Supporting Achievers to Unlock Career Success

Published: 15 December 2025

Edition: 1st

Length: 198 pages

Dimensions: 23.4 x 15.6 cm

"In this expertly crafted book, Carolyn Parry shows how she enabled seven achievers to identify and overcome thieves ... such as Perfectionism, Comparison, Approval-Seeking, Overwhelm, Depletion, Disconnection and Burnout ... Rich in research and references, it provides a guide to each thief, its influence in the workplace and effect on individuals depending on their age, gender, neurodivergence, socio-economic status and cultural and ethnicity perspectives.

If you work in career development, careers education, executive coaching or HR, investing time in reading this book will definitely be well spent. You may also find that some of the thieves resonate with your own situation and can then utilise the practical strategies for your own self-care and career wellbeing.

As someone who worked in the career development sector for forty years, many of which in senior professional roles, I have no hesitation in recommending this book. Its content will inspire and educate you, aid your own professional reflection and enable you to help your clients find their wings and fly off to a life in which they will thrive."

Claire Johnson, RCDP and CDI, NICEC and ICCI Fellow

"This is a ground-breaking handbook for practitioners and professionals engaged in helping others to unlock and sustain their careers. Its author, Carolyn Parry, considers the growth of an ‘achievement culture’, and the specific challenges or ‘career thieves’ this growth brings to sustaining career success: perfectionism, comparison, approval-seeking, overwhelm, depletion, disconnection and burnout."

"Drawing on her in-depth knowledge and experience Carolyn addresses the complex inter-relationships between career happiness and achievement, purpose and fulfilment in a clear, accessible and practical manner. She skilfully grounds the theoretical and neurological underpinning in real-life case studies and powerful coaching activities. Following an introduction, each chapter addresses a ‘thief’ with the final chapter outlining strategic ideas or ‘seven guardians’ that seek to ensure achievers receive the support they need to maintain clarity, energy, and purpose over the long term, thereby enabling practitioners to sustain their own careers and enhance and develop their professional practice."

"If you work in career development or executive coaching then I can strongly recommend this book is as a worthwhile investment. It offers a practical guide to helping clients restore their sense of agency, gently challenge internalised beliefs, reduce cognitive load, address career misalignment and (re)build realistic, authentic and sustainable careers."

Dr. Michelle Stewart - Independent Careers Consultant

Read the sample chapter here.

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PART ONE: The Achiever Context  

i Introduction and how to use this book 

ii Why do achievers matter anyway?  

PART TWO: The Seven Career Thieves Model and Toolkit  

Chapter 1: The Thief of Perfectionism – the pursuit of impossible standards 

Chapter 2: The Thief of Comparison – the trap of measuring self-worth against others 

Chapter 3: The Thief of Approval-seeking – acting to please others 

Chapter 4: The Thief of Overwhelm – where demand consistently exceeds capacity 

Chapter 5: The Thief of Disconnection – when connection and purpose are lost 

Chapter 6: The Thief of Depletion – when the energy tanks are empty 

Chapter 7: The Thief of Self-Neglect & Burnout – prioritizing work over well-being cumulatively 

PART THREE: Interplay and implications  

Chapter 8: How to Deal with Colluding Thieves 

Chapter 9: Implications for Career Development Work in Education and Industry – a call to action 

PART FOUR  

Appendices, References, Further reading and Download Links