Feeling overwhelmed at work despite all your efforts? In this episode, we tackle whether your job is setting you up to fail with excessive expectations, lack of support, and unclear roles.
Discover the concept of the “everything job” and learn the 5 Cs driving burnout framework to identify unsustainable work conditions. Plus, get actionable advice on how to advocate for a more sustainable role using the 5 Ps of role design: Purpose, Priorities, Power, People, and Pace.
Whether you can’t quit right away or need a paycheck, find out how to make your job work better for you. Tune in for a reality check that just might change how you see your job.
You’re working late. Juggling everything. Trying your best. And somehow, it still feels like you’re falling short.
You’re not lazy. You’re not disorganized. You haven’t “lost your edge.”
But here’s a tough truth no one talks about enough: Sometimes the problem isn’t you. It’s the job itself.
You might be caught in what I call an “everything job”—a role that’s grown bloated with vague expectations, shifting priorities, and invisible labor. A role where the scope expands but your resources don’t.
And no matter how hard you work, it feels like you’re still behind.
If that resonates, there’s a good chance you’ve been set up to fail.
Wait, What Does “Set Up to Fail” Actually Mean?
Being set up to fail doesn’t always look like corporate sabotage or cartoon villains plotting in a boardroom. It’s usually much more subtle and systemic than that.
It often looks like:
- Sky-high expectations with zero clarity: You’re told to “drive transformation” or “increase impact,” but nobody can tell you what success actually looks like.
- Responsibility without support: You’re asked to launch a project with no budget, no team, and no time.
- Shifting priorities: What was urgent yesterday is forgotten today. And you’re now responsible for something no one even mentioned last week.
- Accountability without authority: You’re held responsible for results but don’t have the power to make decisions or say no.
Worst of all? You’re still evaluated as if success was possible… like the structure didn’t set you up for failure in the first place.
And when things inevitably break down, the questions start coming:
“Why didn’t you speak up sooner?”
“You seemed fine…”
“We trusted you to lead this.”
But no one’s asking the more important questions:
- Was this realistic?
- Were expectations clear?
- Did we give them the tools to succeed?
This isn’t leadership. It’s neglect disguised as opportunity.
So How Do You know If It’s You or the Job?
The first step is separating your performance from the system you’re working in. That’s where the 5 Cs That Drive Burnout™ come in, my framework for diagnosing unsustainable roles.
Let’s break them down:
Conditions
These are the logistics of your role. What’s the actual scope? What are you expected to deliver? Red flags here include:
- Doing the work of 2–3 people.
- Constant urgency with no downtime.
- Never having space to think, plan, or reset.
If the workload itself is unmanageable, it’s not a time management issue; it’s a design issue.
Culture
Culture is the water you’re swimming in. What behaviors get rewarded or punished? Look out for:
- Skipping lunch seen as “dedicated.”
- PTO frowned upon.
- Boundaries punished with subtle retaliation.
If burnout is baked into the culture, your well-being will always be at risk, no matter how much you love the mission.
Convictions
These are your internalized beliefs, many of which aren’t even yours. Beliefs like:
- “If I just work harder, I can fix this.”
- “Everyone else seems fine… maybe I’m the problem.”
But if those stories are rooted in hustle culture, perfectionism, or people-pleasing, they’re not helping.
Choices
How much actual power do you have in your role? If you’re responsible for results but can’t influence decisions, timelines, or resources, you’re set up to fail.
That’s not empowerment. That’s gaslighting wrapped in a job description.
Capacity
This is about your energy, executive functioning, and cognitive load. If you’re forgetting things, zoning out, or struggling to complete even basic tasks, your system is overloaded.
It’s like being told to drive cross-country with a flat tire, no fuel, and a broken GPS… while still being judged on how fast you get there.
If You’re Nodding Along, Here’s Your Next Step
You don’t have to quit your job tomorrow to start regaining agency. But you do need a way to assess whether your role is sustainable and where the breakdown is happening.
These questions help you clarify what needs to shift for the role to be sustainable, whether that means advocating internally, setting new boundaries, or planning a pivot.
- Purpose: Why does this role exist? What’s the through-line that connects your tasks to meaningful outcomes? If no one can answer that, your job is likely a catch-all (and that’s dangerous).
- Priorities: What’s truly mission-critical? Not everything can be a priority. Start categorizing your tasks and negotiate clarity with your manager.
- Power: What decisions are you expected to influence? Do you actually have the authority and resources to do so? If not, you’re managing outcomes without influence, and that’s not fair to you or your team.
- People: Who do you rely on? Whose buy-in do you need? If your success depends on others, but the structure doesn’t reflect that, you’re carrying invisible labor. Make it visible. Map it out. Set clearer agreements.
- Pace: Does the job actually fit into a standard workweek, or are you squeezing 60 hours of work into 40? Audit your workload honestly. If the math isn’t mathing, the structure has to change (not your resilience).
The System Is Broken (Not You)
Too many roles today are bloated, reactive, and misaligned with what it actually takes to thrive.
But once you see it clearly, you can start to shift it. Whether that means advocating for changes, setting firmer boundaries, or walking away altogether, you’ll no longer be gaslighting yourself into silence.
You deserve a role that was designed with intention, not desperation. One that recognizes your worth, respects your limits, and sets you up to succeed.
Got thoughts or questions from this week’s episode? Drop them in the comments. I’d love to hear from you! 🫶
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I’m Tara Kermiet, a leadership coach specializing in burnout prevention and work-life integration. I know what it’s like to feel like you’re holding it all together with duct tape and coffee. But success doesn’t have to mean running yourself ragged. I help high achievers find work-life balance and shine as badass leaders.
👉 Take my quick quiz to find out where you stand on the burnout spectrum, plus get tailored tips to help you turn things around before it’s too late. Visit: https://tarakermiet.com/free-resources/
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