Sometimes the question is not, “What job should I take next?” Sometimes the question is, “What kind of life am I trying to build?” In this episode of _At Work, Under Pressure_, Jessi Beyer sits down with Korie Pelka to talk about career transitions, burnout, layoffs, retirement, creative identity, coaching, legacy, and what happens when successful people look great on paper but feel completely empty underneath. Korie shares her journey from theater and corporate communications into coaching, including the moment she volunteered to be laid off because she had nothing left in the tank. She explains how people can follow “energy breadcrumbs,” identify the work that lights them up, build a legacy story, and navigate major transitions without waiting until they hit a breaking point. In this episode, Jessi and Korie discuss: • How creative skills can transfer into corporate leadership, communications, and coaching • Why it can be hard to use the pronoun “I” after years of telling other people’s stories • What burnout looks like when someone is still performing well on paper • Why control and flexibility are often the real needs beneath career-change conversations • How leaders can notice disengagement before someone fully checks out • Why layoffs, retirement, and career transitions are emotionally significant moments • How the “three buckets” exercise helps people decide what to leave behind, bring forward, and make room for This episode is for leaders, HR professionals, coaches, executives, career changers, retirees, and anyone who has ever thought, “I can survive this for a few more years,” while knowing deep down that survival is not enough. Because your career is not just a resume. It is part of the story you are building with your life.