In this episode, I talk about something I see constantly in high performers and leaders: burnout doesn’t always come from failure or chaos, it often shows up when things are going well. More opportunity, more responsibility, more visibility can quietly outpace our internal capacity.

I break down what psychology calls role strain, why doing more discipline or optimization won’t fix it, and how emotional honesty and clarity are what actually expand your ability to handle life.

This conversation is about learning what truly drains you, building internal reinforcement, and creating capacity that grows with your success instead of collapsing under it.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• People often crack when success outpaces internal capacity
  
  
• Capacity does not expand through pressure, but through recovery and repetition
  
  
• Emotional labor drains more energy than physical work
  
  
• Suppressing feelings and constant self-monitoring exhausts the nervous system
  
  
• Handling your life is about clarity, not toughness
  
  
• Knowing what actually drains you is more important than what should drain you
  
  
• Emotional literacy prevents burnout more than emotional armor
  
  
• Speaking sooner and deciding cleaner protects your energy
  
  
• Clarity reduces friction and preserves capacity
  
  
• Internal reinforcement must grow alongside external success

Links and Resources:

Follow Terri-Ann Richards: https://terriannrichards.com/

The Happy Stack Newsletter: https://happystack.substack.com/

Success Takes Courage Book: https://a.co/d/dgOqpbj

If this episode helped you rethink why success sometimes feels heavier instead of lighter, share it with someone who’s carrying more than they realize.

Subscribe to The Happy Stack Podcast so you don’t miss future conversations on building a life that actually feels sustainable.

• (00:00:01) - How to Raise Your Confidence