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Redefining Control:

Shifting Perceptions for High Achievers Experiencing Burnout | Amority Health

 

By: Rachel Cooper, MS, LPC-Associate 
Supervised by Amber Quaranta Leech, PHD, LPC-S

For: Amority Health - Blog - Shifting Perceptions

 

Introduction

Many high achievers equate control with success. Staying organized, meeting every expectation, and anticipating challenges feels like the only way to thrive. But when control begins to feel like a tightrope rather than a tool, it can quietly fuel stress, anxiety, and burnout.

 

Therapy, especially approaches like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), can help you examine and shift these patterns, moving from rigid control to a balanced sense of agency and resilience.

 

What Is Control, and Why Does It Matter?

Psychologists define control as the belief that we can influence outcomes in our lives (Rotter, 1966). A healthy sense of control supports motivation, confidence, and emotional stability (Skinner, 1996).

 

Yet when control becomes perfectionistic or rigid, it can reduce flexibility, increase self-criticism, and contribute to burnout.

 

🌷Think of control like the steering wheel of a car: too loose, and you drift; too tight, and you lose responsiveness.

 

Risks of Unhealthy Control

 

Signs to Watch For

• Difficulty delegating tasks
• Overworking despite exhaustion
• Anxiety over unpredictability
• Constant self-monitoring or self-criticism

 

Consequences of Rigidity

• Burnout and chronic stress
• Reduced emotional flexibility
• Compromised physical and mental well-being

 

 

Shifting Perceptions Using CBT

 

How Thoughts, Feelings, and Behaviors Connect

CBT helps identify the link between what we think, how we feel, and how we behave (Beck, 2011).

For example:

    “If I don’t manage everything perfectly, I will fail.”

Can be reframed to:

    “I can influence outcomes, but I can also adapt when things don’t go perfectly.”

 

Benefits of Shifting Perceptions

• Increased resilience
• Reduced stress and anxiety
• Greater self-compassion and flexibility

 

Practical Steps to Begin the Shift

1. Identify triggers that drive rigid control.
2. Reflect on underlying beliefs about success and worth.
3. Practice letting go of minor tasks or accepting uncertainty.
4. Observe how you respond when things don’t go perfectly.

Even small shifts can create meaningful, sustainable change over time.

 

In Closing

Therapy provides a supportive space to explore these patterns, gain insight, and cultivate healthier control strategies.

 

Explore other posts in our “Shifting Perceptions” series to discover more ways to align ambition with well-being.

 

Suggestions:

• Are You Recharging or Retreating? The Real Difference Between Introverts and Poor Boundaries | Amority Health
• How To Stop Taking Things Personally: Reclaiming Your Peace Through A Shift In Perception | Amority Health
• Shifting Perception: How Seeing Differently Can Change Everything | Amority Health


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Written by Rachel Cooper, a therapist specializing in burnout, perfectionism, and life transitions. Learn more about therapy for high achievers at Amority Health.

📅 Schedule a Free 15-Minute Consultation

   

 

  

References

American Psychological Association. (2023). Stress in America: The state of mental health and wellbeing.

Beck, J. S. (2011). Cognitive behavior therapy: Basics and beyond (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.

Rotter, J. B. (1966). Generalized expectancies for internal versus external control of reinforcement. Psychological Monographs: General and Applied, 80(1), 1–28.

Skinner, E. A. (1996). A guide to constructs of control. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 71(3), 549–570.