Redefining Ambition After Burnout | Zapier’s Kelly Vaughn

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6M ago 59:05

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What happens when the person trained to spot burnout becomes its next victim?

Kelly Vaughn is a Senior Engineering Manager at Zapier, the author of the After Burnout Substack, and a trained therapist. She joins hosts Ben and Andrew to share her incredibly candid journey of discovering burnout in herself. Kelly reveals how she (despite her professional understanding of burnout's mechanisms) found herself deep in its grip, recounting the slow realizations like dwindling passion, increasing cynicism, and distinct physical tolls like disrupted sleep and a loss of hunger cues.

This raw conversation offers vital lessons for anyone in a high-pressure career (and let’s face it: that’s all of us!). As the tech landscape accelerates with AI, Kelly shares insights on managing its pressures and opportunities. She redefines ambitions for herself alongside the non-negotiables she established for her own well-being when seeking her new role. Listeners will gain powerful insights into identifying their own limits, the courage for pivotal changes, and integrating new demands without self-sacrifice.

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Follow today's guest(s):

Personal Website: kvlly.com
"After Burnout" Newsletter: afterburnout.co
"The Modern Leader" Newsletter: modernleader.is
Kelly’s Article: On burnout, quitting, and redefining what matters

Referenced in today's show:

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Chapters

1. 00:00 Introduction (00:00:00)

2. 00:46 Outdated Technology at Newark Airport (00:00:00)

3. 03:09 The Complexity of Modernizing Legacy Systems (00:00:00)

4. 05:19 AI Transforming the US Federal Government (00:00:00)

5. 10:40 Microsoft Layoffs (00:00:00)

6. 12:06 The Erosion of Big Tech Job Appeal (00:00:00)

7. 16:50 Interview with Kelly Vaughn (00:00:00)

8. 26:34 10x Engineering Culture (00:00:00)

9. 32:02 Signs of Burnout in High Performers (00:00:00)

10. 32:51 The Link Between AI & Burnout (00:00:00)

11. 38:57 Physical and Emotional Signs of Burnout (00:00:00)

12. 41:39 Journey to Recovery and Self-Discovery (00:00:00)

13. 51:43 Redefining Ambition and Success (00:00:00)

14. 57:33 Final Thoughts (00:00:00)

252 episodes

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