ESCAPE BURNOUT: Step #3 to Reclaiming Your Life
Now is the time to Lead From Your Values (Before Burnout Leads You Somewhere You Never Wanted to Go).
We’re right in the middle of our Escape Burnout and Reclaim Your Life series.
If you’ve been following along — welcome back. If you’re just joining us, you may want to start with the first two shifts to catch the full momentum:
✔️ Shift #1: Prioritize What Matters
✔️ Shift #2: Protect Your Energy
Each shift builds on the last – and today’s insight will hit even deeper if you’ve walked through those first two with us.
It’s time for Shift #3: Lead from Your Values.
Before we dive into Harold’s next move (yes, our high-performing executive is back — still tired, still driven, still looking for clarity)… I’ve got something that could give you the clarity he’s after:
🎁 Want to feel aligned again?
Finally figure out what actually fuels you (and what drains you)? Email me and I’ll send you the exact
Values Assessment I use with executive clients.
Email 👉 velma@leaderspathway.com
How to Lead With Your Values
Now… here’s a truth bomb I’m dropping early:
👉 If your life doesn’t match your values… your wins will feel like losses. (Pause and let that hit.)
The research backs this up: A landmark study from Harvard Business Review found that leaders who are clear on their values report higher engagement, stronger team trust, and significantly lower burnout rates.
And yet? Most executives I coach can’t name their top three values without hesitation.
So how do you lead with your values when you’re not even sure what they are anymore? Let’s find out — together.
Let’s walk with Harold as he discovers why being successful isn’t the same as feeling fulfilled.
If your life doesn’t reflect your values…
…your biggest wins will still feel empty.
Harold sat across from me on Zoom , blazer still on, like he was ready to sprint back into the boardroom. But he wasn’t fooling anyone — not even himself.
His words said he was fine. But his eyes? His eyes were Tired. His voice was Flat. And His energy… was Gone.
So, I asked him the question that usually stops even the most seasoned leaders in their tracks: “What matters most to you right now?”
Silence.
Then a nervous laugh. “Besides getting some sleep?” he said.
Then… as we kept talking, something cracked open. It wasn’t the workload. It wasn’t the meetings. It wasn’t even the pressure to perform. It was this: “I don’t even know if what I’m chasing still matters to me.”
Grab your free Values Assessment
(click the link on the image)
That’s the quiet ache underneath so much of the burnout I see. You’re checking boxes, hitting goals, delivering results… But inside, it feels hollow.
That’s not a time management problem my friend… That’s a values misalignment problem.
When your daily life doesn’t match your deepest drivers — it wears you down in ways no vacation or Friday night can fix. You start living by obligation, not intention. You show up to perform — not to connect. And the scariest part? You forget what it feels like to be fully you
I don’t just understand this — I’ve lived it. I’ve worn the mask. Pushed through the pressure. Lost myself in the performance. So, if this hits close to home… know this: you’re not alone. And you don’t have to stay stuck there.
What Happens When You Don’t Lead From Your Values?
Let’s talk symptoms. See if any of these sound familiar:
You feel like you’re constantly “on,” but it never feels like enough.
You start to say “yes” when you want to say “no” — just to avoid conflict or look committed.
You dread Sundays because Monday feels like a trap.
You’ve achieved things people envy — and yet, you feel oddly empty.
If you’re nodding, you’re not alone. You’re just out of sync with your values — and that’s not a failure. That’s a signal. Your body knows. Your energy knows. Even your calendar knows — it’s filled with things that don’t light you up.
What Happens When You Do Lead From Your Values?
Everything shifts. You stop surviving and start choosing. And no, it’s not woo-woo.
It’s neuroscience.
🧠 According to NeuroLeadership Institute, when leaders operate in alignment with their core values, decision fatigue drops, confidence rises, and productivity becomes more sustainable.
When Harold got clear on his values — not the ones handed to him by his title or his family or his company — but his own… He didn’t quit his job. He didn’t sell it all and move to Bali. He simply made new decisions. With clarity. He stopped leading by default. He started leading on purpose.
Here’s what Harold did to get out of burnout — and back into alignment:
#1. He Took the Values Assessment. It was like holding up a mirror. He could finally see what mattered most to him… and where he had betrayed those priorities to chase applause.
2. He Aligned His Calendar to His Values. You see… this meant saying no ---to the constant yeses. No ---to what looked successful ---but felt --soul-draining. And he said “Yes”-- to what matched his principles — even if it wasn’t flashy.
3. He Rewrote His Definition of Success. Harold went from thinking… “I made partner” to “I’m present for my daughter’s softball game.” From “I run the board” to“I run my life with purpose.”
So let me ask you:
Do you know your values? Have you defined them — or are you living someone else’s life?
Because until you name them, claim them and aim them… … your decisions will always be in conflict. And burnout … my friend… loves to breed in confusion
So, if you don’t know your values right now — that’s okay.
Let’s fix that together:
🎁 Email me at velma@velmaknowles.com and put “Values” in the subject line.
I’ll send you the Values Assessment I use with my executive coaching clients — the exact tool that helped Harold get his breath back.
No cost. No judgment. No money… (unless you want to buy me coffee here) 😉 ☕
Because here’s the truth: The most valuable leaders — the ones others trust, follow, and remember — are not the ones who do the most. They’re the ones who know what matters most… and they lead from there.
Let’s get you back there.
You ready?
I’m cheering 📣 for you!
P.S. ➡️ Listen to the Podcast here
Most leaders survive the week. Your build to lead it.
Start with 3 minutes every Saturday. 👉 Subscribe now - beat Monday to the punch.
(unsubscribe anytime)