Leaving a 6-figure tech career was the best and worst year of my life
I remember sitting in my glass-walled office and feeling absolutely nothing.
I had the title and the retirement plan but I was so exhausted. So I quit. It felt like jumping off a cliff without checking for a parachute first.
Leaving a high-level career is often sold as a glamorous act of self-discovery.
But in reality, it isn’t. Yes, you gain your freedom but you lose your identity overnight.
The high price of staying in "autopilot" mode
I spent 40 years in the corporate trenches before I finally called it. I thought the paycheck was enough to justify the fact that I was miserable.
You see, the high-performance habit is addictive. You get used to being the one with all the answers. So when you stop, the silence is deafening. Then you’ll feel that your "success" was a very comfortable cage that you built yourself. But it shouldn’t feel that way.
Warning sign 1: The physical heavy lift
If you are relying on caffeine to start and wine to stop, you are in a dangerous cycle.
Your nervous system is crashing.
This is the first sign that your current pace is mathematically impossible to maintain.
Warning sign 2: The "Everything is Fine" mask
I used to pretend I was fine while I was actually furious. Then I started to feel bitter toward the colleagues who ask for my help or the family I am working to support.
When you start resenting the people you love because you are too depleted to deal with them, you have a problem.
You are pouring from an empty cup and it makes you angry at everyone who needs a drink. This resentment is a clear signal that your current workload is costing you your relationships.
Warning sign 3: Losing the "Why" in the "How"
We get so caught up in the logistics of being successful that we forget what the success was actually for.
I had the house and the vacations but I was too stressed to enjoy them.
According to Harvard Business Review, mid-career burnout often stems from a lack of alignment rather than a lack of ability.
You are doing the work but you aren't getting the emotional ROI. If you are just moving numbers around a spreadsheet to feel important, you are starving your soul.
How to recalibrate without blowing it all up
The goal isn’t necessarily to walk away from your career like I did. I want you to keep the life you’ve built and actually be there to live it.
What you tolerate in your work life becomes the baseline for your entire existence if you tolerate exhaustion, you will stay exhausted.
Real relief comes from setting boundaries that protect your peace.
But through that clarity, you might also realize you've simply outgrown the room you're in. I’ve met so many women lately who realized their next chapter wasn't about fixing their current role, but leaving corporate entirely to start their own business or pivot careers.
Whether you choose to stay and rebuild or decide it’s finally time to move on, the goal is the same: making sure your feeling the genuine happiness in your life again.
Get the clarity you deserve
You do not have to spend a year in misery like I did to find your way back to yourself.
But you do need a plan that involves more than just "hanging in there."
I learned the hard way that clarity is earned through action.
If you are a high-achieving woman who is tired of being the most exhausted person in the room, let's talk.
I offer a free
30-minute Clarity Call to help you figure out how to recalibrate. We will find a way for you to stay successful without staying miserable.