How to stop optimising your life and reconnect with what makes you feel alive, with Dara Simkin
Get EVEN Podcast | Dara Simkin | Burnout and Achievement Syndrome
For many mid-career women, success can become a paradox.
You've built a meaningful career. You're capable, ambitious and responsible. You're juggling work, family, leadership, relationships and wellbeing. You've learned how to get things done, solve problems and keep moving forward.
And yet, despite all of that achievement, many women find themselves feeling exhausted, disconnected or strangely dissatisfied.
In this episode of Get EVEN, Dr Nora Koslowski sits down with Dara Simkin, author of Full Stack Human and founder of Culture Hero, for a thought-provoking conversation about burnout, achievement, ambition and what it means to flourish in modern life.
Drawing on research from psychology, neuroscience and organisational behaviour, Dara explains why so many high-achieving women feel trapped in cycles of productivity and performance. Together, Nora and Dara explore how achievement can become intertwined with identity, why many women struggle to rest without guilt, and how the pursuit of success can sometimes take us further away from ourselves.
A central theme of the conversation is play. We learn that play’s not a reward for hard work, but a vital human capacity that helps us access creativity, presence, energy and connection. Dara argues that many adults have lost touch with playfulness in the pursuit of achievement, and that reconnecting with it may be one of the most powerful ways to combat burnout and create a more sustainable career.
Episode topics:
Burnout and overwhelm among ambitious women
Why modern work is placing unprecedented demands on our brains and nervous systems
Achievement syndrome and the hidden cost of constantly striving
How childhood experiences can shape our relationship with success and validation
The difference between performative success and authentic fulfilment
How to redefine success beyond productivity, status and external recognition
One of the most powerful ideas Dara shares is that many of the behaviours that once helped us succeed may no longer be serving us. Instead of working harder or optimising more, she invites listeners to ask a different question:
What makes you feel alive?
Whether you're navigating a demanding leadership role, experiencing burnout, questioning your definition of success, or simply searching for a more sustainable way to combine ambition and wellbeing, this episode offers a refreshing and deeply human perspective.
Listen to this episode if you are a mid-career woman navigating leadership and ambition, if you’re feeling burnt out despite being successful, or if you’re looking for a healthier relationship with achievement.
About Dara Simkin
Dara Simkin is the founder of Culture Hero, a workplace culture consultancy helping organisations create healthier, more human-centred workplaces. She is the co-author of Full Stack Human, a book that explores how people can thrive in an increasingly complex, technology-driven world by embracing adaptability, play, self-awareness and human connection.