Burnout is often described as the result of excessive workload or sustained pressure. While those factors can play a role, they do not fully explain why many capable, committed professionals reach a point of deep exhaustion despite performing well and doing “the right things”.

In my experience, both personally and professionally, one of the most significant and overlooked causes of burnout is misalignment.

Misalignment occurs when our values, behaviours, and strengths are no longer aligned with the role we are in or the environment we are operating within. When this persists over time, it creates a level of internal strain that is difficult to sustain.

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What misalignment looks like in practice

Earlier in my career, I did not recognise what was happening to me as burnout.

From the outside, everything looked fine. I was experienced, successful, and trusted in my role. There were no obvious performance issues. However, internally, something felt increasingly uncomfortable. I found myself questioning my confidence, adapting my behaviour to fit in, and suppressing strengths that did not align with the dominant culture around me.

At the time, I assumed the problem was me. I told myself that I needed to be tougher, more resilient, or different in some way. I believed that if I could just adjust myself enough, the discomfort would pass.

It did not.

What I eventually came to understand is that my values, strengths, and natural leadership style were misaligned with the environment I was in. Maintaining that misalignment required constant effort. Over time, that effort became exhaustion.

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Why misalignment leads to burnout

When people are aligned with their work, they can operate with a sense of ease and purpose. Their strengths are used naturally, decisions feel coherent, and they are not continually second-guessing themselves.

When misalignment exists, individuals are required to monitor themselves constantly. They adapt how they speak, lead, and show up. They carry an internal tension between who they are and who they feel they need to be.

This ongoing adjustment keeps the nervous system under sustained pressure. Even with rest or time away from work, recovery is limited because the underlying cause has not been addressed.

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What this type of burnout feels like

Burnout caused by misalignment is often subtle and therefore easy to miss.

It can present as:

• Ongoing exhaustion that does not resolve with rest

• A loss of satisfaction in work that once felt meaningful

• Reduced confidence and increased self-doubt

• Emotional distance from work or decision-making

• A sense that something is wrong, without clarity on what

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Because individuals often remain highly capable and responsible, these signals are frequently ignored or minimised.

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‍Through my work as a leadership coach and former senior HR leader, I see this pattern repeatedly.

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What I learned from my own experience

The most important lesson I learned is that burnout is not always about capacity. Very often, it is about fit.

My recovery did not come from working fewer hours or trying harder to cope. It came from understanding my values, recognising my strengths, and giving myself permission to build a career that aligned with who I am, rather than who I thought I needed to be.

That shift changed everything. My energy returned. My confidence rebuilt. Work stopped feeling like something I had to endure and started to feel purposeful again.

Fulfilment, I learned, comes from alignment.

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How this shapes the way I support others

This experience fundamentally shapes how I now work with leaders.

Many of the people I support are successful, experienced professionals who feel unsettled, disengaged, or quietly exhausted. They often assume they need to change themselves, rather than questioning whether their current role or environment still fits.

My role is not to fix them. It is to help them step back, reflect, and reconnect with what matters to them now. Together, we explore values, strengths, and patterns of behaviour, and identify where misalignment may be eroding confidence and energy.

From there, leaders are able to make clearer, more intentional decisions about their future, whether that involves redefining their role, changing how they lead, or creating a new direction altogether.

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Burnout is a signal, not a failure

Burnout is often framed as something to push through or recover from quickly. In reality, it is information.

It tells us that something important is no longer aligned.

When we listen to that signal, rather than judging it, it can become the starting point for a more fulfilling and sustainable career.

If we can talk about it with a trusted peer, coach or friend, then naming what is happening alone, can be a real stress release and step forward.

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An invitation to pause and reflect

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A pause for reflection

If work feels draining rather than demanding, it can be useful to ask:

• Which parts of my role require the most emotional effort?
• Where am I adapting myself most to fit in?
• Which strengths feel underused or muted?

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If this article has raised questions for you, the next step is not to rush into change. It is to create space to think.

That is exactly why I created The Fulfilment Reset, a free five-day reflection challenge for leaders who recognise elements of their own experience in this, designed to provide structured space for reflection and clarity.

The challenge supports participants to:

• Understand why work may feel less fulfilling than it once did

• Identify where misalignment may be affecting confidence and energy

• Reconsider what success looks like at this stage of their career

It is not about changing who you are. It is about understanding yourself more clearly and deciding what comes next with intention.

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You can find out more and register here: The Fulfilment Reset

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Burnout often develops quietly. Addressing it begins with recognising the role alignment plays and allowing yourself the time and space to reflect.

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PS: Many people tell me they didn’t realise misalignment was the issue until they had the language for it. Simply naming it can be the beginning of change.