I burned out and quit my demanding career. It turned into an unexpected, 18-month career break that changed my life.
Alice Kim, a former investment banker, shares her experience of overcoming burnout after leaving a high-pressure corporate career. She discovered that her perfectionist mindset followed her into her personal life, leading to a realization that burnout is often internal rather than just job-related.
Why it matters
The narrative highlights the growing cultural conversation around workplace burnout, mental health, and the importance of redefining personal success.
Alice Kim left her corporate career to escape burnout, only to find her perfectionism following her into her hobby. Alice Kim Alice Kim left her investment banking career after six years of burnout. During her career break, she started surfing and almost burned out doing the hobby she enjoyed. Kim realized the mindset that was causing her burnout and is working on correcting it. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Alice Kim, a freelancer from Southern California. It's been edited for length and clarity. I think I was burned out for the entire six-year period I worked in investment banking and private equity. For the first half of my career, I was fresh out of college and felt like I had unlimited grit to push through, but the burnout accumulated over time.
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