Podcast
Lessons from a Quitter
Hosted by Goli Kalkhoran · EN
It is never too late to start over. No matter how much time or money you've spent chasing degrees and jobs to get to your current position, if ultimately you're unhappy, then it is time to quit. Each week, Goli Kalkhoran, a fellow quitter, will interview inspiring guests who have quit lucrative careers to forge their own path and create a life they love. Get insight, inspiration, tools, and resources to help you quit what you hate and figure out what it is that you love.
29episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Burnout Breakthrough week 5
2d ago00:46:58Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Lessons from a Quitter, we dive into one of the most powerful mindset shifts for breaking free from burnout in week 5 of the Burnout Breakthrough series: letting go of "manuals" for how others should act. We explore how much energy we waste trying to control people's behaviors—believing our happiness depends on them changing—and how freeing it can be to drop those expectations. You'll learn how to stop people-pleasing, set healthy boundaries, and reclaim your emotional peace by focusing on what you can control: your own thoughts and actions. This episode is a must-listen for anyone ready to find calm and confidence in every relationship.
Transcribe →Burnout Breakthrough Week 4
1w ago00:56:16Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Lessons from a Quitter, we dive into the often-overlooked emotional side of career change—grief. When we outgrow an identity, a job, or a dream, it's not just a pivot; it's a loss. I'm joined by grief coach Laverne McKinnon to unpack how letting go of who we thought we'd be can open the door to who we're becoming. We explore why it's essential to honor our grief rather than rush past it, how to rebuild self-trust, and how embracing the messy middle can lead to a more authentic, fulfilling next chapter in your life and career.
Transcribe →Burnout Breakthrough Week 3
2w ago00:33:50Tap to summarizeIn this week's episode of Lessons from a Quitter, I share Week 3 of my Burnout Breakthrough Accelerator. This session focuses on one of the biggest obstacles to rest and balance: guilt. We explore how guilt—often rooted in cultural, societal, or workplace expectations—keeps us trapped in burnout, pushing us to overwork, people-please, and ignore our own needs. I walk through how guilt feeds into shame, why it's used as a tool of control, and how to separate cultural norms from your own values. You'll learn practical strategies to redefine your beliefs and finally let go of unnecessary guilt.
Transcribe →Burnout Breakthrough Accelerator Week 2
3w ago00:35:50Tap to summarizeIn this week's episode of Lessons from a Quitter, I continue sharing my Burnout Breakthrough Accelerator series. We dive into the second pillar of moving past burnout: uncovering the impossible standards we set for ourselves. From work expectations like never making mistakes or always going above and beyond, to personal standards of being the "perfect" partner, parent, or friend, we explore how these unrealistic bars keep us stuck in exhaustion and self-criticism. Through exercises and real-life examples—including a powerful story from a client—you'll learn how to recognize these patterns and begin creating realistic standards that allow for success, joy, and sustainability.
Transcribe →Burnout Breakthrough Week 1
Jun 2300:30:33Tap to summarizeIn this week's episode of Lessons from a Quitter, I'm kicking off a special six-week series called the Burnout Breakthrough Accelerator. After years of coaching professionals through overwhelm, I've distilled the key steps to help you move from constant exhaustion to more clarity, space, and joy. In Week 1, we start with an honest self-audit—writing down every "should" that weighs on us in work, home, health, and relationships. This eye-opening purge reveals just how much pressure we pile on ourselves and sets the stage for reclaiming time, energy, and control from burnout.
Transcribe →Produtivity Addiction
Jun 1600:30:48Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Lessons from a Quitter, we explore our cultural obsession with productivity and why so many of us struggle to truly rest. I share personal reflections from a recent trip abroad that challenged my deeply ingrained beliefs about busyness, urgency, and worth. We dive into how capitalism and hustle culture have programmed us to equate rest with laziness—and how to begin unlearning that. If you're feeling burnt out, this episode will help you reframe rest not as something to earn, but as something essential. Plus, I share practical steps to help you reclaim rest without guilt.
Transcribe →Why High Achievers Keep Burning Out
Jun 900:30:40Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Lessons from a Quitter, we dive into the root causes of burnout and why so many of us struggle to rest. Drawing from years of coaching, I break down how capitalism, schooling, religion, and cultural expectations tie our self-worth to constant productivity. We explore why slowing down feels uncomfortable, why rest is often judged as laziness, and how these beliefs keep us stuck in cycles of exhaustion. This episode challenges you to rethink worthiness, confront the discomfort of rest, and begin building a life defined by joy and ease—not endless busyness.
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The Myth of Work/Life Balance
Jun 200:38:47Tap to summarizeHere's what everyone gets wrong about work/life balance. You run around trying to change everything outside of you in order to try to gain a little "balance". If I worked less hours… If I had more time at home with my kids…. If I could spend some time resting...then I'd feel balanced. But what happens as soon as you try to do those things? Your brain ruins it. You're at home with the kids and you're constantly anxious about how much work you still have to finish. You're laying down to rest and you're berating yourself for not getting up to run all of your errands. You're trying to focus on your work deadline and you're feeling guilty about missing your son's soccer practice. It's no wonder you're exhausted all of the time. You cannot have balance until you learn that your worth is not attached to your productivity. You cannot have balance until you learn that you deserve rest even when you have a full to-do list. You cannot have balance until you learn that you'll never be perfect and it's ok to stop trying. Until you can manage your brain to drop all the guilt and shame, there is no magic formula that will create balance for you because you'll constantly be telling yourself you're doing it wrong. This week on the podcast, I dive into how you can finally start working towards having some real balance in your life.
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Building Confidence Through Self-Validation Cycles
May 2600:31:14Tap to summarizeThe root cause of all of your problems is a lack of self-validation. Let me explain… This isn't some self-love, woo-woo kind of thing. I want you to think about every one of your maladaptive behaviors: People-pleasing - needing other people to be happy with you so that you can feel good about yourself Perfectionism- needing everything to be perfect so that you can believe you're good enough High-achiever- needing to keep achieving milestones to feel like you're worthy Obsessing over what other people think of you - needing other people's approval so you can believe you're good. Imposter syndrome- insisting on believing you're not good enough when all of your achievements prove otherwise And on and on. Every. Single. One comes from your inability to validate yourself.
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Leaning Into Uncertainty And Doubt
May 1900:33:22Tap to summarizeOn this week's podcast, I'm taking you behind the scenes of all of my UNCERTAINTY and DOUBT around my new membership launch. You might be wondering: "Why are you doing this, Goli?" Because I want you to stop thinking that other people have it figured out.Because I want you to see that the entire process is filled with fear and doubt. Because I don't want to just show you results; I want to show you the messy middle.
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