The leader who never asks for what they need.

Not because they don't have needs. But because somewhere along the way, they concluded that having needs, and naming them, was incompatible with being a strong leader.

I was that person.

I told myself I needed to prove myself first before asking for more support.

I applied more pressure to myself when the scope of my role became unsustainable, rather than pushing back.

I dragged myself through years of chronic sleep deprivation without admitting what it was doing to my ability to function.

And I did all of this while advocating fiercely and skillfully for everyone on my team.

The dissonance, in retrospect, is almost funny.

Almost.