From Burnout to Alignment: How to Build a Purpose-Driven Career with Shannon Smith

Rita Mercer Author

Shannon shares her own journey of career transformation, the moment she realized she was out of sync with her work, & the powerful 6-step blueprint.

If you’ve ever felt stuck in a job that drains you, questioned whether your hard work is really worth it, or wondered what it would take to love your career again—this conversation is for you. On the The Daring Well Podcast, I sat down with Shannon Smith, a career alignment architect and founder of the Align and Thrive Method, to explore the path from burnout to bold, purpose-filled work.

The Hidden Cost of Burnout and High Achievement

Shannon opens up about her own experience with burnout—a familiar cycle for high achievers who constantly push themselves to meet external expectations, chase promotions, and strive for success that often feels...empty.

Many people—especially women—feel like they’re “doing all the right things” yet still end up emotionally exhausted, under-fulfilled, or laid off despite their best efforts. Shannon explains how we often internalize a “hustle culture” mindset that prioritizes output over alignment, which leads to chronic stress, disconnection, and eventual personal and professional collapse.

Introducing the Align and Thrive Method

To help people break free from burnout and rediscover purpose, Shannon created the Align and Thrive Method, a six-step framework that guides professionals back into alignment with who they truly are. Let’s break it down:

1. Assess Misalignment
   • Where are you out of sync with your values, strengths, and purpose?
   • This phase is about radical self-honesty and naming the discomfort.
2. Excavate Limiting Beliefs
   • What stories have you been telling yourself about success, security, and worth?
   • Shannon helps clients dig up the mindset patterns that keep them stuck.
3. Envision Success on Your Own Terms
   • What does a joyful, aligned life actually look like for you?
   • This stage activates imagination and clarity, free from societal scripts.
4. Design the Path
   • With vision in hand, this is where strategic action steps begin.
   • Whether it’s a full career pivot or reworking boundaries in your current role, the path forward is custom-built.
5. Reconstruct the Career
   • Now comes the implementation: resume rewriting, networking, upskilling, or launching a business.
   • You’re actively aligning your outer world with your inner clarity.
6. Anchor Sustainable Change
   • Avoiding the burnout loop requires new habits, support systems, and boundaries.
   • This phase ensures that your transformation sticks—so you're not just surviving but truly thriving.

Embracing the Pivot: Layoffs, Transitions, and New Beginnings

Shannon speaks openly about how layoffs, while often devastating at first, can also serve as unexpected opportunities. Many of her clients use job loss as a wake-up call to realign with purpose. Instead of rushing into the next job out of fear, she encourages a pause—to reflect, recalibrate, and reimagine what’s possible.

Her clients have gone on to negotiate dream jobs, launch purpose-led businesses, and reclaim work-life balance—all by rooting into what truly matters.

Redefining Success: It’s an Inside Job

Throughout the episode, one message rings clear: Success isn’t about titles, income, or validation. It’s about how your career feels to you. Are you energized by your work? Do you feel seen and valued? Does your job reflect your deeper purpose?

For those struggling with guilt around pivoting, questioning their career choices, or fearing the unknown, Shannon offers both compassion and tools. Alignment, she says, isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity for sustainable wellness and fulfillment.

Key Takeaways:

• Burnout is often a sign of misalignment, not personal failure.
• You can rewrite your definition of success at any point in your journey.
• The Align and Thrive Method provides a clear path to transform burnout into bold, purpose-driven action.
• You are allowed to change. In fact, your evolution may be the most courageous thing you do in your career.

Resources:

🔗 Learn more about Shannon Smith and the Align and Thrive Method at https://www.shannondsmith.com/starthere

🎧 Listen to the full episode: From Burnout to Alignment – How to Build a Purpose-Driven Career

Are you looking for more inspiration for wellness tips & coping skills?

Check out The Daring Well Podcast:

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• Spotify
• Apple Podcasts