Behind the Decision: Real Stories of Executives Who Left $200K–$500K Careers to Do Work That Actually Fits (Escaping Corporate Burnout and Golden Handcuffs) Executive Series Part 2

Most executives know something is wrong years before they do anything about it. They have the title, the income, the team, and still feel stuck inside the corporate burnout and golden handcuffs that come with high-performing careers. Drained, distracted, and quietly miserable for 40 to 60 hours a week. In Part 2 of our Executive Career Change series, you'll hear from two real executives, Hayley and Katie, who finally made the move they'd been putting off for years, without blowing up their income or their lives. The question isn't whether to leave. It's how to stop rationalizing your way into roles that look great on paper but feel wrong in practice. What you'll learn: Why high-performing executives tolerate the wrong situation longer than everyone else, and what finally forces the breaking point The hidden cost of staying that most people never see until they're already on the other side of it Why generating activity like updating your resume, calling recruiters, and jumping into interviews is not the same as making progress How Hayley co-created a role built around her strengths instead of just finding the next available job What Katie had to figure out before she could move forward, and why it changed everything about how she searched Our book, Happen To Your Career: An Unconventional Approach To Career Change and Meaningful Work, is now available on audiobook! Visit happentoyourcareer.com/audible to order it now! Visit happentoyourcareer.com/book for more information or buy the print or ebook here ! Want to chat with our team about your unique situation? Schedule a conversation Free Resources What career fits you? Join our free 8 Day Mini Course to figure it out! Career Change Guide - Learn how high-performers discover their ideal career and find meaningful, well-paid work without starting over. Related Episodes Executive Burnout: Making A Midlife Career Change ( Spotify / Apple Podcasts ) An Overthinker's Guide To Making Better Career Decisions ( Spotify / Apple Podcasts ) Mentioned Episodes What Executive Career Change Actually Looks Like at $200K–$500K: Beyond Draining and Unfulfilling Work (Executive Series Part 1) ( Spotify / Apple Podcasts )

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Behind the Decision: Real Stories of Executives Who Left $200K–$500K Careers to Do Work That Actually Fits (Escaping Corporate Burnout and Golden Handcuffs) Executive Series Part 2 is an episode from Happen to Your Career | A podcast for people who want Career Happiness ; Also Career Transition, Career Change Tools, Dream Job, Figure out what you want, Jobs, Strengths, How to Be Awesome at Your Job, by Scott Anthony Barlow.

This episode is 15:14 long.

This episode was published on Jun 4, 2026.

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