05/19/2026
Some of the most burned out people I've coached weren't underachievers.
They were the dependable ones,
the high performers,
the people everyone relied on.
They have “successful” lives on paper with impressive titles and high six-figure incomes, yet carry this restless question:
Is this all there is?
What I've realized after more than 5,000 coaching sessions is that many high-performing mid-career professionals aren't just exhausted from overworking. They're tired of suppressing parts of themselves in order to survive systems they no longer fully believe in.
And contrary to what social media often tells us: not everyone can afford to quit their corporate 9-5, move to Bali, or become a founder.
Some people still believe in organizations.
They just want to lead, influence, and live differently within them.
Honestly, I understand that deeply.
Before coaching, I worked in corporate social responsibility—helping design social impact programs, facilitate partnerships, and rally diverse stakeholders around causes.
I loved being at the intersection of leadership, business, and social good.
I loved entering rooms where decision-makers shaped policies, budgets, and philanthropic investments.
And I loved bridging conversations between business and community.
Over time, I realized something important:
Change is not purely top-down.
People within systems shape systems, too.
That realization eventually led me deeper into coaching—not just as a leadership development tool, but as a form of human and social development work.
(My undergrad and master's are in Development Studies and Management, so perhaps this path makes sense in hindsight.)
There’s still a misconception about coaching as a directive approach that removes agency and creates dependency. But real coaching is not about telling people what to do or who to become.
At its core, coaching is about helping people reconnect with their own clarity and agency — not by imposing someone else's definition of success onto them, but by helping them think differently, see more clearly, and make choices aligned with who they are and what the world may be calling them toward.
That’s why I value working with professionally trained coaches grounded in ethics and evidence-based practices.
And this is why this work became so meaningful to me.
I've seen clients:
– stay within organizations but finally find roles, teams, or leaders more aligned with their values,
– move from chronic burnout to more sustainable and meaningful ways of working,
– rediscover purpose, voice, and agency without necessarily leaving the financial stability of corporate life.
Not everyone is meant to leave the system.
Some people are meant to help transform it from within.
Over the next few weeks, I'll be sharing more insights about change making within systems through my community newsletter and exclusive office hours.
SUBSCRIBE to Unmuted:
https://theleadershipvoice.kit.com
