A few years ago, I had a career that looked great on paper: two master’s degrees, international consulting gigs, and a big, steady paycheck. From the outside, it looked like success.
But inside? I felt bored, uninspired, and strangely disconnected. I kept telling myself I should be grateful — that maybe I just needed a break, a vacation, or a better manager.
But what I really needed wasn’t rest. It was alignment.
These days, many professionals use the word burnout to describe the unbearable fatigue, anxiety, or stress that work creates. And sometimes, that’s exactly what’s going on — too many hours, too little rest, and no boundaries in sight.
But other times, what we’re experiencing is more subtle. It’s not about too much work. It’s about the wrong kind of work. It’s something called misalignment.
What Is Misalignment?
Misalignment happens when your work no longer reflects who you are — when the goals you’re chasing no longer matter to you. When you're following rules you never chose, or spending your days being productive, but not fulfilled.
The result isn’t always dramatic. It can be quiet: A lack of energy, a creeping numbness, or a voice in your head whispering, Is this really it?
And a lot of smart, hardworking people stay in careers that drain them — not because they’re broken, but because they’ve been chasing someone else’s version of success for so long, they’ve never stopped to ask if it actually fits them.
We’re raised to achieve, to climb, and to be grateful. So when we start feeling disconnected or unmotivated, we assume something is wrong with us — instead of realizing something might be wrong with the ladder we’re trying to climb.
But here’s the truth: You can do everything “right” and still feel wrong. That’s not failure — that’s a call for evolution.
Burnout vs. Misalignment
Having worked with many clients in this exact situation, I’ve come to see the difference clearly:
- Burnout feels like exhaustion from too much
- Misalignment feels like emptiness from too little meaning.
- Burnout can often be solved with rest.
- Misalignment requires deeper change — a return to your values, strengths, and purpose.
You can take a sabbatical, log off Slack, and book a yoga retreat — and still feel flat when you return. Because when your work no longer resonates with who you are, no amount of vacation can make it feel right again.
6 Signs You’re Misaligned (Not Broken)
If you’re wondering whether what you’re feeling is burnout or misalignment, here are some quiet signs I see again and again in my clients:
- You dread Mondays even after a relaxing weekend.
- You lack motivation for things you’re “supposed” to care about.
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You feel underwhelmed or unseen — even when things look good externally.
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You scroll job listings hoping something magical jumps out.
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You constantly doubt yourself, your capability, your worth.
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You feel stuck: depressed or anxious.
These are not signs of failure. They’re signs you’ve outgrown the version of life you built years ago — and now it’s time to evolve.
So What Can You Do?
You don’t need to quit everything tomorrow and you don’t need a full plan before taking your first step, but you do need to start listening to yourself.
This is the work I now do with clients — and what I once had to do myself. The journey starts with curiosity, moves into exploration, then into clarity, and finally into action.
Here’s what that process often looks like:
1. Assess the Misalignment
Before you can make aligned choices, you need to understand what’s out of sync. Start by asking:
- What parts of my current career drain me the most — and why?
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Where am I tolerating things that don’t feel right — and what is this costing me?
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What values am I betraying or compromising at work?
- Am I chasing goals that no longer matter to me?
Sometimes what we uncover are old stories — internalized scripts about what success “should” look like. Other times, it's a practical misalignment between your current values (values evolve as you grow) and how you spend your time.
This is where clarity begins.
2. Reconnect With Authentic Desire
Once you’ve seen what’s off, the next step is reconnecting with what feels right.
This part of the process isn’t about choosing a different job title. It’s about tuning into your real motivations:
- What kind of impact excites me?
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What topics or activities pull me in naturally?
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What am I curious to explore or learn more about?
- What dreams or interests have I silenced in favor of being “practical”?
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What would I do if nothing else mattered?
Here, desire is treated as data — not fantasy. It’s your compass!
3. Clarify Your Direction and Take Aligned Action
Only after you’ve assessed what’s off and reconnected with your truth does it make sense to talk about action.
Now is the time to:
- Get specific about what a better-aligned career chapter might look like.
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Define your focus for the next season — a promotion, a pivot, or a solo adventure?
- Choose one small, but bold next step at a time — one that moves you toward alignment.
You don’t need all the answers. You just need enough clarity to take the next right step — one that’s aligned not just with your résumé, but with who you truly are.
Alignment Is the Real Goal
At the core, this isn’t about switching careers overnight or blowing up your life — which most people would be afraid of. It’s about building a new relationship with yourself — one where you stop dismissing the quiet signs and start honoring what you actually need.
Because when your career aligns with your values, strengths, and sense of purpose, you don’t just perform better — you feel better. More energized. More confident. More you.
And the truth is, that shift can start from the inside — before anything external changes.
Misalignment Isn’t a Failure. It’s Feedback.
If you’ve been feeling drained, stuck, or low-key disillusioned with your career — it doesn’t mean you’ve made a mistake. It means you’re ready for something deeper. Something that fits who you’ve become.
You don’t have to burn it all down. But you do have to stop pretending it’s all fine.
Misalignment is not a dead end. It’s a signal. A doorway. A powerful invitation to realign your career with who you are now — not who you used to be.
About the Author
Mónica Cabildo is an ICF-PCC certified mindset transformation coach helping professionals build careers they actually love. After 12+ years in international consulting, she pivoted into coaching to follow her purpose. Today, she helps people reconnect with what matters, and take bold, aligned steps. Connect on:
linkedin.com/in/monicacabildo/
