Why do I feel stuck in my career and what can I do?

The other day, a senior leader I coach asked me, "Is it normal to feel like this? Like I have no purpose or that I'm not contributing to anything meaningful anymore?" Short answer: Yes, it absolutely is.

Career Burnout is Rising Fast

Right now, more people than ever are questioning what their career actually gives back to them. Not everyone needs their job to be a life mission. But for those who do, the old rules aren't cutting it anymore. Fulfilment matters. And a lot of professionals I speak to are either stuck, burnt out, or just plain uninspired.

If that’s you, you’re not broken. There’s nothing wrong with you. It could just be time for a shift—not always a drastic one, but a shift nonetheless.

Do You Need a Career Change or Just Realignment?

Let me be real with you: not every stuck feeling means you need to blow up your career. I’ve worked with loads of people who thought they needed a total overhaul, but with a bit of internal tweaking, they were flying again. A little clarity. A few changes. Sorted.

But then there are others. And maybe this is you. The ones who hit their sell-by date at work. Where it's not just you changing—it's your whole value system. You look around at your team or company and think, "This doesn’t reflect who I am anymore." Not the mission. Not the energy. Not the way people treat each other. It’s all misaligned.

Maybe the company has changed in culture or you've outgrown the person you were when you joined. Whatever the reason, you now have an opportunity to rediscover your path.

The Two Types of Professionals feeling Stuck in Career

So where do you go from here?

You likely fall into one of two camps:

1. You're already taking action (good on ya).

2. Or you're stuck in the thinking-about-it loop.

That second one can drag on for weeks, months—even years. And the longer it goes, the heavier it feels. We often label it procrastination. But really, it’s fear. Fear of success. Fear of failure. Fear of the unknown. Fear of what people will think.

These fears are like invisible weights. But they’re not immovable.

Client Story: From Exhaustion to Clarity and Confidence

She came to me completely drained. Late 30s, high up in marketing at a global firm. Salary was solid. She had the title, the perks, the praise. From the outside? Sorted. But inside? That’s where the disconnect lived.

Every Monday felt like a mountain. Not because she hated her job—but because she’d outgrown it. Her values had shifted. Her pace had slowed. The culture around her hadn’t. She didn’t want to chase anymore. She wanted meaning. Connection. Breathing space. But instead, she kept telling herself, “I should be grateful. This is what I worked for.”

That line keeps a lot of people stuck.

Our work began with the basics: slowing down. Nervous system first. Weekly breathwork, better boundaries, space to think without the noise. That alone was a game changer. But the real shift happened in the coaching room.

We pulled back the curtain on what she believed success had to look like—big title, full calendar, inbox madness. Turns out, she’d tied a lot of identity to her role. Letting go of that wasn’t easy. But as we unpacked it, something unexpected surfaced: a quiet but firm knowing that she didn’t just need a better job. She needed a better life.

No dramatic exit. No “I quit” resignation letter. Just small, steady steps.

By month three, she had a new lens. She started exploring roles—not with desperation, but with clarity. And what she found surprised her: teams that did value balance. Missions that did align with her. Work that didn’t drain her soul.

She moved into a new role soon after—same skills, but better hours, better people, and a purpose that finally felt real. It wasn’t a step down. It was a step across. Into alignment.

But here’s the kicker: the biggest shift wasn’t the job. It was her energy. Her spark came back—not because of some radical pivot, but because she finally got honest with herself, trusted what she felt, and followed it.

That’s what coaching does when you’re stuck. It doesn’t force answers. It helps you hear your own.

Why This Matters More Than Ever

When professionals feel stuck or misaligned, it doesn’t just impact their productivity—it affects their health, relationships, and confidence. Gallup’s 2023 report showed 59% of employees are quiet quitting, not from laziness but from lack of purpose.

It’s not always about quitting. It’s about tuning in. Breathwork, coaching, nervous system support—all of these open the door to reconnecting with what actually lights you up.

Whether it’s recalibrating your current path or carving a new one, don’t wait until the burnout is unmanageable. If something inside is whispering, “This isn’t it anymore,” trust that.

A Simple First Step Toward Career Clarity

Here’s something practical: I’ve put together a free guide and short video training. It walks through three simple steps that help unblock those fears and open up some clarity. This isn't a fluffy motivational push. It’s a grounded, step-by-step approach to help you start the process of getting clear and moving again.

Whether you're feeling stuck, misaligned, or just in limbo, start there. It might just be the shift that kickstarts everything else.

And if you try it, let me know how you get on. I love hearing when these tools make a difference.

Download Here