She Said No to Another Qualification—After 16 Years,
with Bethany Rodgers
I’m joined by Bethany Rodgers, Director of People at Sheffield Students’ Union, to explore her decision to stop pursuing qualifications after 16 years of continual professional development—and what it means to recognise how far you’ve come, rather than always focusing on what’s next.
Listen to this Episode:
Here are some key takeaways from our conversation on the pressure to prove yourself
“I want to be able to take my dog for a walk and not feel guilty because I should be doing an assignment.”
In this episode of The New Peak Podcast, Bethany Rodgers shares why, after 16 years of continual professional development, she decided not to pursue another qualification.
Bethany loves learning and has invested years in developing her knowledge and skills. But she reached a point where she began to question whether she needed another qualification—or whether it was time to appreciate how far she’d already come.
Her decision wasn’t about giving up on ambition. It was about recognizing that success isn’t just about what you achieve next. It’s also about enjoying what you’ve already accomplished and making room for family, friends and the everyday moments that make life meaningful.
You’ll relate if you’ve ever:
🔺 Focusing on what you still need to achieve rather than how far you’ve come.
🔺 Feeling guilty when you’re not being productive.
🔺 Wondering if it’s time to stop striving quite so hard and enjoy what you’ve already accomplished.
🎧 Episode Timestamps
00:00 – Saying No to Another Qualification
01:10 – When a Love of Learning Becomes a Need to Achieve
02:34 – Why Ambition Feels Loaded for Women
05:50 – The Grandfather Who Made Learning Feel Possible
07:37 – When Drive Becomes Self-Imposed Pressure
09:59 – Qualifications, Credibility and the Price of Expertise
12:36 – The Decision to Stop After 16 Years
13:19 – When Life Feels Too Short to Keep Striving
15:20 – Putting Relationships Before the To-Do List
17:23 – Choosing a Slower Pace and Accepting the Trade-Off
LINKS: Pressure to prove yourself with Bethany Rodgers
Connect with Bethany Rodgers: [on LinkedIn]
OTHER LINKS:
- Work with Nicola McCrabbe
Executive coaching for leaders and high achievers seeking sustainable performance under pressure.
[Coaching] - Take the Leadership Pressure Check
Consider how pressure may be affecting your capacity and leadership behaviour.
[Pressure Check] - Read Burnout Be Gone
Explore high-achiever patterns, pressure and healthier ways of performing.
[Book]