🤔 Are you in the wrong career… or just burned out?

Before you quit your job, hit pause. In this episode, we break down the difference between career misfit and burnout — and give you a science-backed 30-day plan to figure out which one you're actually dealing with.

You'll learn:

• 🔥 Why burnout feels like being in the wrong career (and how to tell them apart)
• 🧩 The Career Clarity Triangle framework to assess your true fit
• 🔍 How to diagnose misfit using the 6 Areas of Worklife Model
• ⚡ The difference between energy alignment and just "following your passion"
• 🎯 A structured 30-day sprint to test, experiment, and decide your next move
• 💡 When it's actually time to leave (and when you just need better boundaries)

We're not here to tell you what to do — we're here to help you make a data-informed decision instead of an emotional one.

🎧 Grab your journal, hit play, and let's get you some clarity.

• 🎙️ Introduction: The "Am I in the wrong career?" spiral
• 🔥 Part 1: Why burnout masquerades as career misfit
• 🧠 Part 2: The Career Clarity Triangle (work fit + need fit + life fit)
• 📊 Part 3: Diagnosing your misfit using the 6 Areas of Worklife Model
• ⚡ Part 4: Energy ledger vs. passion myths
• 💸 Part 5: The sunk-cost trap and how to escape it
• 📅 Part 6: The 30-Day Career Clarity Sprint (step-by-step)
• 🚪 Part 7: When it's actually time to leave
• 🎧 Part 8: Listening companion recommendations
• ✨ Conclusion: You're not behind — you're calibrating

• 6 Areas of Worklife Model (Maslach & Leiter) — Framework for understanding burnout and organizational misfit
• Self-Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan) — Psychological needs: autonomy, competence, relatedness
• Occupational Regret Research — Studies on career dissatisfaction and constructive career transitions

• 80,000 Hours Podcast — Episode with Michelle Hutchinson on career changes and common career questions https://80000hours.org/podcast/episodes/michelle-hutchinson-giving-career-advice/
• Radical Candor Podcast — Episode on cutting through career chaos and decision-making https://www.radicalcandor.com/podcast/career-decisions-6-19
• Happen To Your Career Podcast — Career change strategy and experiments https://happentoyourcareer.com/podcast-archive/make-your-career-change-happen-with-this-unconventional-advice/

• TEDx Talk: "The importance of finding the wrong career first" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uv6iW_Pg7lg

• 80,000 Hours — Career advice and research on high-impact careers https://80000hours.org
• Radical Candor — Leadership and career guidance resources https://www.radicalcandor.com
• Happen To Your Career — Career coaching and transition support https://happentoyourcareer.com

Ever feel that weird knot in your stomach as your birthday approaches? You're not alone. In this episode of Trial & Error & Error, we dive deep into birthday anxiety — exploring why birthdays can trigger stress, fear of aging, and feelings of falling behind on life's "timeline." 🎂😰

We unpack the psychology behind gerascophobia (fear of aging), discuss societal pressures around milestone achievements, and share practical strategies to reclaim your birthday as a day of celebration rather than dread. Whether you love or loathe your birthday, this episode will help you understand those complicated feelings and maybe even learn to enjoy getting older. 🎉✨

• Why birthdays trigger anxiety — Fear of aging and unmet expectations explained
• Gerascophobia unpacked — Understanding the fear of growing old and its impact on mental health
• Theories of aging anxiety — From fear of death to double standards and stereotype embodiment
• The pressure of societal timelines — How the "social clock" makes us feel like we're falling behind
• Social media's role — Why curated online updates intensify comparison and birthday blues
• How to have a GREAT birthday — Practical tips including ditching expectations, retrospection, and focusing on the future
• Age is just a number — Reframing how we think about getting older and finding joy at every stage

• Best Choice Counselling - The Fear of Getting Old: Birthday Blues, Anxiety and Depression
• Springer - Fear of Aging Research Article

🎙️ Breaking with Routine: How to Make Life More Fun

Feeling stuck in the same loop? Life feeling a little… flat? You're not alone. In this episode, we're diving into why your brain craves novelty, how autopilot mode is quietly draining your joy, and most importantly — how to bring fun back into your everyday life without needing a personality transplant or a spontaneous move to Bali. ✨

We'll explore the psychology behind why fun matters (hint: it's not just a nice-to-have), share a practical 14-day plan to break the monotony, and remind you that fun isn't a reward for surviving your life — it's a condition for feeling alive in it. 🌟

In this episode, you'll discover:

• 🧠 Why your brain gets bored (and what that does to your mental health)
• 🔄 How routines keep you safe but stuck — and why novelty is the antidote
• 🎨 The difference between pleasure and fun (and why fun is more powerful)
• 📅 A realistic 14-day plan to inject joy back into your week
• 💡 Small, intentional ways to break the loop — no dramatic life overhaul required
• ✨ Why treating fun as a practice (not a personality trait) changes everything

This isn't about becoming someone you're not. It's about rediscovering the person you've always been — the one who lights up when life feels alive, not just productive. 💛

So grab your headphones, take a different route today, and let's talk about how to make your life feel less like a to-do list and more like an adventure. 🎧

💬 We'd love to hear from you! What's one tiny novelty you're adding to your day? Tag us on Instagram @tee.podcast or drop us a DM!

🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts — and don't forget to subscribe!

Below are all the sources, articles, and references mentioned or alluded to in this episode:

https://express.converia.de/custom/media/ESRI_2021/Verplanken__Roy____Whitmarsh__2018_.pdf

https://selfdeterminationtheory.org/SDT/documents/2000_RyanDeci_SDT.pdf

F. A. Huppert, N. Baylis, B. Keverne, Barbara L. Fredrickson; The broaden–and–build theory of positive emotions. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 29 September 2004; 359 (1449): 1367–1377. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2004.1512

Mazzucchelli, T. G., Kane, R. T., & Rees, C. S. (2010). Behavioral activation interventions for well-being: A meta-analysis. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 5(2), 105–121. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760903569154

González-Cutre, D., Romero-Elías, M., Jiménez-Loaisa, A. et al. Testing the need for novelty as a candidate need in basic psychological needs theory. Motiv Emot 44, 295–314 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-019-09812-7

Podcast episodes we loved:

The Novelty Rule: How To Use My Neuroscience Hack That’s Changing Millions Of Lives - Liz Moody

How To Make Your Life Exciting Again

Give Yourself Permission to Have More Fun With Dr. Mike Rucker