The Toxic Side of Going the Extra Mile

Earlier this week, I heard a phrase that has always rubbed me the wrong way, though I could never quite explain why: go the extra mile. The phrase was directed at a woman whose workplace was severely short-staffed. She had just told us she was working through her lunch breaks and taking work home with her each evening. Because she is salaried, she isn't even receiving additional compensation for the extra hours. Rather than offering support or finding ways to ease the burden, her supervisor praised her for "going the extra mile." She smiled politely at the compliment, but behind that smile I could see exhaustion and desperation.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized that "going the extra mile" can sometimes be a toxic expectation disguised as a virtue. Praising people for continually pushing themselves beyond their limits is not healthy. Aly often tells psychics: Human beings are not machines. Our bodies, minds, and souls require rest, recovery, and balance. When exhaustion becomes normalized, self-sacrifice is rewarded while well-being is ignored. The result is often burnout, mistakes, declining health, and a growing sense that no amount of effort is ever enough.

Imagine a rider urging an exhausted horse to travel one more mile. We would likely see that as reckless, even cruel. An exhausted horse is more likely to stumble, become injured, or collapse under the strain. The same is true for people. Fatigue affects judgment, performance, creativity, health, psychic readings, and connection to the craft. Yet our culture often celebrates those who sacrifice their own well-being in the name of productivity. Perhaps it is time to rethink what we praise. Instead of glorifying exhaustion, maybe we should value sustainability, boundaries, and rest. A healthy society should not admire how much strain a person can endure, but how well it supports people so they do not have to endure it in the first place.