The Anxious Overachiever

The Anxious Overachiever

Doing More by Doing Less

A worksheet to help you bring a more responsible self to work and relationships.

Kathleen Smith's avatar
Kathleen Smith
Mar 19, 2024
∙ Paid

How much time does it take to bring a more responsible version of myself to a task or an interaction?

Often it’s just a minute, a deep breath, or a good question. But do I always take this time? I can’t say that I do.

In my work with clients, it’s interesting to observe the differences between the people who are prepared for a session versus those that aren’t. I don’t mean they always have an agenda with bullet points. They’ve simply taken the time to ask themself a few good questions.

Questions like:

  • What have I noticed about my own reactivity?

  • Where do I think I need to zoom out and shift out of blame?

  • What are the challenges where I’d like to do something different?

  • Where do I see progress, or upcoming opportunities for it?

It’s less about having the answers, and more about jump-starting the front part of the brain, the part that asks good questions.

User's avatar

Continue reading this post for free, courtesy of Kathleen Smith.

Or purchase a paid subscription.
© 2026 Kathleen Smith · Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start your SubstackGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture