Lessons from a Quitter
Self-Improvement
About
It is never too late to start over. No matter how much time or money you've spent chasing degrees and jobs to get to your current position, if ultimately you're unhappy, then it is time to quit. Each week, Goli Kalkhoran, a fellow quitter, will interview inspiring guests who have quit lucrative careers to forge their own path and create a life they love. Get insight, inspiration, tools, and resources to help you quit what you hate and figure out what it is that you love.
Episodes
- The Myth of Work/Life Balance
Here's what everyone gets wrong about work/life balance. You run around trying to change everything outside of you in order to try to gain a little "balance". If I worked less hours… If I had more time at home with my kids…. If I could spe…
- Building Confidence Through Self-Validation Cycles
The root cause of all of your problems is a lack of self-validation. Let me explain… This isn't some self-love, woo-woo kind of thing. I want you to think about every one of your maladaptive behaviors: People-pleasing - needing other peopl…
- Leaning Into Uncertainty And Doubt
On this week's podcast, I'm taking you behind the scenes of all of my UNCERTAINTY and DOUBT around my new membership launch. You might be wondering: "Why are you doing this, Goli?" Because I want you to stop thinking that other people have…
- The Fear of Failure
This episode of Lessons from a Quitter is titled 'The Fear of Failure'.
- Getting Good At Feeling Discomfort
This episode of Lessons from a Quitter discusses the visceral feeling of discomfort experienced when pushing towards goals. It provides guidance on how to become better at handling this feeling without letting it define you, enabling conti…
- Your quit plan
This episode of "Lessons from a Quitter" guides listeners through creating a personalized quit plan. It covers self-assessment of motives, exploring desired future life and career options, financial analysis, and addressing doubts to facil…
- Handling Difficult Conversations Around Quitting
This episode of Lessons from a Quitter discusses how to handle difficult conversations about quitting, focusing on identifying whose opinions truly matter in your decisions, such as a spouse versus other friends or family.
- Handling Guilt Around Quitting
This episode of Lessons from a Quitter discusses managing the guilt associated with quitting, particularly for individuals raised to prioritize others' happiness. It offers a perspective on recognizing personal needs and the reciprocal nat…
- Managing Fear
In this podcast episode, I explore the pervasive role of fear in our lives, particularly when pursuing dreams and change. Fear, often rooted in the fear of failure and negative emotions, can paralyze us. The key is to confront these fears…
- You are not behind
In the latest episode of "Lessons from a Quitter," we tackle the feeling of "being behind." High achievers often struggle with this thought, ironically, despite their accomplishments. We delve into why this thought persists and how it robs…
- Finding Your Community
My biggest tip for success when you're quitting and starting something new: Get in the room with people doing the thing you want to do. This week, I talk about the benefits of surrounding yourself with a like-minded community and a few wa…
- Replay: The Art of Dreaming Bigger
In the latest episode of Lessons from a Quitter, I dive into the importance of dreaming bigger, especially as busy professionals who may have stopped dreaming in their twenties or thirties. Many of us settle into a day-to-day routine, resi…
- The Process of Going After Your Dream Life
This week I want to talk to you about how to go after your dream life. If you follow me on Instagram, you know I've been in Jackson Hole, Wyoming for the past month. Taking this trip with my family is one way I'm going after my dream life.…
- Admitting what you want
In this episode, we tackle the fear that prevents us from acknowledging our true desires. I share my personal journey from believing I had no idea what I wanted to discovering a wealth of buried dreams. We explore two major fears: the fear…
- How to Rewire Your Brain for Joy When You've Been Chasing Achievement
In this week's episode of Lessons from a Quitter , I wrap up our burnout series by tackling one of the most common struggles high-achievers face: how to actually feel joy again. A listener asked, "What if I've been so focused on achievemen…
- Procrastination
This week I want to talk to you about procrastination. I have so many people telling me I want to do this thing but I can't get myself motivated to do it. What I've found is that procrastination is not a time management issue, but an emoti…
- Getting Rid Of That Inner Critic - Part 2
That inner critic you have that drones on and on every day about how bad you are at being a human is NOT your voice. It was put there by society - capitalism, religion, patriarchy, white supremacy, school, religion - in an attempt to contr…
- Getting Rid of the Inner Critic - Part 1
That Inner Critic you have that drones on and on every day about how bad you are at being a human is NOT your voice. It was put there by society- capitalism, religion, patriarchy, white supremacy, school, religion- in an attempt to control…
- You picked your goal...now what?
In this episode of Lessons from a Quitter , we conclude our series on goal-setting by tackling the often-overlooked yet critical step: what to do after setting your goal . I share actionable tips to break your goal into manageable steps, f…
- The side effects of your goals
In this episode of Lessons from a Quitter , we explore the deeper purpose of goal-setting and how it transforms not just your life but those around you. It's not about checking boxes or achieving arbitrary milestones—it's about the ripple…
- REPLAY: Only pick one goal
This week on Lessons from a Quitter , we continue our three-part miniseries on redefining goal setting. We break down the pitfalls of traditional approaches to goals and advocate for focusing on just one priority per year . Learn how this…
- REPLAY: How to Properly Set Goals to Actually Achieve your Dreams
If you're serious about achieving the many dreams you have for your life, you need to start getting serious about goal-setting. I know goal-setting, especially around New Year's, gets a bad rap. But I always find it laughable that people l…
- Reflection on 7 years of podcasting
In this deeply personal farewell episode, I reflect on seven years of Lessons from a Quitter as I step into a 2026 sabbatical—unsure what comes next. I share why this podcast was worth starting long before it was "successful," and how crea…
- Top 10 Lessons From a Quitter
In this deeply reflective episode of Lessons from a Quitter , I share the 10 core lessons I wish I could tattoo on your brain before stepping away for my first sabbatical in seven years. This episode is about releasing shame, trusting your…
- Why I'm Taking a Sabbatical (And What Comes Next)
In this deeply personal episode, I share why I decided to take a sabbatical after seven years of building Lessons from a Quitter. I unpack what burnout actually looked like for me, the many possible reasons behind it, and why the "why" ult…
- Stop Rushing Your Life: The Truth About Goal Setting
In this episode, we explore why so many of us rush through our lives believing happiness waits on the other side of achievement. As I prepare for a sabbatical, I share my philosophy of choosing one meaningful goal each year—not to fix your…
- The Paradox of Choice: Why More Options Make Us Miserable
In this episode, we dive into the hidden reason so many of us stay stuck: the paradox of choice. In a world overflowing with career paths, business ideas, and "perfect" next steps, too many options can keep us spinning in fear of choosing…
- Stop Judging Your Productivity: Understand Your Capacity
In this week's episode, we explore one of the most important—and most overlooked—keys to redesigning a life you love: honoring your own capacity. As I prepare for my upcoming sabbatical, I reflect on why so many high-achievers feel broken…
- How to Build a Full Life Without Burning it All Down with Dinesh Melwani
In this week's episode of Lessons from a Quitter , we sit down with special guest Dinesh Melwani to explore how small, intentional shifts can completely change the trajectory of your life and career. We talk about delegating without guilt,…
- Hierarchy of Needs
In this week's episode of Lessons from a Quitter , we dive into an unpolished but powerful reflection on Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and how understanding it can help us navigate uncertainty and reduce unnecessary suffering. We explore the…
- Happy Life of Mediocrity
In this week's episode of Lessons from a Quitter , we wrap up our burnout series with a powerful mindset shift — embracing The Happy Life of Mediocrity . We explore how our constant drive to be the best and to "have it all" often leaves us…
- Experimenting with a 3-day workweek
In this week's episode of Lessons from a Quitter , I share a personal experiment I've started in my own business: taking Mondays and Fridays off to create a three-day workweek. While it sounds dreamy on the surface, the reality has been mu…
- How to Change the Story You Tell Yourself (and Change Your Life)
In this week's episode of Lessons from a Quitter , I dive into one of the most powerful mindset shifts you can make: rewriting the story you tell about yourself. Too often, we cling to old narratives—"I'm lazy," "I'm behind," "I've failed"…
- Why I've offered a guarantee for my mastermind
In this episode, I pull back the curtain on why I decided to offer a 100% money-back guarantee for my new high-ticket mastermind for high-achieving women feeling unfulfilled. I share the thought process behind creating a safety net for par…
- How Ysabella Allard continues to reinvent herself (and why she's joining the mastermind)
In this powerful episode of Lessons from a Quitter , I'm joined by Ysabelle Allard for a vulnerable conversation about what it really takes to transform your life from the inside out. Ysabelle shares her journey of walking away from a succ…
- Mastermind Anouncement
In this episode of Lessons from a Quitter , I share an exciting new chapter: the launch of Your Next Act Mastermind, a 6-month group program for high-achieving women in transition. If you're feeling stuck, burned out, or questioning what's…
- Mid-Year Check In
In this mid-year solo episode, I share a deeply personal update on navigating a season of transition and uncertainty. From shutting down my membership to questioning what's next, I reflect on what it means to evolve without attaching self-…
- Replay: Managing Fear
In this episode of Lessons from a Quitter , we dive into the fear that keeps us stuck. It's not the lack of information that holds us back—it's the "what ifs" and unanswered fears that paralyze us. I walk you through a powerful tool: answe…
- Replay: Arguing with Reality
We often waste precious time and energy arguing with reality – insisting that things should be different than they are. In this episode, I reveal the common pitfalls of waiting for a perfect, non-existent option C and explain why it's cruc…
- Going All In
In this week's episode of Lessons from a Quitter , we explore the powerful mindset shift of going all in —even when you know the current situation isn't your final destination. Whether you're in a job you plan to leave or building toward a…
- How a boring job could be a dream
In this episode of Lessons from a Quitter , we challenge the myth that your job has to be your passion or purpose. Many listeners feel stuck in "boring" jobs, but what if those roles are actually your greatest asset? Goli reframes the narr…
- What if no one had an opinion on your life?
In this episode of Lessons from a Quitter , we dive into the powerful mindset shifts needed to stop letting other people's opinions run your life. If you've ever held back from taking a risk—whether it's posting online, taking a gap year,…
- What I learned from my trip to Iran
In this episode of Lessons from a Quitter , I share the powerful mindset shifts I experienced during a recent trip to Iran. From confronting my addiction to productivity to witnessing the deep-rooted value of community, the trip forced me…
- Navigating Career Grief with Laverne McKinnon
In this powerful episode of Lessons from a Quitter , we dive deep into the often-overlooked grief that comes with career transitions. Joined by grief coach Laverne McKinnon, we explore how letting go of an old identity—especially one built…
- The shift that made my dreams doable
In this episode of Lessons from a Quitter , I share how I'm redesigning my life in small, intentional steps—even when I can't have the "big dream" just yet. From summering in Jackson Hole to planning a trip to Banff, I talk about how we ca…
- Micro decisions
In this episode of Lessons from a Quitter , we explore the real secret to making lasting life and career changes: micro decisions. While we often believe massive change requires dramatic, sweeping action, this episode breaks down how real…
- Confidence is built
In this episode of Lessons from a Quitter , we dive into the myth of "not being ready" and how it's keeping you stuck in a life you no longer love. We explore the neuroscience behind fear, the brain's obsession with safety over happiness,…
- Why I'm closing my membership
In this episode of Lessons from a Quitter , I share the behind-the-scenes decision to close the Quitter Club after three incredible years. I dive into the real reasons—burnout, overcomplication, and misalignment with the lifestyle business…
- What if you couldn't make a wrong decision?
In this episode of Lessons from a Quitter , we explore the liberating idea: What if you couldn't make the wrong decision? So many professionals stay stuck, paralyzed by fear of regret and perfectionism. But what if every choice—whether it…