Episode 29: Part 1 - What Happens to Many High Performers and What to Do About It with Doug Thorpe

In this powerful episode, I sit down with Doug Thorpe to share my personal journey through the high-performance worlds of Microsoft and Google—and the tipping point that forced me to pause. What began as love for the work slowly evolved into chronic fatigue, misalignment, and eventually, burnout.

We explore the unspoken cost of constantly pushing ourselves beyond capacity, the unique experience of burnout for sensitive high-achievers, and how COVID-19 served as a global wake-up call for so many of us. I also unpack how the stigma surrounding mental health—especially in corporate environments—can make it difficult to ask for help.

Here are five key takeaways from our conversation:

• Burnout isn’t always about doing too much—it can also stem from deep misalignment with your values.
• COVID-19 was more than a crisis—it was a reset point for reevaluating the rhythm of our lives.
• Sensitivity is a strength, but without support, it can make burnout feel isolating and misunderstood.
• Supportive leadership can be the difference between recovery and collapse.
• We need better “dashboards for life” to track our well-being as diligently as we track performance.

This episode is for anyone who’s been quietly carrying the weight of too much for too long.

Reflecting on your own journey… where might you be ignoring the signs your body, mind, or spirit are trying to send you?

Connect with Doug Thorpe:

https://dougthorpe.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougthorpe/

https://instagram.com/dougthorpe_com

Tune in every week for a new episode of Big Meaningful Life. Subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform and never miss an episode!

Connect with Sally on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sallymahamdeh

Send Sally an email with ideas for future episodes: [e-mail]

Music Credit:
This episode features ''Je n'y suis jamais allé'' by Yann Tiersen.

What is Big Meaningful Life?

Welcome to Big Meaningful Life.

Hi, I’m Sally Mahamdeh, an Emotional Intelligence-certified coach and trainer.

Are you someone who holds yourself to high standards, strives for ambitious goals, and feels deeply empathetic toward others?
If so, you might be a Sensitive Striver—just like me.

The driving question behind this podcast is simple yet profound:
How can you care deeply, achieve greatly, and truly enjoy the life you’re building?

Join me as we explore the answers with inspiring guests—coaches, psychologists, and neuroscientists—who share practical tools and transformative insights.

Your journey to a big, meaningful life—free from overwhelm—starts now.