From hustle to health

My doctor once referred to them as “little pink flags”—subtle signs such as slightly elevated blood pressure, occasional migraines, and the sporadic flutter in my heartbeat. Nothing alarming, no official diagnosis. My labs were all within range. “Nothing to worry about,” they said. “We’ll just keep an eye on things.”

The cause? Stress. I was a Type-A overachiever who would never drop the ball.

It took nearly a decade for me to connect those subtle symptoms to their root cause. From the outside, everything looked fine. I showed up every day, worked hard, and powered through any “off” days, because rest simply wasn’t an option. There was always more to do.

Your top performers likely look the same. They show up with enthusiasm and deliver results. They take on more because they’re capable. They rarely say no, and they never stop. They may look like they are crushing it from the outside, but underneath that hustle, their health could slowly be unraveling.

Often times, we rely on these overachievers and push more work their way because they always find a way to get it done. We reward them with more responsibilities, more direct reports, and more opportunities for growth—often unintentionally piling on more stress.

As leaders in the business community, we can no longer afford to ignore the hidden cost of encouraging overperformance. The conversation around workplace wellness must go deeper than monthly HR challenges and occasional lunch and learn presentations. We have the opportunity, and the responsibility, to build environments where our teams can thrive without sacrificing their personal health.

Here are five reminders for you as you lead the most important members of your team.

Overachievers are vulnerable. Often your youngest, most energetic, and enthusiastic employees can be the first to experience burnout. You give them more because they are hungry to learn. They can often override any physical symptoms with enough caffeine, adrenaline, and pure willpower, until they can’t. Burnout, autoimmune issues, gut dysfunction, insomnia, and anxiety can emerge quickly. Just because someone isn’t calling in sick doesn’t mean they are well.

Stress hijacks the body. It’s not just a feeling. It creates real physiological changes in the body. Chronic stress elevates cortisol, a hormone that increases heart rate, blood sugar, and inflammation. These physical changes can alter mood, memory, focus, and emotional regulation. The net effect? Even your most experienced leaders can start to underperform if stress isn’t managed appropriately.
Hormonal imbalance affects everyone, not just women. Cortisol, insulin, thyroid, and sex hormones all play important roles in energy and mood. They work together to regulate metabolism, energy, focus, and resilience. When one becomes imbalanced—often due to chronic stress—the ripple effect touches nearly every system in the body. That’s why symptoms like fatigue, irritability, digestive issues, and even changes in skin or weight are often difficult to associate back to hormonal imbalances.

Good leadership depends on a healthy gut. Fundamentally, without a healthy gut, we are unable to absorb nutrients or fight infections. But there is so much more to it. The gut-brain axis affects mood, mental clarity and immunity. In your most valued leaders, this can impact everything from strategic thinking to team morale.

Wellness culture starts at the top. If executives wear burnout like a badge of honor, your employees will too. But the opposite is also true. Creating a healthy culture that supports breaks, provides nourishing food, encourages movement, and demands recovery leads to long-term employee engagement, health, and happiness

The era of burnout is over. It’s time for a workplace culture where well-being is not just a perk but a long-term performance strategy. The business case is simple: When your high-performers feel better, think clearer, and recover faster, your organization thrives. That’s a significant ROI.

Companies that support their team’s health from the inside out will become magnets for top talent. Why? Because people are no longer willing to trade their well-being for success. They want both—and they should have it.

As leaders in our community, we have the chance to do things differently. We can build organizations where sustainable performance is the norm, not the exception. We can create cultures where people feel energized, valued, and capable of doing their best work—without compromising their health.

Let’s lead the charge in redefining what high performance looks like. Let’s build businesses fueled by energy, clarity, and sustainability. The future of leadership allows for leveling up, without burning out. And it starts with us.

Specializing in hormone and gut health, Take Charge Holistic Health uncovers the root causes of chronic symptoms using labs, expert health coaching, and a holistic approach. Learn more at takechargeholistichealth.com.

The views expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce.