You overextend yourself, putting others’ needs above your own.
Martyn Martyr was the go-to guy. If something needed doing, he did it—no questions asked.
When his boss said, “We need a volunteer,” Martyn’s hand shot up before his brain caught up.
When a colleague muttered, “I’m swamped,” Martyn was already taking on their workload.
When someone missed a deadline, Martyn stayed late fixing their mess.
He carried everyone’s burdens—and it was slowly crushing him.
One evening, as Martyn packed up two laptops, a stack of reports, and a stress headache, his colleague Jake strolled past, whistling.
“Heading home already?” Martyn asked, baffled.
“Yep! Big day tomorrow,” Jake grinned.
Martyn frowned. Big day? What big day?
Then he saw the presentation slides on Jake’s desk—the slides Martyn had spent three nights perfecting for him.
“Oh, these? Yeah, thanks for fixing them,” Jake said. “Saves me the hassle. Anyway, see you tomorrow!”
And just like that, Martyn realized something: the more he did, the less others had to.
His “helping” had turned into rescuing—and no one was learning, growing, or stepping up.
That night, he tried something radical.
The next morning, when his boss asked, “Can you handle this?” Martyn paused. Then he smiled and said, “I’d love to, but I have my own priorities today. Who else can take it?”
The room fell silent. Then, after an awkward moment, someone else spoke up.
Martyn felt a weight lift off his shoulders—and for the first time in years, he left work on time.
His leadership wasn’t about carrying everyone’s burdens. It was about teaching them to carry their own.
You overextend yourself, putting others’ needs above your own.
You burn out, leaving little energy for long-term impact.
Set clear boundaries—you can serve others without sacrificing yourself.
“Come to me, all who are weary, and I will give you rest.” — Matthew 11:28
John Michael