For Real: Life, Leadership, & Unlearning

310. The Career Gut Check: Have You Outgrown Your Current Role, with Kristi Coulter


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For years, Kristi Coulter climbed the corporate ladder at Amazon, working long hours, hitting major career milestones, and earning great money—but at what cost? 

Eventually, she reached a breaking point, realizing she was living for her employer instead of herself. In her book, Exit Interview: The Life and Death of My Ambitious Career, Kristi shares the eye-opening realities of hustle culture, burnout, and redefining success on her own terms.

Have you felt the pressure to keep pushing, to say yes to every opportunity, and to measure success by constant achievement? 

Yeah me too.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✅ How hustle culture shows up in both corporate and entrepreneurial life
✅ The hidden costs of always striving for the next big goal
✅ Why so many people stay in jobs (or businesses) that drain them—and how to know when it’s time to walk away
✅ The myth of “leap and the net will appear” and a more sustainable approach to career transitions
✅ How to redefine success in a way that actually aligns with your values
✅ The truth about imposter syndrome—and why it never fully goes away
✅ Why women, in particular, face unique pressures in the workplace (and how to push back against them)

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Connect with Kristi Coulter:

  • Exit Interview: The Life and Death of My Ambitious Career: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780374600907/exitinterview/
  • Website: https://www.kristicoulter.com/

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00:00:00 - The reality of burnout and hitting a breaking point
 00:03:45 - Why success doesn’t always feel as fulfilling as we expect
 00:12:30 - The dangers of "all or nothing" thinking in careers and business
 00:18:50 - Should you really just "take the leap"? A smarter approach to transitions
00:27:15 - Imposter syndrome: Why we all have it (even the most successful people)
00:36:40 - The unique challenges women face in business and leadership
00:45:20 - How to step away from the hustle without losing yourself
00:54:30 - Redefining what success actually looks like for you

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Today's episode is brought to you by The Planner's Vault. The doors are currently closed for The Planner's Vault, but join the wait list now so you can be the first to know when the doors re-open.

Weddings for Real on Social Media:

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Facebook: @weddingsforreal

twitter: @weddingsforreal

Hosted by Megan Gillikin, Weddings for Real is presented by The Planner's Vault, and is produced by Walk West.


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