Confessions From a Driven Workaholic Leader: What I Am Learning
I love working.
I enjoy working hard and being productive. I’ve always had a can-do attitude, taking psychological ownership of any project or task I commit to. No matter what, I feel a deep obligation to finish what I start—and to finish it well. When someone needs something done, they often come to me because they know I’ll follow through.
If you talked to any of my coworkers or supervisors over the past 20 years, they would all say the same thing: Zach works hard.
Sometimes, too hard.
I understand what it means to be a driven leader. But if I’m honest, my drivenness has often crossed the line into workaholism more than I’d like to admit.
My drive, impact-focused mindset, and perfectionism have helped me accomplish a great deal. Yet I’m also painfully aware that this same drive—left unchecked—can lead me back to burnout. Again. And again.
So lately, I’ve been asking a deeper question: Is my work merely productive—or is it actually fruitful?
What I’m Learning About My Drivenness
The Difference Between Productivity and Fruitfulness
I confess that for years I packed my schedule to maximize productivity—at work, at home, and even in my “fun” and adventures. Everything had a purpose. Everything had a payoff.
But I’m learning to shift my focus from being productive to being fruitful.
At first, this sounded like a simple change in language. In reality, it’s a fundamental shift in the source and purpose of my work.
Henri Nouwen captures this distinction beautifully:
“You have to be really aware of the difference between fruitfulness and success…
The question is not, ‘Show me your trophies,’ but ‘Are you going to bear fruit?’
Our fruitfulness comes out of our vulnerability, not just our power…
The hard ground cannot bear fruit; it has to be raked open.”
Productivity helps me accomplish tasks. Fruitfulness is about lasting impact.
Productivity doesn’t always lead to fruitfulness—but fruitfulness always flows from being rooted in something deeper than effort alone.
I don’t just want to get things done.
I want my work—and my life—to bear fruit.
What Changes When I Choose Fruitfulness
When I shift from productivity to fruitfulness, I notice three things almost immediately:
I am less stressed
I am less overwhelmed
I am more grateful
The change isn’t just external—it’s internal.
Kindness, Empathy, and Slowing Down
I confess that when my calendar is overpacked, kindness and empathy are often the first things to go.
Others might not notice it outright. I can fake presence well enough. But inside, my mind is racing, my patience is thin, and my heart is distracted.
In those moments, I’m not just unkind to others—I’m unkind to myself.
Negative self-talk creeps in:
You’re not doing enough.
You should be better than this.
If people really knew you, they’d see you’re a fraud.
Shifting from productivity to fruitfulness requires surrender. It requires relying on the Holy Spirit rather than my own drive. When I slow down, release my agenda, and invite God into my day, something changes.
I move from productivity to presence.
Fruitfulness isn’t about filling every minute—it’s about staying rooted in God’s grace and allowing His love to flow through me to others. This grounding reminds me that my worth isn’t found in my to-do list, but in my identity in Christ.
One simple practice that’s helped me: I set a timer on my phone or Fitbit to buzz every three hours. Wherever I am—desk, meeting, conversation—I pause and whisper a breath prayer:
“God, help me be aware of Your presence now.”
“Not my will, but Yours be done.”
That pause recenters me. It reminds me that fruitfulness flows from connection, not control.
Stepping Out of the Comparison Trap
Another confession: productivity often fuels comparison.
I measure my output, my schedule, my energy, and my impact against others. At first, it feels like motivation. But quickly, it becomes a trap—one that breeds dissatisfaction and steals joy.
Comparison distorts perspective. It keeps me focused on the wrong metrics:
How much have I done? How far ahead are they? Why am I not there yet?
Comparison fuels envy, overwork, and quiet resentment. It makes me push harder and longer than I should. And ultimately, it shifts my focus away from making a difference in someone else’s life.
Fruitfulness cannot grow in the soil of comparison.
Instead, gratitude must take its place. When I practice thankfulness, I become free to celebrate others without feeling threatened. I’m able to trust that God has given me my calling, my pace, and my portion.
Choosing the Better Way
For me, fruitfulness—not productivity—is the goal.
Relentless productivity often leads me to places that aren’t good for my soul. When productivity becomes ultimate, I begin building my own kingdom—striving, comparing, performing.
Fruitfulness invites me into a better way.
A way rooted in trust.
A way shaped by presence.
A way that produces lasting impact—not just completed tasks.
I don’t want to merely get things done.
I want my life to bear fruit that truly matters.
A Personal Invitation
If any part of this resonates with you—
If you’re a driven leader who feels tired, overextended, or quietly burned out—
If you’re productive, but not sure you’re fruitful—
You don’t have to figure this out alone.
This is exactly the work I do through Full Life Coaching: helping leaders slow down, reconnect with God, clarify what truly matters, and realign their lives around fruitfulness instead of exhaustion.
👉 I invite you to take the next step.
If this resonated with you—if you’re a driven leader who is productive but tired, faithful but stretched thin—I’d love to walk with you. Schedule a coaching conversation, plan a personal retreat day, or simply reach out and start the dialogue.
This is exactly the kind of work I do through Full Life Coaching: helping leaders slow down, listen deeply to God, and realign their lives around what truly bears fruit.
👉 Schedule a conversation with me here: https://calendly.com/zmimboden
Your drive doesn’t need to disappear.
It just needs to be redeemed.
Because a full life isn’t found in doing more—
It’s found in bearing fruit.
Photo by Shalone Cason on Unsplash
