When the Work Is Personal: Reimagining Sustainability in Identity-Aligned Careers

Co-Authored by Dr. Sarah Trocchio and Damon Maassen, CPTD
September 30, 2025

Career transition is often described in terms of tactics: updating resumes, refi ning LinkedIn profiles, networking. But for those of us whose work has been deeply tied to purpose, identity, or social impact, transition is also emotional, existential, and even spiritual. Especially when burnout has been the catalyst, it becomes not just a change in title, but a reckoning with how we’ve been living, leading, and laboring.

If you’re in transition because you were laid off, left a toxic workplace, or simply couldn’t continue at the pace expected of you, you’re not alone. A Deloitte study found that 77% of workers have experienced burnout at their current job, with 91% stating that unmanageable stress negatively affects the quality of their work (Deloitte, 2021). For values-driven professionals, that toll can be compounded by the emotional labor of advocacy, care work, or carrying the culture — often without support.

This article invites you to consider your past burnout not as a failure, but as feedback. What if the exhaustion was a signal; not of your inadequacy, but of a system or environment that no longer aligns? In this fi nal article of our series, we explore how to listen to that feedback and use it to shape a career transition rooted in clarity, courage, and sustainability.

What Is Identity-Linked and Mission-Driven Work?

Before we go further, let’s define what we mean by identity-linked and mission-driven work. These are roles or responsibilities that go beyond a job description — where one’s lived experience, personal values, or sense of justice are inherently tied to the work itself. This might include people in formal DEI roles, but it also includes ERG leaders, caregivers, nonprofit professionals, educators, healthcare workers, or anyone who does work because of who they are, not just what they know.

Unlike traditional career paths where separation of personal and professional is assumed, or even celebrated, identity-linked professionals often experience a blurring of boundaries. We are not just working in systems, we are often working on them. That level of commitment can be both meaningful and depleting, especially when systemic change is slow, or when organizational support is inconsistent.

In today’s climate, these roles are especially vulnerable. Many organizations that once prioritized DEI or social impact are now quietly rolling back commitments or redistributing responsibilities without resources. Professionals in these roles, many of whom are from historically marginalized communities, are left absorbing the impact, often while navigating their own career uncertainty. When identity is tied to impact, burnout doesn’t just drain your energy; it can shake your sense of self-worth.

So as you step into a period of career transition, consider this: What parts of your identity are non-negotiable? What values must be honored in your next role, not just included in the mission statement? And what conditions must be in place for you to show up fully without abandoning yourself?

Burnout as a Guidepost, Not a Red Flag

Burnout is often framed as a red flag — something to avoid, deny, or push through. But what if it’s also a compass? A 2022 McKinsey report found that toxic workplace behavior is the strongest predictor of burnout, more than workload or balance issues (McKinsey Health Institute, 2022). That means burnout isn’t just a matter of doing too much, it’s a response to environments where respect, autonomy, and inclusion are lacking.

Rather than viewing burnout as something to be ashamed of, we can view it as a powerful diagnostic tool. Ask yourself: Where did your burnout come from? Was it the volume of work, the emotional labor, the constant need to justify your role, or the lack of recognition and alignment? The answers to these questions are crucial inputs for your next chapter.

In coaching sessions, we often hear professionals describe feeling like they have nothing left to give. But when we pause and explore more deeply, we uncover not emptiness, but wisdom. The wisdom of lived experience. The clarity of knowing what is no longer sustainable. The desire to build something new, not on the same foundation, but on one that finally honors your wholeness.

Burnout doesn’t have to define your exit. It can inform your return with stronger boundaries, sharper discernment, and a renewed commitment to doing work that doesn’t cost your well-being.

From Boundaries to Belonging: What Sustainability Can Look Like

For many values-aligned professionals, setting boundaries can feel like betrayal. After all, if we’ve built a career on care, commitment, or community, saying “no” or stepping back may feel like letting people down. But the truth is, boundaries are not walls — they are bridges to longevity.

A Harvard Business Review article on sustainable leadership found that leaders who practice intentional boundary-setting are more likely to sustain their impact over time, retain their teams, and foster trust (HBR, 2022). The same applies in our own lives. We cannot pour from an empty cup, and more importantly, we shouldn’t have to.

During your career transition, consider using this time not just to search for roles, but to design the conditions that will allow you to thrive. What rhythms, boundaries, or energy patterns support your best work and well-being? What are the red flags you ignored last time, and what are the green flags you want to prioritize now? What systems of support, personal or professional, will you need to sustain yourself in the long run?

Whether it’s redefining what success means to you, choosing a slower pace, or seeking roles where inclusion isn’t just performative, this is your opportunity to build something rooted in dignity, not depletion.

Final Encouragement: You Still Belong — Even If You’ve Stepped Away

If you’re tired — bone tired, soul tired — you’re not alone. If you’ve been told the work is “too much,” “too political,” or “no longer a priority,” we see you. You are not the problem. The systems that demand your labor while denying your needs are the problem. And the solution isn’t to shrink yourself or shoulder more, it’s to reclaim your humanity in the process.

The truth is, this work was never supposed to be easy. It asks us to confront centuries of exclusion, injustice, and erasure. But it also calls us toward liberation, belonging, and joy. That calling is still sacred, even when the noise grows louder. And you don’t have to walk it alone. One of the most damaging myths of identity-linked work is that we must be in the system to make an impact. But some of the most powerful transformation happens outside of titles and org charts — through community care, mutual aid, mentoring, storytelling, and rest. Your value is not limited to your last job description.

Damon: In the most difficult moments, I remind myself that I do this work because I believe people deserve to feel seen, respected, and free. I’ve learned that I can’t lead others to belonging if I’ve abandoned my own.

Sarah: And I remind clients that impact doesn’t have to look loud to be lasting. Choosing rest, community, or even a new path doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It means you’re listening — to yourself, to your body, to your purpose. That’s where the most powerful work begins.

We hope this article offers you both validation and permission. Permission to care deeply. To rest often. To draw new boundaries. To remain on your terms. You don’t need to prove your worth by carrying it all. You belong here, still. And we’re honored to walk beside you.

This article was co-authored by Dr. Sarah Trocchio and Damon Maassen, two equity-centered professionals with lived experience navigating career transition. Together, they bring decades of expertise in inclusive leadership, coaching, and human-centered talent development. This series reflects their shared commitment to helping individuals reclaim narrative ownership, challenge systemic norms, and move through transition with clarity, care, and compassion.