Why High Performers Burn Out and How to Lead With More Confidence

What if burnout isn't simply caused by working too hard—but by spending too much time working out of alignment with who you are? In this episode of **The CLIMB Leadership Development & Confident Leader Podcast**, host **Rahul Karan Sharma** sits down with **Debbie Sodergren**, founder and CEO of UP Vibrations LLC and creator of Harmonic Sovereignty, to explore confidence, burnout, boundaries, and sustainable leadership. Debbie challenges the familiar advice to “fake it till you make it,” arguing that sustainable confidence isn't something leaders perform for others. It develops when their priorities, decisions, work, and personal well-being become better aligned. Together, Rahul and Debbie explore why successful leaders can appear highly accomplished on the outside while quietly becoming depleted on the inside and what leaders can do before burnout takes over. Key Highlights from the episode 00:00 – Can confidence come from alignment instead of performance? 01:46 – Debbie Sodergren's leadership journey 03:08 – High performers, alignment and burnout 04:21 – Why “fake it till you make it” can become dangerous 05:44 – Finding your most productive working hours 07:25 – Rethinking hustle, work and success 11:06 – Hidden signs successful leaders may be struggling 14:19 – Priorities, presence and preventing burnout 15:36 – How to recognize when someone may need support 17:55 – Understanding your strengths and knowing when to delegate 20:11 – Learning to say no and protect your priorities 23:43 – Why successful leaders still struggle with self-confidence 24:17 – The fear of taking your foot off the career accelerator 25:30 – Why you can't do everything alone 27:18 – Why mentors, coaches and accountability matter 29:53 – How to connect and work with Debbie 30:44 – Rapid Fire Round 31:17 – Rahul's biggest leadership takeaways **About our Guest- Debbie Sodergren** She is the founder and CEO of **UP Vibrations LLC** and creator of **Harmonic Sovereignty**. With decades of experience in energy work and executive wellness, Debbie works with high-achieving entrepreneurs and leaders to help them explore alignment, well-being, confidence, and sustainable success. Learn more about Debbie Sodergren and Harmonic Sovereignty: ⁠https://harmonicsovereignty.com⁠ **About our Host- Rahul Karan Sharma** **He is a Leadership Advisor to Staffing CEOs, Organizational Development Strategist, Forbes Coaches Council member, and creator of the CLIMB Framework™.** Rahul helps leaders and organizations identify the leadership gaps that slow growth, strengthen leadership capability, and build more confident, high-performing teams. Through **The CLIMB Leadership Development & Confident Leader Podcast**, Rahul brings together executives, entrepreneurs, psychologists, authors, coaches, and thought leaders to explore the human side of leadership in an increasingly complex workplace. Ranked among the **Global Top 1.5% of podcasts**, The CLIMB explores leadership development, confident leadership, executive presence, mindset, career growth, organizational development, and the human capabilities leaders need to succeed in the AI era. The goal is simple: **Help professionals move from Invisible → Influencer.** Learn more about Rahul Karan Sharma and The CLIMB Podcast: 🌐 Rahul Karan Sharma https://www.rahulkaransharma.com 🎙️ The CLIMB Podcast https://www.rahulkaransharma.com/the-climb-podcast If this conversation gave you a new perspective on confidence, burnout, or leadership, **subscribe, share the episode, and tell us your biggest takeaway in the comments.** #LeadershipDevelopment #ConfidentLeadership #LeadershipBurnout #ExecutiveLeadership #LeadershipMindset #HighPerformers #BurnoutPrevention #LeadershipConfidence #TheCLIMBPodcast #RahulKaranSharma