Beyond Hustle: The Case for Human-First Coaching in a Burnout Culture

In a world obsessed with hustle, grind, and optimization, many high performers are quietly burning out. Coaches, executives, and athletes alike are finding that their old strategies for success—pushing harder, doing more—are no longer sustainable. But what if the key to true performance isn't about going faster... but slowing down, aligning, and coaching the whole person?

In this episode of Between Two Coaches, Norbert Orlewicz sits down with Michael Seiler, co-founder of Metta Performance and a seasoned coach with 30+ years of experience across corporate leadership, endurance athletics, and mindset development.

Michael’s philosophy is rooted in one core truth: high performance is personal. And if you're not looking at the whole human—mind, body, and story—you're missing the point entirely.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

✅ Why “hustle culture” leads to diminishing returns
Michael breaks down the myth of more = better and introduces the athletic principle of periodization: strategic cycles of work and recovery that support long-term growth. If Fortune 50 companies operated more like elite athletes, burnout would drop and results would rise.

✅ The real definition of mindset (and why most people get it wrong)
Michael’s take? Mindset isn't motivation or positive thinking: it's the story you tell yourself about yourself. He shares how rewriting that inner narrative can unlock new levels of clarity, capacity, and self-leadership.

✅ How to coach high performers without enabling their burnout
Whether you're working with athletes or executives, Michael makes a compelling case for human-first coaching, where life context, nervous system regulation, and even sleep habits matter just as much as productivity.

✅ Why every solopreneur needs a “board of directors”
Michael shares advice for coaches in the messy middle, those early-stage coaches who have the skill but are struggling with consistency and self-doubt. His biggest tip? Build your support system like a business would.

✅ How Michael went from corporate executive to full-time coach
From founding Stage22 Performance to building Metta Performance with four coaches and a podcast, Michael reveals the behind-the-scenes of growing a values-driven business while staying true to his purpose.

Today’s Guest: Michael Seiler

Michael Seiler is a performance coach, endurance athlete, and co-founder of Metta Performance. With a background in corporate leadership, mindset coaching, and competitive cycling, Michael helps high achievers develop sustainable high performance through practical, human-centered strategies. He is a USA Cycling Level 2 Coach, Enlifted Method Level 2 Mindset Coach, and the host of the Metta Performance Podcast.

Episode Resources

🎧 Metta Performance Podcast
🎯 Register for the next Compass Workshop: CompassWorkshop.com

Whether you're leading a team, running your own business, or just trying to keep your head above water—this conversation will help you rethink how you coach, lead, and live.

Listen now and rediscover what sustainable success really looks like.