She Had the Dream Career. Then She Realized What It Was Costing Her. | Joy St. John E127

What happens when you're successful on paper but exhausted in real life? You've built the career. You've earned the promotion. You've taken on more responsibility. But somewhere between ambition, deadlines and everyone else's expectations, you've stopped making room for joy. In this episode of Lead Like a Girl, Coralyn, Jamie and Jessica welcome Joy St. John, former KPMG managing director, executive advisor and host of The Joyous Edge, to explore the hidden cost of ambition, burnout in successful women, work-life priorities and why joy matters in leadership. Joy spent 25 years building a successful career in risk and compliance, working with major financial institutions around the world. But after years of demanding travel, increasing responsibilities and significant health challenges, she began asking a different question: What do I actually want my life and legacy to look like? That question eventually led her to step away from her corporate career and build a business focused on helping leaders reconnect with purpose, priorities and joy. In this episode: Why ambitious women often put their own joy last The warning signs of burnout and overcommitment How to know when career success no longer aligns with your priorities Joy's decision to leave KPMG and start her own business Why joy belongs in leadership conversations How to prioritize what actually matters The importance of transferable career skills How empathy can change difficult professional relationships Why effective leaders build teams around purpose and connection How to face fear through small, manageable steps What it means to build a legacy beyond your job title Three things to remember: 1. You don't have to sacrifice joy to be successful. 2. Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is reevaluate what's on your plate. 3. Your career should be part of a meaningful life, not the only thing defining it. This isn't a conversation about abandoning ambition. It's about making sure the life you're working so hard to build is one you actually want to live. Connect with our guest, Joy St. John: Website: https://thejoyousedge.com Free introductory call: https://freejoycall.com Podcast: The Joyous Edge, available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Connect with Lead Like a Girl: https://leadlikeagirllab.com New episodes every Wednesday. We're empowering everyday women through our stories, the good, the bad and the funny. Tell us in the comments: What's one thing you've been putting off until life slows down? #Burnout #WomenInLeadership #CareerGrowth #WorkLifeBalance #WomenInBusiness #Leadership #JoyStJohn #LeadLikeAGirl