#005 Why High Performers Burn Out From "Almost Right" Work, Not Bad Jobs
Here's why the work that feels "close but not quite right" is draining you more than work you openly hate.
I've noticed a pattern in my conversations with high-performers lately. The people who reach out aren't complaining about toxic bosses or meaningless work. They have good jobs with respected roles, decent teams, and projects that matter.
But they're exhausted.
The most common phrase I hear? "I can't figure out why I'm so burned out. The work is good. I believe in what we're building. I feel... empty."
This pattern has unlocked something I've been observing for months: the most successful ambitious professionals aren't drained by work they hate. They're drained by work that's almost right.
The Hidden Energy Leak of Workplace Misalignment
You know that feeling when you're in a meeting discussing a project you care about, but something feels slightly off? The direction is close to what you'd choose, but not quite. The team dynamics are mostly healthy, but there's that one thing that grates on you. The role uses your skills, but not your strongest ones.
This is "almost aligned work," and it's an energy vampire.
Here's what I've learned from working with hundreds of ambitious professionals: when work is completely misaligned, we know to change it or leave. But when work is almost aligned, we stay and try to make it work. We slowly burn ourselves out in the process.
Why "Almost Aligned" Work Causes More Career Burnout Than Complete Misalignment
When work is entirely wrong for us, our systems kick in. We job search, we speak up, we make changes. The workplace misalignment is so evident that action becomes inevitable.
But "almost aligned" work tricks us into thinking the problem is us. We tell ourselves:
"I should be grateful. It's a good opportunity."
"Maybe I'm being too picky."
"If I just work harder, I can make this feel right."
Meanwhile, we're spending 40+ hours a week in a role that requires us to be 85% ourselves. That missing 15% creates a constant, low-level friction that accumulates into professional exhaustion.
The "Familiar vs. Authentic" Career Alignment Trap
High-performers often mistake "familiar" for "aligned." You're good at the work, so you assume it's right for you. Your skills translate well, so you think it's a natural fit.
But competence isn't the same as alignment.
I see this pattern repeatedly: brilliant high-performers optimizing for what they're good at instead of what energizes them. They become exceptional individual contributors, but what lights them up is mentoring and developing others. Or they excel at executing strategy but crave being the one who creates it.
They're stuck in the trap of doing work that looks right from the outside but feels slightly wrong from the inside.
The Career Coaching Question That Changes Everything
Last month, I started asking my coaching clients this question: "What part of your current work feels almost right but not quite you?"
The answers have been revelatory:
"I love strategy, but I want to be creating it, not just implementing someone else's vision."
"The work is interesting, but I miss having real influence on the direction we're heading."
"I'm good at managing up, but I want to be the one setting the vision, not translating someone else's."
These aren't massive misalignments. They're subtle shifts that would transform energy and engagement.
The Career-Limiting Cost of "Close Enough" Work
When we settle for "almost aligned," we don't just lose energy. We lose our edge. We become good at adapting instead of excelling at what makes us unique. We optimize for fitting in instead of standing out.
And here's the career-limiting truth: almost aligned work rarely leads to the breakthrough opportunities we want. Those come when we're operating in our zone of genius, not our zone of competence.
The Path Forward: From Career Burnout to Authentic Alignment
I'm not suggesting you quit your job because it's not perfect. But I am telling you, get honest about where the friction lives.
The people who make the most significant career leaps don't just develop new skills or work harder. They identify the gap between who they are and who their role allows them to be. Then they strategically close that gap.
Sometimes it's a conversation with your manager about shifting responsibilities. Sometimes it's a lateral move to a different team. Sometimes it's a bigger change.
But it always starts with recognizing that "good enough" work isn't good enough for the career you want.
Your Weekly Catalyst: Actionable Steps for Career Alignment
Because small, intentional moves create exponential change.
Bold Move: Schedule a 15-minute reflection session this week. Ask yourself: "What part of my current work feels almost right but not quite me?" Write down the first thing that comes to mind. Don't edit it.
Mindset Shift: Stop optimizing for what you're good at and start optimizing for what uniquely energizes you. Competence without alignment is a recipe for burnout.
Actionable Step: Identify one small adjustment you could make to your current role that would bring it 5% closer to true alignment. This adjustment could be as simple as volunteering for a different type of project or discussing your interests with your manager.
The high-performers who make this shift don't always change companies. Sometimes they change how they show up in their current role. But they all stop settling for "almost aligned" and start designing for "authentically aligned."
Cheers to your next level,
LCJ
