3 Hidden Scripts That Keep You Stuck in Overdrive

Some days, I wake up tired — not just physically, but emotionally flat.

No dramatic crisis. No big reason. Just a bit off.

Today was one of those days.

And for a long time, I used to panic when this happened.

If the first coffee didn’t work, I’d pour a second.

If that didn’t work, I’d jump in a cold shower.

If I still felt off, I’d force myself to push through — proud of my ability to “get shit done” no matter how I felt.

On some level, I still admire that part of me.

It built a lot of what I have.

But it also kept me stuck in overdrive — always performing, always proving, never quite able to be still.

After some reflecting, I've noticed there are three hidden scripts that I’m now learning to spot and rewrite.

Maybe you’ll recognise some of them too.

1. Productivity = Self-Worth

The script: “You’re only valuable if you’re doing something useful.”

I learned this early on. As a runner, the harder I trained, the better I performed — and my self-worth was tied to that. Later, in poker, it became even clearer. Every hour played brought a return. Every hour missed meant nothing. Volume was king.

Then I became a coach — and the equation changed, but the story stayed the same. My value came from what I knew. The advice I gave. The breakthroughs I helped clients reach.

If I wasn’t producing or performing, what was I?

Reflecting deeply on this lead to my first realisation:

My worth isn't measured by my output.

Presence doesn’t have to be earned. You don’t need to be “on” to be aligned. Some of your best days — if you’re honest — aren’t the ones you crushed your to-do list. They’re the ones you were fully in.

When I slow down and drop the urge to perform, I find I’m still me.

I can still be enough, even without ticking ten things off a to-do list.

I don't need to prove myself through what I do.

And that’s a deeper kind of worth.

2. You’re Falling Behind

The script: “You should be further ahead by now.”

This one is sneaky. It shows up as restlessness. As an invisible pressure pushing on your shoulders. Like you’re in a race — but no one told you what the finish line is.

It tells you that if you’re tired, slow, or uncertain, something’s wrong. That if you’re not grinding, you’re falling behind.

But behind what, exactly?

There is no perfect pace. There is no real scoreboard. That pressure usually isn’t coming from reality — it’s coming from comparison, perfectionism, or a younger version of you who thought they had it all figured out.

One question that’s helped me defuse this script is:

“Where are you trying to get to so quickly?”

Almost always, the answer leads me back to fear — fear of not being enough unless I’m moving fast.

Which leads me to my second realisation:

The pressure to speed up is usually fear in disguise.

But when I let go of the rush, I reconnect with something softer. Something that feels wiser.

Slowing down isn’t weakness, it’s wisdom. And with that wisdom, comes trust.

Trust that ideas don’t need to be squeezed out — they can rise on their own.

Trust that value isn’t earned minute-by-minute — it’s a long term game.

Trust that I can move slower, and still move forward — without jeopardising my goals.

Some of my best insights don’t come from effort.

They arrive when I’m walking my dog. Journaling without a goal. Sitting in silence.

Stillness doesn’t kill momentum, it sharpens it.

And often, it’s exactly what the moment is asking for.

3. Slowing Down Means Losing Momentum

The script: “If you stop pushing, everything will fall apart.”

This one’s deep. It’s the fear beneath the fear.

Even when I’m exhausted or uninspired, this part of me insists I keep going. To keep pushing myself to achieve more, because if I stop, I'm afraid of what might happen.

When you've worked hard to achieve things, to create the life you want, your mind tells you that you need to keep pushing to maintain it. Almost like you need to continue to earn it.

And on some level, this is true. If you want to stay strong in the gym, you need to keep working out. If you want to continue to grow your business, you need to keep showing up and innovating.

Yet the insistent need to always be pushing is a trap.

Which reflecting on unlocked my third realisation:

Slowing down isn't falling behind — it’s part of the rhythm of peak performance.

Not every day is meant for pushing.

Some days are meant for reflecting.

For moving more deliberatly.

For reconnecting with the part of you that doesn’t need to prove anything.

It’s not about doing less, it’s about doing what matters and not forcing yourself to speed up.

Because momentum built from fear burns you out.

But momentum built from trusting yourself?

That’s the kind that lasts.

Final Reflection: You Don’t Need to Always Be “On”

I used to think the best days were the ones I got the most done.

Now I’m not so sure.

Some days feel like a gentle reset.

A quiet reminder that I don’t have to earn my worth by what I produce.

Today didn’t have a big breakthrough or a major win.

But I stayed present. I moved slowly. I didn’t rush the moment just to feel ahead.

And somehow, that feels like the kind of progress that I needed.

Adam