Tools For High Achievers To Show Up On Their Own Terms | Episode 88

Hello hello and welcome back to the Purpose & Progress Podcast.

I wanted to talk about this concept of being “high-achieving.” I know a lot of people in my orbit identify with striving toward something big, constantly achieving or accomplishing, being lots of things to lots of people. Ideally without the hustle culture and burnout that can come with these things. And even if you wouldn’t own up to the label of being a high-achiever because it feels braggy or bro-y or whatever, I’m guessing you probably are one in many ways.

For example, I realized recently that I’m the only one of my close friends—and even most of my extended network—who DOESN’T have a graduate degree. Seriously, I’ve got PhDs, MDs, MBAs, MPHs, and more in my inner circle.

Meanwhile, I’m sitting here with “just” a bachelor’s with zero intentions of ever getting a higher degree. (Although I’ve looked into more programs than I can count over the years. Multi-passionates, ADHDers, I know you relate.)

And I used to be so into school. We’re talking hand raised as high as possible for every single answer, aiming not just for A’s but for 100%, eye rolling at the class clown for distracting us from our important learning. You know…basically, the most annoying one in the classroom.

But as I got older, I got less and less engaged in the classroom, seeing less value in curriculum for the sake of checking boxes.

I finished college a semester early because I’d racked up enough credits and ticked off all my gen ed, major, and double minor requirements, and just could not be bothered continuing on for the sake of it. I was even a semester into an honors thesis and called it quits because I couldn’t justify the endless hours of basically meaningless research in exchange for some latin words after my name.

But that’s not to say I’ve ever stopped learning. In fact, that’s one of my favorite things to do. I’m a green in the True Colors personality test, I’m a questioner in Gretchen Rubin’s, I go down what I now know are ADHD rabbit holes.

And I often go too far into research mode, diving deeper instead of resurfacing for air in order to take action. That overthinking spiral, that “productive procrastination” loop, that if-I’m-prepared-enough-I’ll-be-ready excuse that’s actually fear or imposter syndrome.

But in my work, I want to spark action. Confident, meaningful, values-aligned action. I want to take it, I to encourage it. And in fact, I’m slowly realizing that I’m actually meant to inspire action, not necessarily implement action.

That’s why I love facilitating conversations and equipping people with workshops, via my newsletter, on the podcast. That’s why I love creating tools that make it easier to take action. That’s why I love my strategy calls and audits that you can implement around immediately. I’ll link both my Quick Win Consulting Calls and my Private About You Audits below if you want my eyes on your messaging or copy.

And when I think of my clients—the deeply caring, deep-thinking business owners and nonprofit leaders—high-achieving can look like lots of things. It can be revenue goals, stages you appear on, the body of thought leadership you produce, the number of lives you touch, and more.

But there’s no gold standard or magic combo or minimum threshold that puts you in the high-achieving club or earns you a high-achiever badge.

You get to decide that for yourself based on whatever phase of life you’re in. Achieving lots in the newborn phase, or with a new chronic illness diagnosis, or a caregiving role, or a family crisis, or a big move, or whatever else life throws at you will be different than when you and your environment are more settled, more steady.

The women I work with are smart, ambitious, experienced, and definitely high-achieving. The women who listen to this podcast are all those things too.

And so often they—you, we—struggle to talk about ourselves. And how special our point of view is. And how all our interests and passions converge into one coherent online presence or personal brand or business idea.

You’re not imagining it. It’s genuinely tricky, especially when you’ve done so much and taken so many paths and studied so many things. But the many parts of you all have a place in your story, even if you don’t share it all at once.

That’s what I work with my clients on. And that’s what we work through. The central question of my business is how do you want to be known? I have a whole episode around this idea, number 37, linked below. Both because I think there’s inherent value in being in tune with your vision and values and unique voice. But also because those things all add up to your ability to connect with real humans and make a real impact through the money you earn, the ideas you share, and the movements you’re part of.

And this struggle to talk and write about ourselves is why I’ve created so many tools and ideas on the topic. It can be super clear in your head and heart, then come out as word vomit on the page or in conversation. You’re not alone in that. In episode 82, linked below, it’s a super thorough example of how I unpacked an elevator pitch and positioning ideas on a consulting call with a client. Because it’s nuanced and personal and not nearly as easy as it seems it should be.

To this end, I have a free tool called A Visionary’s Guide To Elevator Pitches, and an accompanying podcast episode, number 63, about the frameworks. That episode is linked below and the workbook is always linked in the shownotes or available at ashleesang.com/elevator. In it, I break down how to talk to real humans about what you to do and why it matters. (And maybe even convince yourself in the process.)

The guide is totally free to download and I made it in Notion, which is probably my favorite tool of all time. (But if you REALLY don’t want to use Notion, you can totally copy/paste it into a Google Doc or scratch notes in a physical journal.)

I also made a whole toolkit called the About Page Architect, also linked in the Continue The Conversation section of the shownotes. It’s juicy and robust. (If you’re not new around here, you know I can’t help myself!) But I break it down into 3 navigable parts. It’s also built in Notion so it’s super easy to click around, note your thoughts in real-time, and access the bonus resources I have linked.

Part 1 is all about reflecting. ****That’s the basis of any of the values-aligned messaging and marketing consulting I do. We start with your story, then focus on your audience. Then we map out the transformation you create BECAUSE of your experience FOR your audience. Then we capture “that something special” you bring. And there’s space to create a messy first draft of your About Page. (Or drop in your existing copy and edit to high heaven.)

Part 2 is all about refining with a little repository of tools I created. (Essentially, auditing and editing…the parts I personally love.) There’s the “Help” Replacement Surgery, Jargon Decoder, and an About Page Rubric. They’re really fun to tinker with if I do say so myself. (You fellow marketers will likely agree. You “I-don’t-deal-in-words” people maybe not. But it should be useful either way!)

Part 3 is all about next steps you can take. With me in your corner—as your thought partner, auditor, line editor, strategist, copywriter, whatever you need.

So if you’ve been avoiding sending your About Page (or bio) to a prospective partner, host, media outlet, or client because it just doesn’t reflect who you are, what you do, and where you’re going, download the About Page Architect at http://www.ashleesang.com/architect. It’s free. And I think it’ll make a big difference in your writing (or outsourcing) process.

This About Page Architect is a totally new tool, so definitely let me know what sticks out for you—both the super on-point and anything that could be better.

All this to say, keep going. Even when you get tongue-tied or daunted by the blank screen or caught up in the past version of your story.

Be high-achieving on your own terms. Trust in your gut and your ideas and your experience. It’s gotten you this far, right?

And if you’re unsure how to get all the moving pieces of your past and future into something digestible and understandable, seek out some outside perspective from someone you trust. They likely won’t have “the answer,” but they may be able to show you a new way of looking at things, or ask the right question, or validate what you already know to be true.

Rooting for you!

ERIKA SOUNDBITE AND INTRO

And with that, be sure to check out all the resources in the show notes below or at ashleesang.com/episode88.

And come back next time (in 2 weeks!) because we’ll be in conversation with another ambitious and inspirational woman entrepreneur.