358: The Curse of Competence: How High Achievers Can Set Boundaries Before They Break with Tammie Calys

What's in this episode

Send us Fan Mail You can be the most dependable person in the room and still be quietly falling apart. Many mid-career professionals have built their reputations by being capable, responsive, and willing to solve difficult problems. But when you become the person everyone relies on, your competence can turn into a trap. More work comes your way, other people’s emergencies become your responsibility, and saying yes becomes almost automatic. In this episode of The Mid-Career GPS Podcast, I sit down with Tammie Calys, executive reinvention architect and founder of Next Level Me, to discuss what she calls the curse of competence. After decades of leading corporate strategy and large-scale organizational change, Tammie learned a dangerous truth: high-achieving leaders are often excellent at mitigating risk for their organizations while ignoring the risks to their own capacity, health, relationships, and careers. We explore the fear, uncertainty, and guilt many mid-career professionals are experiencing in the 2026 job market. You may want a new job or career change, but feel guilty pursuing something better while colleagues are being laid off or displaced. You may also be staying in an u