Hello Felix,

What makes you a high achiever and how must it feel to be one?
Being a high achiever often means you have an internal drive that pushes you to reach for bigger goals and set higher standards than most people around you. It’s not just about racking up accolades or titles; it’s about the intrinsic satisfaction you get from constantly challenging yourself and seeing how far you can go. There’s a sense of thrill in having a vision and systematically executing each step to turn it into reality. You might thrive on problem-solving and feel alive when tackling a new challenge that tests your skills, creativity, and grit. At times, it can be both exhilarating and exhausting—because while you’re eager to outdo your last accomplishment, you also carry the weight of consistently performing at your best. Yet it’s precisely that forward momentum, that momentum you generate through persistent effort and clear focus, that makes the journey feel so compelling and ultimately rewarding.


However, are there any pitfalls in this way of being and what questions would be good to be asking yourself?

While striving for excellence and pushing boundaries can lead to impressive achievements, it’s important to recognize the potential pitfalls of this relentless drive. High achievers often find themselves trapped in a cycle of overextension, where the pursuit of success becomes all-consuming, leaving little room for rest, reflection, or personal fulfillment. The constant pressure to perform can also breed stress, burnout, and a sense of dissatisfaction—no matter how many goals are accomplished. To navigate this path more wisely, it's essential to ask yourself some key questions:

  • Am I truly fulfilled by what I’m achieving, or am I simply chasing the next milestone for the sake of it?
  • How am I handling setbacks—do I view them as opportunities to grow, or as threats to my worth and identity?
  • Do I have adequate time and space for self-care and renewal, or is that something I sacrifice in the name of progress?
  • Am I pursuing a goal that aligns with my deeper interests and values, or just chasing the next trophy?
  • Do I have healthy routines in place to avoid mental and physical exhaustion?
  • Am I regularly celebrating progress or only fixating on areas of improvement?

Why Empathy and Emotional Intelligence Matter for Yourself First
It’s easy to think empathy and emotional intelligence are all about understanding others, but it starts closer to home. When you practice genuine self-awareness—recognizing your own emotional patterns, strengths, and vulnerabilities—you create a solid foundation for your personal well-being. This self-empathy prevents burnout and self-neglect by helping you recognize your limits, honor your needs, and reframe your internal dialogue from harsh critic to supportive coach. By directing empathy inward first, you cultivate a deeper connection with your own motivations and aspirations, ensuring that your path to high achievement remains meaningful, sustainable, and aligned with your values.

Empathy and Emotional Intelligence for Others: The Real Multiplier
Once you’ve firmly established empathy toward yourself, the way you show up for others transforms entirely. You’re not just trying to be “nice” or “polite”—you’re tapping into an authentic understanding of how emotions affect attitudes, performance, and well-being. Instead of attempting to lead, collaborate, or communicate from a place of duty, you do so from genuine insight. This shift fosters trust, respect, and engagement on a deeper level, enabling you to lead teams or connect with loved ones in a way that resonates far beyond surface-level politeness. When your empathy for others comes from a well-nourished sense of self, it acts as a powerful multiplier for both your individual success and the collective growth of those around you.


How Sensitivity Fuels Leadership

  • It deepens trust. People are drawn to leaders who make them feel understood. By attuning yourself to subtle cues, you create a safe environment for honest communication.
  • It drives innovation. Teams that communicate openly—where members feel valued and heard—are more willing to share fresh ideas and take creative risks.
  • It supports well-being. When your sensitivity alerts you to a teammate’s or family member’s stress, you can offer help sooner, preventing bigger conflicts or burnout down the line.


Action Step

Which of these best describe your primary interest?

  • High-performance strategies for business growth.
  • Emotional resilience and self-care as a sensitive person.
  • Balancing empathy with leadership/achievement.


Or:
What is your biggest challenge right now and how does that relate to the kind of content you would love to see in future newsletters?


Personal Note


As you may or may not know, I live in The Netherlands, a 1,5 hour drive from Amsterdam.
Although I did spent most of my life here, I had the honour and pleasure of residing in Paris for 4 years, focussing on recruitment and selection of commercial personnel internationally for a French agency and it’s clients. Yes, I learned French.
 And now I’m making a shift once again by moving to Panama this year, for the climate, the community and the proximity to the USA. I intend to combine changemangement and teamperformance with executive one-on-one coaching. In the past 20 years I accumulated around 15,000 hours experience in those two fields.
If you feel drawn to know more about it, or you have a question on personal development or that other field that I call organizational therapy, drop me a line and I’ll set up a call via Zoom.

Warm regards,

Felix Brabander
Founder of SensitiveHighAchievers.com


Felix Brabander
Sensitive High Achievers / Wake-up Company