Being an executive comes with its unique blend of rewards and challenges. You have influence, make big decisions, and lead teams toward success. What happens when the success of external wins no longer ‘fills’ you, and you begin to feel a shift or lack of alignment to your work and your inner desires or goals?
For me, this translated into years of frustrated conversations about wanting to escape but feeling imprisoned by the ‘golden handcuffs’ of my six-figure income, mortgage, and dependents, which required me to keep doing what I was doing to maintain our stable life.
Many executives stay in their roles long past their expiration date, driven by the same feelings of responsibility, fear of change, or the belief that things will get better with time. The truth is that staying in a job that no longer serves you can impact your well-being, effectiveness, and even your ability to lead with clarity.
So, how do you know when it’s time to move on? Here are five clear signs it may be time to step away from your executive role and make room for your next chapter.
You Feel Disconnected from the Mission
Early in your career, you likely felt energized by your role or your organization’s mission or purpose. You believed in what you were building, felt proud of the impact, and had a clear sense of purpose. But somewhere along the way, that connection started to fade.
The organization may have shifted in a direction you no longer align with. Maybe leadership decisions no longer sit right with you. Or, despite outward success, you may feel a growing sense of emptiness when you think about the work you do every day.
When your values no longer match the organization’s values, it creates an internal conflict that can’t be ignored. The energy that once fueled you begins to drain, and work feels like an obligation rather than a meaningful pursuit.
A lack of alignment is not just about discomfort; it can make leadership feel like a performance rather than an authentic expression of who you are. And when that happens, it’s time to ask yourself: Do I want to spend my energy pushing through misalignment, or do I want to find a role where I can lead with purpose again?
Your Stress Levels Are Impacting Your Health
Stress is a given entity in leadership. High-pressure decisions, long hours, and constant problem-solving or change come with the territory. When stress stops being an occasional challenge and becomes a daily struggle, it’s a sign that something needs to change.
Maybe you’ve noticed physical symptoms like fatigue that won’t go away, headaches, digestive issues, or frequent illnesses. Perhaps you’ve developed unhealthy coping mechanisms to get through the day. Or maybe your body is giving you subtle (or not-so-subtle) warning signs that you’re pushing too hard.
For me, this showed up as drinking too much wine to cope or force my relaxation in the evenings, to a 40+ pound weight gain, to high blood pressure issues, to my body rejecting stress through bloody stools requiring an urgent colonoscopy to rule out cancer.
Seriously. I thought I had cancer! Nope. It turns out my symptoms were part of a hostile takeover that stress and inflammation were having on my body.
Beyond the physical toll, chronic stress affects your mental and emotional well-being. Irritability, brain fog, anxiety, and difficulty sleeping are all signs that your role is taking more from you than it’s giving.
Your health is your most valuable asset. No title, salary, or professional recognition is worth sacrificing your well-being. If your body and mind tell you the cost of staying is too high, it may be time to listen.
You’re No Longer Growing
Executives thrive on challenge. The best leaders are lifelong learners who crave growth, new perspectives, and opportunities to expand their skills. But what happens when you’ve hit a plateau?
You might feel like you’ve mastered your role to the point where nothing excites you anymore. The challenges that once pushed you now think routine. Or maybe the company isn’t evolving in a way that allows you to continue learning and growing.
Without personal and professional growth, stagnation sets in. You begin going through the motions, doing what’s necessary but not feeling truly engaged. And when leadership starts feeling like autopilot, it’s a sign that you’ve outgrown the role.
Staying in a position that no longer challenges you doesn’t just impact your fulfillment—it can also hold you back from stepping into new opportunities that could reignite your passion. Growth doesn’t happen in comfort zones, and if your role has become one, it may be time to seek the next challenge.
You’re Only Staying for the Paycheck
There’s no shame in valuing financial security. Executives work hard to achieve a certain level of compensation, and walking away from a comfortable salary can feel daunting. But when money becomes the only reason you stay, it’s a red flag. My 6-figure salary was the main reason I resisted looking into my next chapter. It was too scary to think about losing the stability and prosperity I had gained through my career.
If you find yourself rationalizing your unhappiness by saying, “The money is good, so I should be grateful,” you’re ignoring a deeper truth. While financial stability is important, it’s not a substitute for fulfillment, well-being, or a sense of purpose.
Executives who stay in a role solely for the paycheck often experience a sense of internal conflict. They know they’re capable of more. They know their energy could be better spent elsewhere. But fear of the unknown keeps them stuck.
Financial comfort should be a factor in your decision-making and exit strategy development, but it shouldn’t be the only factor. If you’re staying in your role because you feel like you have to rather than because you want to, it may be time to explore what’s next.
Your Personal Life Is Suffering
Work-life balance is a challenge for executives. In fact, for many, the notion of balance feels like a fallacy. The demands of leadership can easily spill into personal time, and many leaders pride themselves on their ability to juggle it all. But at what cost?
If your role has taken over to the point where you barely have time for your family, your health, or even moments of rest, it’s a problem. If you find yourself constantly missing important life events, canceling plans, or feeling like you’re never fully present outside of work, it’s a sign that your job is consuming more than its fair share of your life.
The biggest wake-up call often comes when you realize you’re no longer the person you want to be outside of work. Maybe you’ve become more irritable, emotionally distant, or too exhausted to engage with the people who matter most. Maybe the passion you once had for hobbies, travel, or simple joys has faded.
Leadership success should never come at the expense of your relationships, well-being, or identity outside of work. If your personal life is suffering under the weight of your role, it’s time to reassess whether staying is worth the cost.
What is Your Next Step?
Recognizing that it’s time to leave your executive role is one thing, but taking action is another. Fear of the unknown, loyalty to your team, or concerns about financial security can make the decision feel overwhelming.
But here’s the truth: The longer you ignore the signs, the harder it becomes to make a change. Your fulfillment, growth, and well-being matter. Staying in a role that no longer serves you doesn’t just impact you—it affects your ability to lead effectively, show up fully, and create the kind of impact you truly want.
Leaving doesn’t mean failure. It means making a conscious choice to step into something that aligns with where you are now and where you want to go. Whether that’s a new executive role, entrepreneurship, consulting, or taking a break to reassess, the next step is yours to define.
Your career is a long journey; sometimes, the best way to move forward is to recognize when it’s time to let go. If any of these signs resonate with you, consider this your invitation to start exploring what’s next. You owe it to yourself to lead a life that feels as fulfilling as it is successful.
If you recognize these signs in your career, it’s time to start planning your next step with clarity and confidence. Transitioning out of an executive role doesn’t have to be overwhelming. It can be a strategic and empowering decision.
Take the first step today. Book a FREE strategy call to explore your options and start you on your way to that next chapter. You don’t have to navigate this alone.
Let’s build a plan for your next chapter that aligns with your vision, energy, and well-being.
