Let’s Be Honest: You Want More. But You Also Want to Breathe
You’re not trying to check out. You still want the challenge, the title, the growth. But lately, you’re also craving ease, not in the lazy sense, but in the I’m done suffering for my career kind of way.
Here’s the inner monologue you may know too well:
- “I want to be successful, but I also want to sleep.”
- “I want to lead but not lose myself to burnout again.”
- “I still have drive, but I also want space to be a human.”
Sound familiar?
You’re not broken. You’re just ready to stop believing the lie that ambition and balance can’t co-exist.
Let’s unpack why this tension exists — and how to navigate it without letting go of either side of yourself.
Why We’ve Been Told It Has to Be One or the Other
We’ve been conditioned to believe ambition is about sacrifice:
- Sleep is optional
- Boundaries = weakness
- Hustle = currency
- Your worth is measured in output
And then there’s the flip side:
- “Work-life balance” often sounds like code for… slowing down, stepping back, settling.
No wonder you feel like you have to pick a side. But here’s the reality: this binary is broken.
You don’t have to choose between being driven and being well. You just need a career that’s built intentionally around you, not around outdated ideals.
What This Conflict Feels Like (Because You Might Be in It Right Now)
- You still care about your career, but it’s exhausting to maintain your pace
- You’ve lost touch with the why behind the work
- You fantasise about quitting and living on a beach, then panic five minutes later
- You feel guilty when you rest… and resentful when you don’t
- You’re scared that slowing down means falling behind
If you’re nodding right now, you’re not crazy. You’re at a critical junction: the one where your ambition either becomes sustainable or swallows you whole.
The Truth About Ambition Most People Won’t Tell You
Ambition isn’t just about reaching the top. It’s about becoming the kind of person who can live there without losing your mind.
What no one tells you is that balance fuels ambition; it doesn’t block it.
You think you’re lazy when you rest. You’re actually recovering the energy to lead like a boss.
You think setting boundaries makes you difficult. You’re actually protecting the time to do your best work.
You think saying “no” means missing out. It means choosing the right yes.
Ambition isn’t about burning out. It’s about owning your impact, without selling your soul to achieve it.
Dr. Brehm’s Perspective: Why I Had to Learn This the Hard Way
As a former cardiac surgeon, a role that demands everything. Precision. Pressure. Sacrifice. I didn’t leave because I couldn’t cut it. I left because my ambition stopped feeling alive and started feeling like a prison.
Now, as an executive coach for high-achievers across the globe, I teach this:
“Freedom isn’t the opposite of ambition. It’s the fuel that makes it sustainable.” You don’t need to settle. You need to restructure your definition of success.
How to Start Building a Career That Holds Both
Redefine What Winning Looks Like
Is it the title? The income? The hours? The impact? Clarify it or you’ll keep chasing goals that aren’t even yours.
Audit Your Energy, Not Just Your Time
Where are you drained? Where do you come alive? Protect the energy-givers. Rebuild around them.
Set Boundaries Without Justifying Them
You don’t need to explain your “no.” You need to enforce it without apology.
Plan for Joy (Not Just Productivity)
Block your calendar for deep work and deep rest. Yes, literally schedule it. Otherwise, it won’t happen.
Surround Yourself With Expanders
You need examples of people living this out. People who are successful and grounded. Ambitious and free.
Final Thought: You’re Allowed to Want Both
- You can build big things and still have a life.
- You can be brilliant and take weekends off.
- You can drive hard and protect your peace.
And if you’re ready to create a career that reflects both your fire and your freedom?
Book a Discovery Call with Dr. Kerstin Brehm. Let’s build something high-achieving and human. You deserve both.
