Burn the Map

You think you're not competitive enough to build your own business. But here's what I know: your competitive drive has been there all along, hiding in your irritation, not your achievements. That thing that makes you mutter "oh, absolutely not" under your breath? That's not complaining. That's your inner competitor pointing at what needs to change. In this episode, I&...

You've been isolated for years. You just didn't notice because you were trapped in meetings. So let's confront the isolation you're already living, and the fear that leaving corporate will make it worse. Because work friendships come with an asterisk, and now you're worried solopreneurship means being even more alone. Before you go from the frying pan to the fire, we'...

You've been "planning to leave" for two years. Or you're deep in a 2 a.m. Reddit rabbit hole about fractional work, but haven't contacted anyone. Or you've told three different friends about your brilliant business idea while doing absolutely nothing about it. In this episode of Burn the Map, I'm walking you through the four predictable phases of career reinventi...

At some point, every GenXer leaving corporate faces the question: "What do you do now?" Without your job title, the answer gets stuck in your throat. In this episode of Burn the Map, we're tackling the identity crisis that comes after leaving corporate. How do you introduce yourself when the title that made you legible to the world is gone? And how do you explain your pivot without...

At some point, every GenXer realizes they've been carrying a grudge that only hurts them. The company moved on. The manager moved on. But you're still bitter. In this episode of Burn the Map, we're unpacking the invisible contract fueling your workplace resentment. The one you created but never told anyone about. The one that's draining your energy and keeping you stuck in the...

You’re slogging away in a job that’s slowly draining your soul, but you tell yourself you have nothing to complain about. The paycheck is steady, the benefits are fine… so why does it still feel like something’s dying inside you? In this episode of Burn the Map , we’re talking about pre-traumatic growth: how to make a change before crisis hits, and how to start designing a life that fits without w...

At some point, every GenXer realizes that the people running things aren’t the wise adults we hoped they were. And maybe, neither are we. In this episode of Burn the Map , we’re unpacking what happens when the pedestal collapses. When you see that leadership, whether corporate or personal, was never meant to make you invincible. It’s a wake-up call and a relief all at once. You’ll learn: • Why ove...

Hey GenXer. Remember the dot com bust of 2001 when you discovered you were laid off because your badge didn't work when you came back from lunch? Six years later, you witnessed another economic crash. You survived both of those events through your resilience and ingenuity. You have evidence that you can navigate uncertainty.  This episode is your permission slip to start something even while...

Hey, GenXers. If you’re on your way out of corporate (or already gone), there’s one thing that can trip you up on the outside: running the same routines you built to survive in corporate life. You optimize your calendar and habits for a performance review, a manager’s quirks, or a schedule you never liked. If you leave your job but keep optimizing for the corporate world, you’ll rebuild the same c...

You didn’t plan to leave. You planned to stay. Maybe you were aiming for one more promotion or just a chance to build something solid again. But then you get called into a meeting with your manager and HR. “It’s not personal,” they say. The layoff hits you hard.  The ladder didn’t break. It disappeared. And now you’re staring at the space where it used to be, wondering what to do now that there&ap...

Hey GenXer. Let's say you worked hard to release a legacy or family tradition that kept you stuck. Now you're staring at the blank canvas of your future, and panic is setting in. But starting something new doesn’t erase the past. Legacy is constantly evolving, and it includes how you live forward from this moment.  Your life and work history contain ideas. And you probably have a good id...

Hey GenXer. Do you ever think about your legacy? Unless you’re a big philanthropist with your name on a building, it might not come up. But it’s hidden in a question I hear a lot of clients ask: “did my work in corporate even matter?”  Legacy is the imprint you leave on your kids, your people, and your work. For many, especially GenXers, that legacy is tangled up with family expectations and caree...

You finally did it. You resigned. Or they finally did it - they let you go. But instead of feeling free, you feel dumb and skittish; incapable of focusing long enough to finish anything. You wonder what’s wrong with you, or if you made a terrible mistake by leaving. You didn’t. You’re just offgassing. In today’s episode, we’ll talk about what happens right after you leave corporate, and why the tr...

You're ready to ditch the slog of corporate. But the next move? Total mystery. So you make deals with yourself: once the idea lands, you’ll get out of there. And then you wait. But ideas don’t chase you down at your desk. They meet you out in the world, when you’re in motion.  If you’ve been hoping for a plan to appear, consider this your invitation to take action instead. Not with certainty,...

You’re on the front lines of a major workplace shift. Mass layoffs, flattened orgs, economic tightening, and now AI replacing jobs. It’s a lot. You may be scrambling to stay ahead of a layoff, maybe even turning to AI to figure out what to do next.  And if you’ve already been laid off, the idea of going back to another lookalike company might feel distressing.  This episode isn’t a pep talk. It’s...

You might be ready to quit your job. But you're also about to reshape the ecosystem that’s been quietly supporting your life. Your decision to leave corporate isn’t just about your values or freedom. It touches everything: your relationships, routines, roles, and sense of identity. You don’t operate in a vacuum. When you imagine a different life, you activate a ripple of changes across your b...

To get as far as you’ve gone in the corporate world, you developed some performance skills. Not the jazz hands version of performing, but you learned to play a role that abides by the arbitrary rules of a culture.  That type of performance is like protective armor, and it served you well.  But now the corporate world is wearing thin. You’re ready to get out of there and build something of your own...

Why does it feel so hard to leave a job when you’re dying to get out of there? Financial security is one thing, but even if you figure that out, something is keeping you from making the leap.  Sure, there is fear. But you’ve done plenty of hard things in the past, and leaving doesn’t seem like that big of a deal. Until you realize you’ll be burning the map you followed for decades.  I’ve felt it t...

If you’re staring into the void of the future and wondering which of your skills might have any bearing on what you’ll do next, you’re in good company. When you leave corporate, by choice or by force, it can feel like your skills don’t matter. Like when you leave the job behind, you let go of all of your niche abilities and have to grope around for new ones.  But wandering through the wilderness i...

Find the full transcript for this episode and more resources for GenXers here . Do you keep waiting for a moment of sudden clarity that tells you what to do after you leave the corporate world?   It sounds cinematic, like it should come with a soundtrack and perfect lighting. But almost never shows up like that. As a good GenXer, you’ve probably been taught to expect it; to believe that being smar...

You’ve been telling yourself you’re ready to leave. You’ve imagined the exit: your farewell email, turning in your laptop, and walking out the door for the last time. But if you’re like most GenXers I talk to, you might wonder: What if you finally leave… and end up pacing around your house like a zombie?  Even if you’re over it, walking away still feels risky. Not just financially, but emotionally...

Find the full transcript for this episode and more resources for GenXers here . You spent decades playing the game, learning the systems and getting the promotions. But now? You’re starting to question the whole thing. That job title you worked so hard for no longer fits. But when you try to peel it back, you wonder: who’s under there?   If you’re starting to feel the mismatch between who you are...

Burn the Map is the podcast for GenX professionals who are done following old directions and ready to build something of their own. Hosted by Shelley McIntyre, a certified coach and former corporate strategist, this show is your weekly dose of clarity, courage, and permission to start over—on your terms. Each episode unpacks how to break up with your job title, unmask your true identity, and stop...