Give Yourself Some Leeway: Burnout Recovery for High Achievers

Eugene Lee
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Give Yourself Some Leeway is a podcast for high-achievers ready to recover from burnout and find balance again. Hosted by high-performance coach Eugene Lee, the show dives into honest stories, expert tips, and real-life tools for building balance, purpose, and sustainable success. Each episode explores how to manage stress, rebuild focus, and create space for growth without sacrificing ambition. It’s about creating space for reflection, renewal, and purpose; because your best work comes when you feel your best.

  1. Jul 13

    #198 Steve "Moby" Leitch: Resilience, Identity & Leading Under Pressure

    Steve "Moby" Leitch is swimming the Oceans Seven channels — without a wetsuit, in brutal conditions. But on this episode of Give Yourself Some Leeway, he reveals that the hardest current he's ever fought wasn't in the water. It was child visitation, addiction, and grief — and learning that looking fine on the outside doesn't mean you're fine on the inside. If you're a high performer pushing through exhaustion because quitting feels like failure, this conversation will challenge how you think about discipline, identity, and what it actually means to recover. Steve "Moby" Leitch is a leadership speaker, ultra endurance athlete, author of Against the Current, founder of Rising Tides Ministry, and the subject of the award-winning documentary Beyond the Shoreline: The Channel of Bones. After rebuilding his life from addiction through faith and relentless discipline, he now helps leaders find the next smallest step when fear is loud and quitting feels justified. In this episode, Eugene Lee and Steve go deep on burnout, imposter syndrome, the difference between motivation and discipline, and why the systems that got you here won't get you to the next level. 🎧 What we cover: ✔️ Why high achievers struggle to celebrate their own wins ✔️ The "smallest next step" method for getting out of bed when everything in you resists ✔️ How performing wellness on the outside can mask depression underneath ✔️ Validation-seeking vs. real vulnerability — and why it matters for connection ✔️ Rebuilding identity after rock bottom ✔️ A practical exercise for high performers who feel depleted but look "fine" ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 — Intro: The Ocean Seven swims, addiction recovery, and why this episode is for high performers pushing through exhaustion 00:46 — The Final Swim: 3 weeks out from Catalina, and learning to enjoy the process instead of just completing it 03:14 — Celebrating Small Wins: Why high achievers skip celebration and never feel "arrived" 07:52 — The Smallest Next Step: Breaking the chain, and why motivation never lasts 13:30 — What the Ocean Seven Actually Is: The 7 channels explained 20:11 — The Hardest Current: Child visitation, addiction, and the grief that nearly broke him 23:08 — Looking Fine, Feeling Empty: Performing wellness while depression took hold 26:06 — Your Mess Is Your Mission: Vulnerability vs. seeking validation 36:19 — Who You Are at Rock Bottom: Rewriting the autopilot system that no longer serves you 44:30 — Failure, Imposter Syndrome, and Growth: Why scraped knees are part of the process 49:06 — Purpose Over Comparison: Asking "why am I here?" in a culture built on comparison 55:16 — Advice for the Depleted High Performer: The working/not-working list and choosing family connection 🔗 CONNECT WITH STEVE "MOBY" LEITCH Book: Against the Current Documentary: Beyond the Shoreline: The Channel of Bones Donate to the final Ocean Seven swim: https://beyondtheshoreline.org 🧭 CONNECT WITH GIVE YOURSELF SOME LEEWAY 🎙️ New episodes every Monday — Spotify, Apple Podcasts & YouTube 📋 Take the free Burnout Self-Assessment: giveyourselfsomeleeway.com 📱 Instagram: @eugene.leeway If this episode resonated, you've achieved a lot — and you're exhausted in a way a holiday won't fix. That's exactly who this show is for.

  2. Jul 6

    #197 The Workplace Burnout Paradox: Leaders with the Best Intentions, Yet Chronically Exhuasted Teams?

    If you're still leading the same way you did five years ago — same habits, same reactions, same inner story — this episode is for you. If you're a senior leader who's successful on paper but quietly running on empty, this episode will challenge how you define what good leadership actually looks like. ✔️ The difference between performing leadership and leading from a place of genuine clarity ✔️ How the inner story you inherited drives your leadership style — often without you knowing ✔️ The warning signs that your leadership approach is running on autopilot ✔️ Why burnout in leaders looks different from burnout in individual contributors ✔️ What a real leadership reboot starts with — and it's not a course or a promotion ] 🧭 CONNECT WITH GIVE YOURSELF SOME LEEWAY 🎙️ New episodes every Monday — Spotify, Apple Podcasts & YouTube 📋 Take the free Burnout Self-Assessment: giveyourselfsomeleeway.com 📱 Instagram: @eugene.leeway You've achieved a lot — and you're exhausted in a way a holiday won't fix. That's exactly who this show is for.

  3. Jun 29

    #196 Nic Collins: Depression, Therapy & Why Men Need to Build Community Together

    In this episode of the Give Yourself Some Leeway, host Eugene Lee sits down with guest Nic Collins to analyze the specific pressures faced by high achievers. They move past generic advice to discuss actionable strategies for managing burnout before it leads to total exhaustion. If you have been pushing yourself too hard and feel the signs of professional burnout, this conversation provides a realistic roadmap for recovery. Nic Collins shares insights from his own experience, offering techniques that help you sustain performance without sacrificing your well-being. This discussion is tailored for ambitious professionals who need to balance success with sustainable mental wellbeing. Connect with Nic Collins: Niccollinsauthentic.com https://www.instagram.com/nic_collins_authentic

  4. Jun 15

    #194 The High Achiever Trap: Why the better you do, the worse you feel

    You’ve hit the targets. You’ve earned the title. And you’re quietly exhausted in a way you can’t explain — and definitely can’t afford to show. That’s not weakness. That’s a pattern — and it’s more common in high achievers than anyone talks about. In this episode: → Why the traits that made you successful are the same ones making you harder to stop → The performance identity trap that keeps high achievers stuck in depletion → Why taking a holiday doesn’t fix burnout (and what actually does) → What ‘high-functioning depletion’ looks like from the inside This is Episode 1 of Give Yourself Some Leeway — a podcast for senior professionals and leaders who are high-achieving and quietly running on empty. ► LINKS 📋 Free Burnout Self-Assessment: giveyourselfsomeleeway.com ► ABOUT EUGENE Eugene Lee is a burnout recovery and high-performance coach based in Basel, Switzerland. His 8-Week Burnout Reset programme works with senior leaders, directors, and founders who are externally successful and privately depleted — helping them reset their inner narrative, reclaim their energy, and lead on their own terms. ► CHAPTERS 0:00 — The problem nobody is talking about 0:45 — Why success makes burnout worse, not better 3:00 — The three traps high achievers fall into 8:00 — A client story: when everything looks fine and nothing feels it 10:00 — The one reframe that changes everything 11:30 — Next steps + free resource

  5. Jun 8

    #193 Rebuilding Trust With Your Body After Burnout

    If you’ve ever felt like your body is working against you after burnout - low energy, brain fog, resistance to work - this episode will change how you see recovery. The truth is: your body isn’t broken. It just doesn’t trust you yet. In this episode of Give Yourself Some Leeway (GYSL), we break down why burnout damages the relationship with your body — and how to rebuild that trust so you can regain your energy, focus, and performance without forcing it. If you’re a high achiever trying to “get back to normal” but feeling stuck, this conversation will give you a more sustainable path forward. ⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 – Why your body feels like it’s working against you 01:12 – The real reason burnout lingers longer than expected 03:08 – Signs your body doesn’t trust you anymore 05:02 – Why pushing harder makes recovery worse 07:10 – The trust vs optimization mindset shift 09:18 – Personal story: when “doing everything right” still failed 12:05 – How to start rebuilding trust with your body 14:10 – A simple practice to begin today 15:20 – Final thoughts: working with your body, not against it What you’ll learn: - Why burnout is a trust issue, not just an energy issue - How high performers unknowingly damage body trust - The hidden reason rest doesn’t always feel restorative - Practical ways to rebuild trust with your body If this resonated, share it with someone who’s stuck in burnout recovery and trying to push through. Subscribe for more episodes on burnout recovery, sustainable performance, and rebuilding your energy without sacrificing your ambition.

  6. Jun 1

    #192 Exhausted But Can't Sleep? Why Your Brain Can't Catch a Break

    You're exhausted. But you can't sleep. You lie down and your mind is still running. You've tried taking a rest and it's not working. That's not a willpower problem. That's your nervous system stuck in survival mode. And until you address that, no amount of sleep, holiday, or positive thinking will fix it. In this episode, Eugene Lee walks you through the one step that has to come before everything else in burnout recovery — the nervous system reset. Why your body stopped responding to rest. What downregulation actually means. And one simple practice you can start today that begins to tell your body: the threat is over. You're safe now. If you've been doing all the right things and still not feeling better — this episode is for you. 00:00 — Why rest isn't working (and what's actually going on) 01:20 — Doing everything right but still not recovering? 03:10 — What your nervous system actually responds to 05:00 — Why downregulation is a skill you've never been taught 07:15 — The phone is not rest (this one lands hard) 09:00 — The one daily practice to start this week

  7. May 27

    #191 Does It Feed You or Bleed You? Here's Your Energy Map

    Many believe burnout is just about working too hard, but this video clarifies that it's more about expending energy beyond your capacity, or having too little capacity to begin with. Understanding what is burnout is the first step towards effective stress management and burnout recovery. This is especially crucial for those experiencing high achiever burnout and emotional exhaustion. Recovering from burnout requires addressing these underlying factors.

  8. May 18

    #190 Dr. Rana Al-Falaki: Stop Doing Everything! How Top Leaders NAIL IT

    In this episode, Dr. Rana Al-Falaki and Eugene Lee explore the profound themes of identity, choice, and personal growth. They discuss the importance of understanding one's true self beyond societal labels, the power of choice in shaping our lives, and the concept of optimal performance as a sustainable approach to success. The discussion delves into the IMERS framework for energy management, emphasizing the significance of self-love and the truth we tell ourselves. Ultimately, the conversation encourages listeners to reflect on their life choices and embrace the lessons learned along their journey. Dr Rana Al-Falaki is a multi-award-winning leadership, performance and wellbeing expert, former specialist dentist, and founder of NAIL-IT Leadership. She helps professionals and teams optimise performance, energy and influence using practical, science-backed systems. Her work blends leadership psychology, resilience and commercial impact, inspiring sustainable success without burnout. 00:00 Who Are You?? 07:51 The Power of Choice and Personal Stories 20:24 Understanding Optimal Performance 27:43 The IMERS Framework for Energy Management 35:34 The Importance of Self-Love and Identity 50:24 Navigating Life Choices and Lessons Learned 55:36 The Limelight Principle and Personal Truths Connect with Dr. Rana Al-Falaki: www.drranaalfalaki.com https://www.instagram.com/drranaalfalaki https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-rana/ https://www.drranaalfalaki.com/nail-it-leadership

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Give Yourself Some Leeway is a podcast for high-achievers ready to recover from burnout and find balance again. Hosted by high-performance coach Eugene Lee, the show dives into honest stories, expert tips, and real-life tools for building balance, purpose, and sustainable success. Each episode explores how to manage stress, rebuild focus, and create space for growth without sacrificing ambition. It’s about creating space for reflection, renewal, and purpose; because your best work comes when you feel your best.

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