This Wasn't My Plan

Episode 50: Why Top Performers Burn OutThe reward for being really good at your job? Often, it's MORE WORK.More projects. More responsibility. More people relying on you to figure things out. And eventually, the person everyone trusts to get it done becomes the person who's exhausted, resentful, and wondering why success doesn't feel the way they expected.Welcome to Episode 50 of This Wasn't My Plan! Before we get into it, THANK YOU for listening, sharing the podcast, and helping us reach this milestone.In this solo episode, I'm breaking down why top performers burn out, why the answer isn't always fewer hours or another vacation, and what both high performers and the leaders managing them need to change.WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT1. The reward for good work is more work. When leaders give their most reliable people unlimited responsibility, they can mistake adding tasks for developing talent.2. Your identity becomes tied to your output. If being needed and staying busy are how you measure your value, slowing down can feel uncomfortable.3. Capability is NOT capacity. Having the skills to do something doesn't mean you have the time, energy, or resources to take it on.4. Being the go-to person has a hidden cost. Resentment can signal that expectations, agreements, or boundaries need to be revisited.5. Burnout isn't only about hours. Lack of control, unclear priorities, responsibility without authority, and insufficient support matter too.6. Success without clarity is a trap. You can become excellent at achieving goals you've never stopped to question.THREE KEY TAKEAWAYS- Just because you CAN do something doesn't mean you SHOULD be responsible for it. Ask what needs to come off your plate before taking on more.- You can't solve a structural workplace problem with self-care alone. Leaders need to examine workload, authority, resources, and expectations.- Your next level of success might require LESS: less reacting, less proving, and fewer responsibilities that don't belong to you.ONE LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLEYour best people shouldn't have to burn out to prove their value. Develop your high performers instead of simply depending on them to carry more.YOUR HOMEWORKLook at your calendar and responsibilities. Ask yourself:1. What am I doing because it genuinely matters?2. What am I doing simply because people expect me to?3. What is one thing I need to delegate, renegotiate, or stop doing?THE CLARITY LABJanuary 28–29, 2027 | Orange County, CaliforniaI'm bringing together 25 accomplished women to get clear on what they want next and the decisions, behaviors, and boundaries that will help them build it.Learn more and apply: https://www.rxashlee.com/claritylabCONNECT WITH ASHLEEWebsite: https://www.rxashlee.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleeklevenshayes/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rxashleehayes/KEYWORDSHigh performer burnout, leadership, employee retention, capacity, boundaries, delegation, executive leadership, clarity, women in business

Sydney Lockard: The Power of Your PurposeYou can be an ambitious professional AND a present parent. You can love your career AND build something of your own. You can need help AND still be an excellent leader.My guest Sydney Lockard believes two things can be true at once.Sydney is a nurse, healthcare leader, mom, and founder of Clubfoot Cutie. At her 20-week ultrasound, she learned that her son had bilateral clubfoot. Even with her background in pediatric intensive care, she struggled to find one place offering both reliable medical information and practical, everyday support for parents.So she decided to create the resource she wished she'd had.In this episode of This Wasn't My Plan, we talk about navigating an unexpected diagnosis, turning personal experience into a community, and pursuing a meaningful project without quitting your job or putting your family second.WHAT YOU'LL HEAR- How Sydney's son's diagnosis inspired Clubfoot Cutie- Why families need emotional support alongside medical guidance- Her approach to balancing a full-time healthcare career, motherhood, and a growing platform- The difference between the glass balls and plastic balls in life's juggling act- Why pursuing a passion can actually reduce feelings of burnout- How to start before you feel ready and let your work evolve- Why self-trust matters more than waiting to feel confidentTHREE KEY TAKEAWAYS1. You can pursue your purpose AND keep the career you love. Sydney is building Clubfoot Cutie at a pace that fits her life, rather than forcing an all-or-nothing decision.2. Your experience can help someone who is one step behind you. You don't have to know everything to share useful knowledge and connect people with support.3. Not every ball is glass. Protect what matters most, and give yourself permission to put down the things you can pick up later.ONE LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLELeadership isn't doing everything yourself. It's using your knowledge, influence, and connections to remove barriers so other people can move forward.THE POWER OF ANDSydney reminds us that a difficult experience can also lead to gratitude. You can need help AND be capable. You can be a dedicated parent AND pursue ambitions of your own. You don't have to shrink your life to fit one definition of success.ABOUT SYDNEYSydney Lockard, DNP, MSN, RN, CNL, CCRN, CPHQ, is a healthcare leader and founder of Clubfoot Cutie, a growing resource and community for parents navigating a clubfoot diagnosis.CONNECT WITH SYDNEYInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/clubfootcutie/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sydney-lockard-dnp-msn-rn-cnl-ccrn-cphq-577a3a205CONNECT WITH ASHLEEWebsite: https://www.rxashlee.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rxashleehayes/KEYWORDSSydney Lockard, Clubfoot Cutie, clubfoot parents, motherhood, women in leadership, healthcare leadership, self-trust, working moms, purpose, career growth

Episode 49: 5 Leadership Behaviors Holding Women Back in BusinessWhat do you REALLY want?It's a simple question, but one that can be surprisingly difficult to answer when you're busy leading teams, managing a business, raising a family, and taking care of everyone else's priorities.As we start thinking about 2027, I want you to do more than set another list of goals. I want you to examine the behaviors that determine whether you actually get what you want.After working with thousands of high-performing professionals, executives, and entrepreneurs, I've noticed a pattern: the gap between what we want and what we accomplish is often found in our repeated behaviors.In Episode 49 of This Wasn't My Plan, I'm sharing a presentation I've been bringing to leadership teams and audiences: the five leadership behaviors that could be holding you back.WHAT YOU'LL LEARN1. Mismanaging your 168 hours. We all have 168 hours each week. Does your calendar reflect what matters most?2. Avoiding what feels uncomfortable. Different results require trying things you haven't done before, including difficult conversations and unfamiliar challenges.3. Assuming people know what you want. Your goals, expectations, and expertise need to be communicated, not assumed.4. Communicating before you're ready. Preparation and repetition matter, especially in high-stakes conversations.5. Making everything about you. As a leader, you're the vehicle for your expertise and information, not the purpose of every interaction.THREE QUESTIONS FOR YOU- What do I really want?- What's getting in my way?- Do my repeated behaviors support what I say I want?THREE KEY TAKEAWAYS1. Your calendar reveals your priorities. Track how you actually spend your time before saying you don't have enough of it.2. Growth requires discomfort and preparation. Avoiding difficult actions and winging important conversations can keep you stuck.3. Awareness isn't enough. Notice your patterns, choose a different action, and practice it consistently.ONE LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLELeadership is influence, not a title. And the behaviors you repeat determine the impact you make.THE CLARITY LABJanuary 28–29, 2027 | Orange County, CaliforniaI'm bringing together 25 accomplished women to get clear on what they really want, examine the patterns holding them back, and identify the actions that will move them forward.Learn more and apply: https://www.rxashlee.com/claritylabWant me to bring this presentation to your team? Connect with me at https://www.rxashlee.com/CONNECT WITH ASHLEELinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleeklevenshayes/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rxashleehayes/KEYWORDSLeadership behaviors, goal setting, 2027 planning, time management, communication, preparation, self-leadership, behavior change, Clarity Lab

Lauren Castle: If Everything Depends on You, You're Not LeadingLauren Castle thought she would spend her career climbing the corporate ladder at Walmart. Instead, she founded the Functional Medicine Pharmacists Alliance, left corporate pharmacy, and followed a personal journey she never could have predicted.In this episode of This Wasn't My Plan, Lauren and I talk about building a business from an idea, learning to let go of control as a founder, and how grief and personal growth can change everything you thought success was supposed to look like.Lauren originally planned to own an independent pharmacy. She fell in love with working at Walmart, rose through its leadership ranks, and discovered functional medicine while looking for answers to her husband's health challenges. When she couldn't find the resources she wanted for pharmacists, she started building them herself.We also have an open conversation about losing her mother, caregiver burnout, therapy, Human Design, and her personal exploration of psychedelics. Lauren shares her experience and emphasizes that psychedelic experiences carry risks and require careful preparation and support. This is her story, not medical advice.WHAT YOU'LL HEAR- How a Facebook group became the Functional Medicine Pharmacists Alliance- The choice between her corporate career and the business she built- Why founders need to trust others with their vision- What pharmacists need to understand about marketing, pricing, and business- Why Lauren has invested heavily in her own education and development- How caregiving, grief, and burnout changed her priorities- Her experience with Human Design, self-trust, and psychedelics- Why success doesn't have to follow a straight lineKEY MOMENTS02:54 — Lauren's original career plan04:28 — Discovering functional medicine08:32 — Starting the community that became FMPhA18:19 — Investing in business education24:38 — Her $146,000 personal development investment26:23 — Human Design and decision-making43:59 — Grief, therapy, and her healing journey46:55 — The unexpected psychedelic journey51:31 — Courage, community, and cautionMY QUESTION FOR YOUAre you still pursuing the version of success you once thought you were supposed to want? Or has your definition changed?ABOUT LAURENLauren Castle, PharmD, is founder and CEO of the Functional Medicine Pharmacists Alliance (FMPhA), which helps pharmacists start, scale, and integrate functional medicine into their practice. She also serves on the board of the Psychedelic Pharmacist Association.CONNECT WITH LAURENFMPhA: https://fmpha.org/LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/drlaurencastleInstagram: https://instagram.com/drlaurencastleCONNECT WITH ASHLEEWebsite: https://www.rxashlee.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleeklevenshayes/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rxashleehayes/KEYWORDSLauren Castle, functional medicine pharmacists, career pivot, pharmacy entrepreneurship, leadership, grief, burnout, self-trust, Human Design, psychedelics

Episode 48: You're Getting Everything Done. But Is It What You Want?If there's anything I know about you, it's that you're REALLY good at taking care of business.You lead the team. You make the decisions. You solve the problems. You manage employees, clients, finances, and somehow still remember your daughter's dentist appointment.You're the person everyone counts on to figure things out.And I know you're going to get it all done.But here's what I want to ask you...Are you as good at taking care of your future YOU as you are at taking care of everything else?Because being busy, being needed, and getting everything done doesn't necessarily mean you're getting closer to what you actually want.In Episode 48 of This Wasn't My Plan, I'm talking about the art of simplification, why accomplished women become responsible for everyone else's problems, and how to start making decisions based on the future they actually want.I'm also sharing why I created The Clarity Lab, a private two-day experience for accomplished women in leadership.WHAT YOU'LL LEARNWhy being great at solving problems can become your biggest limitationHow your calendar starts reflecting everyone else's prioritiesWhy just because you CAN do something doesn't mean you SHOULDThe difference between being busy and making progressWhy simplification can lead to better resultsHow clarity determines your direction and behavior determines your resultsWhy every decision comes with trade-offsHERE'S WHAT I WANT YOU TO REMEMBERClarity determines your direction.Your BEHAVIOR determines your results.You can know exactly what you want, but if you keep making the same decisions, saying yes to the same things, and operating the same way, nothing changes.Sometimes the answer isn't adding more.It's removing what's getting in the way.THREE QUESTIONS FOR YOUWhat do YOU really want?What are you willing to do to get it?What are you NOT willing to do to get it?These questions help you define your priorities, commitments, and boundaries.THE CLARITY LABJanuary 28–29, 2027 | Orange County, CaliforniaI'm bringing together 25 accomplished women who have spent years building successful careers, businesses, teams, and organizations.Women who are exceptional at taking care of business but are ready to spend two days focusing on themselves and what comes next.This isn't a traditional leadership conference.It's an intentionally small experience to get clear on what you want, decide what you're going to do about it, and identify the behaviors that will get you there.Applications are personally reviewed.Learn more and apply:https://www.rxashlee.com/claritylabMY QUESTION FOR YOUYou're really good at taking care of business.But are you making time to take care of your future YOU?Is the success you're building actually the success you want?ABOUT ASHLEEAshlee Klevens Hayes, PharmD, MHA, is an entrepreneur, leadership strategist, executive advisor, and host of This Wasn't My Plan.CONNECT WITH ASHLEEWebsite: https://www.rxashlee.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleeklevenshayes/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rxashleehayes/KEYWORDSClarity Lab, women in leadership, behavior change, decision-making, simplification, personal growth, executive leadership, women entrepreneurs