an underlying sense that maybe I didn’t know how to grow a business from scratch and felt like I had to succeed quickly to deserve this opportunity. 

That was my upper limit problem. Just as I reached new levels of professional fulfillment, my subconscious resistance kicked in, holding me back from fully embracing the joy and ease I’d worked so hard to achieve. By falling into the pattern of overwork, I created obstacles, reinforcing an invisible limit I’d placed on how much happiness and success I felt I could handle.

I am lucky to have eventually recognized and overcome that upper limit problem (there will be others). Hendricks says that nearly everyone–including the most successful—has the upper limit problem. He emphasizes, “If you don't clear the Upper Limit Problem out of your way, it will be a drag on you until the day you die.” Ouch!

Let’s examine this phenomenon together, using overwork as a clue to help you recognize if you’re experiencing this invisible limit and learn how to move beyond it gently.

Why We Overwork

Why do we overwork? It’s easy to assume it’s just what’s required. But what if our overworking is about avoiding a new level of ease, happiness, or success? Often, we’ve internalized that “success” and our “value” as individuals come from being busy, productive, or checking off endless tasks. So we continue to take on more than needed, push ourselves hard, and create endless to-do lists not because of the work itself, but to avoid the discomfort of feeling 'enough' just as we are.”

Ask yourself: Do you feel you need to “earn” your success or happiness by always being in motion? Do you find it hard to pause and appreciate where you are right now without pushing for something else? If so, overwork might be your way of limiting how much happiness, success, or fulfillment you allow yourself to feel.

The urge to keep ‘doing’ can come from a deep-seated belief that we’re only valuable when we’re busy, productive, or creating something. When we work ourselves to exhaustion, it’s often because we’re not entirely comfortable with simply being enough as we are.

Take a moment to consider: What might happen if you let yourself pause or do a little less? Who would you be if you allowed yourself to experience ease?

Moving Beyond the Limit: Practicing Ease and Being Okay With “Enough”

Moving beyond your Upper Limit doesn’t necessarily mean making dramatic changes. I recommend you begin with small shifts and gentle adjustments to help you experience the joy of simply being where you are. Here are a few steps to help you get started moving past overwork as an upper limit problem:

1. Notice the Urge to Do More
   Each day, notice any time you feel the urge to keep working or add “just one more thing” to your plate. Ask yourself: What am I hoping to feel by doing this? This simple awareness is often enough to show you that overwork is about proving something to yourself or others rather than achieving something meaningful.
   

2. Celebrate the Progress You’ve Made
   Take a moment each day to acknowledge something you’ve completed or an area of life where things are working well. Allow yourself to experience the satisfaction of knowing you’ve done enough for now. Remember, growth doesn’t come from constantly doing—it also requires being.
   

3. Embrace Moments of Ease
   Challenge yourself to create small spaces of ease in your day, even if it initially feels uncomfortable. Take a few minutes to sit quietly with a cup of tea or coffee or go for a short walk, no agenda needed. Notice how these pauses allow you to refocus and find clarity.

If you think that overwork is part of your upper limit, I invite you to use the following questions to step gently beyond that limit:

• What small moments of ease can I welcome into my day?

• When do I feel the need to prove my worth, and what might happen if I let go of that need?

• How can I start feeling “enough” right now, as I am?

Next Steps

Moving beyond your Upper Limit is a gradual process, a gentle expansion of what you believe you deserve and are capable of. This week, I invite you to approach this work with kindness toward yourself. As you welcome moments of ease, you’ll likely find a greater sense of joy and a clearer connection to your Opus; that’s been my experience.

Remember, breaking through a limit doesn’t require giant leaps—begin with steady, mindful steps. Let yourself enjoy the process, knowing that each small step moves you closer to a fulfilling and authentic life.

---

I’m Janine Mathó, and I’m writing Live Your Opus, a book for ambitious people who crave deeper meaning, fulfillment, and direction but sometimes struggle to break through (forthcoming 2025). As always, thanks for being here. If this resonates, please share this letter with others who might benefit. Thank you!

Until next time, be well!

I publish on Substack twice a week, on Mondays & Thursdays. The format of this letter is evolving as I write my book, so I look forward to your comments and input. Subscribe here, and now you can join hundreds more people who are reading my letters on LinkedIn. You can learn more about me and my work here.

---

**If you want to achieve success that feels as good as it looks, here’s how I can help you**

🤝 Work 1:1 with me. I have a rare opening for an executive client beginning in January. Please email me at hello@janinematho.com should you wish to explore executive coaching with me.

📋 Join the waitlist for the second cohort of Project Opus—an invitation-only program for entrepreneurially-minded women.

💼 Bring me to your team or organization.