September 25, 2025 • 12 mins
Are you showing up to work but secretly running on fumes? You’re not alone. According to a 2025 TalentLMS report, 54% of employees admit they’re unhappy at work, and Gallup estimates this disengagement is costing the global economy $438 billion. But this isn’t laziness—it’s a breakdown of purpose, clarity, and connection.
In this episode, we dive into the rise of quiet cracking—a silent form of burnout that looks like coasting, disengaging, and daydreaming of something better. I’ll share how to recognize the warning signs and what practical steps you can take to reignite your purpose and reclaim ownership of your career.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- The difference between quiet quitting, burnout, and quiet cracking
- Four key signs you’re quietly cracking at work
- Why leadership, training, and clarity matter more than ever
- Three practical steps to shift from disengagement to ownership
- Simple action items to start regaining energy and direction this week
If you’ve been feeling stuck, invisible, or overwhelmed at work, this episode is your reminder: you are not broken—you’re ready for a shift.
🌟 Want community and clarity? Join us in the free Facebook group as we prepare for the 7-Day Money Mindset Shift Challenge this October.
Learn more about working with Laura Sexton
. Join the Facebook group Legacy Builders Network.
· Become a master with your money. Learn more here!
· Checkout the resource library here!
Want to ask a question Laura can answer on the podcast? Connect with her here!
Want to receive a live money or career audit? Apply Here
Send an email to Laura@AccelerateYourLegacy.com or send a DM on Instagram @accelerateyourlegacy
Elevate your coaching with daily devotionals and prayers from 'Seasoned with Salt.' Get your copy HERE!
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Laura (00:02):
hello and welcome to money and career mastery from
overwhelmed to ownership.
I'm Laura Sexton, your abundanceand legacy coach here to help
you navigate the world of money,debt payoff, and career growth
with confidence and clarity.
In this podcast, we'll tacklethe financial and career
challenges, holding you back,optimize your income and build
(00:22):
the freedom that comes with trueownership.
If you're ready to break freefrom overwhelm, create a budget
that aligns with your values anddesign a legacy that empowers
future generations.
You're in the right place.
If you are feeling checked outat work, you're not alone.
Over half of employees areunhappy and it's costing all of
(00:44):
us.
Hey accelerators, according to a2025 report from Talent LMS, 54%
of employees say that they'reunhappy at work.
That's astounding.
They say they're unhappy eitheroccasionally or constantly.
I can definitely relate to thisin a former life, there were
days where I would find myselfjust doing my job and
(01:10):
emotionally I was dreaming aboutwhat my business would look
like.
And let me tell you, there'sstill some times where I'm doing
things like helping out mydaughter's Girl Scout troop.
I love all of the girls in thattroop.
They make me so happy.
Yet.
Every once in a while I startdaydreaming about something
else.
(01:30):
I'm not always a hundred percentemotionally present in that
moment.
I'm just doing the bare minimumand I have a constant stream of
clients coming in saying they'recoasting through their work.
They're in survival mode atwork.
This is so common, especiallyfor parents or post pandemic
(01:51):
career pivots or those carryingtheir invisible burnout.
But what if it didn't have tostay that way?
What if you didn't have to staystuck in a quiet disengagement?
What if the rest of this yearcould be the start of your
ownership season?
Okay, so people you may beasking, I've heard of quiet,
(02:14):
quitting, but what in the worldis quiet, quacking?
Not quacking, not like a duck.
Quiet cracking.
And why does it matter?
Employees are showing up, butthey are silently burning out
and Gallup reports, their 2025report.
They say that global engagementdrop from 23 to 21%.
(02:34):
It's a dip similar to the COVIDlockdown levels and it's costing
the world economy.
By us dropping our engagement2%, we have a loss in
productivity of$438 billionbillion with a B.
Because our productivity hasdropped, because our engagement
(02:56):
has dropped.
We are losing as an economy$438billion.
But guys, this is not laziness.
It's a breakdown of purpose, abreakdown in connection, and a
breakdown in sustainablesystems.
This matters and you matter, myfriend, in case I didn't say
(03:17):
that earlier.
It's not just about the numbers.
It is about you as a wholeperson and you engagement in
your purpose.
Do you feel like you'refulfilling your purpose?
If you don't feel like you arefulfilling your purpose, it is
very easy for you to start tocrack under the pressure and the
weight because it's not what youare meant to hold.
(03:38):
One of the things with takingownership means that we
recognize where we're at and westart to change things.
So here are your signs.
Here are your signs that you arequiet cracking, you feel
invisible or unheard at work.
This is the worst.
I did a skit with my Bible studya couple months ago, and yes,
(04:01):
that does sound silly.
I understand that.
But we were doing something formaking people feel welcome.
So we did the skit and I feltlike.
I had a lot to offer.
Since I was an actor for adecade and I've directed movies
and I've been on the stage moretimes than I can count.
I felt like this was the perfecttime for me to step ahead and do
(04:23):
something, and yet I wasconstantly pushed to the wayside
and somebody else's opinion waslouder than mine, and I felt
invisible, and I felt unheard.
I felt unworthy, which is crazybecause I'm the one with the
most stage experience, butthat's okay.
(04:45):
I had to let my ego go and I hadto just walk it through because
it was just one tiny littlepiece of a bigger puzzle.
If it work, you were feelinginvisible or unheard.
Is it constant or is it just.
One person, is it something thatwe can change?
Because if we can change it,let's change it, but if not, we
(05:06):
may need to make the biggestchange of all.
Second sign, you're quietcracking.
You do the bare minimum becausethat's all you've got left in
the tank.
I've been there.
I've been there.
I probably am there mostevenings.
As a mother, we can very oftenbe running on fumes.
(05:27):
That is not any way to conductyour entire life.
If it's occasionally, that'sfine.
If you have a partner in crimethat's gonna pick you up on
those bad days, that's fine.
But if you were just doing thebare minimum, because that's all
you have left all day long,eight hours a day at work, that
(05:47):
is a sign for burnout, myfriends.
Sign number three of quietlycracking.
You're overwhelmed, but youcannot pinpoint why.
Yep, yep.
Sign number four, you stoptrying to advance, not because
you don't care, but becauseyou're tired.
The difference between this andburnout.
(06:08):
Is that it very much has to dowith the culture of where you
are working.
Burnout can be from a myriad ofthings.
Burnout happens when you'remisaligned in your purpose,
which also has to do with quietcracking.
But burnout has a lot to do withover work, mentally,
(06:28):
overstimulation, quietlycracking has to do with under
work because you feelundervalued.
What's gonna make the biggestdifference in this?
What's going to make the biggestdifference for you is
leadership, training andclarity.
The talent LMS found 47% ofquiet crackers state that their
(06:54):
manager doesn't listen to theirconcerns.
Ugh.
Employees very seldom leavecompanies.
They almost always leave a badmanager.
62% of non crackers receivetraining, but only 44% of those
frequently cracking did so.
(07:15):
Non crackers.
They're getting the training.
They're getting what they need.
Those that feel like they'recracking, they're not getting
the support that they needed.
They needed extra training.
They needed their leaders to beengaged, and they needed to be
trained up so that they had thetools that they needed to move
forward.
Training isn't just about skillbuilding.
(07:35):
It's an antidote todisengagement and a catalyst for
connection.
Even if your manager isn'tinitiating change, you can.
Okay.
You can go and ask for thetraining that you need.
You can ask for clarity in yourjob description.
If you feel like you don'talways have a firm grasp on what
your KPIs are, your keyperformance indicators are, you
(07:58):
need clarity on that, and that'sgoing to help you feel like
you're doing things.
Because let me tell you,nothing, nothing is worse than
being an employee that does thesame thing day in and day out,
and you have no idea why.
You have no idea if you're evendoing it right.
'cause nobody gives you any kindof feedback.
You need the feedback.
And if you're not getting it, goask for it.
I personally think that thereare great ways to do this, ways
(08:23):
for you to take ownership evenbefore January comes.
January is the great time forpeople to change up their jobs.
They wanna stick around fortheir Christmas bonus and then
January's here and they're like,I'm out.
Maybe the company that you'rewith aligns with you on many
different things and you're justcracking in the one position
that you're in.
(08:44):
Here are three practical stepsfor you to shift out of the fog
and into your purpose.
The first one's reignite yourpurpose.
We're gonna reignite that sparkinside your soul, reconnect with
why you started working at thisplace and what it is that you
care about.
As you were focused andreignited inside of your
purpose, reconnected to why youare doing the work that you are
(09:07):
doing, you are going to have abetter chance of sustaining
regardless of where you're at.
Take ownership by advocating foryourself.
Ask for a conversation.
Ask for the resources you need.
Ask for clarity if you don't getit, that in and of itself is
data for you.
Behavior is a language.
(09:28):
Listen to it.
The third step to shift is tomake a micro move.
Go.
Update your LinkedIn.
Apply to one job.
Research a new field block onehour for career, creativity and
clarity.
Take the time to decide, do Iwanna stay in this company long
term?
(09:48):
Do I want to change?
Do I want to make a move?
Take tiny steps.
Sometimes those tiny steps endup being a step off a cliff into
the perfect spot for you, andyou would've never known had you
not made that first move.
Friends, it's very easy to burnout when you don't know why it
(10:09):
is you're doing the work thatyou're doing.
It's very easily to crack underthe pressure.
So what I want you to do is takeownership of your career.
Take ownership of your future.
Here are your three action stepsfor the week.
Rate your current engagement atwork on a scale of one to 10.
If you were anything seven andbelow, we need to make a change.
(10:33):
Write down three things thatwould make your job more
sustainable or fulfilling.
And take one brave actiontowards reclaiming your
ownership this week.
Speak up, reflect or exploremore options.
If you have been quietlycracking, you are not broken,
you're just ready for a shift,come join us over the free
Facebook group.
We're gonna prepare for a sevenday money mindset shift
(10:54):
challenge in October.
It is your chance to align yourmindset with your life and the
work that you actually wanna do,or you can reach out to me and
we can have a one-on-oneconversation about what it feels
like to shift into your purpose.
The link for the Facebook groupand for a call with me are down
in the show notes.
Come on over guys.
(11:15):
I'm ready for you to come jointhe party.
You know what it is?
Accelerators go out and make adifference.
thank you for spending time withus today on Money and Career
Mastery from Overwhelm toOwnership.
Remember, your legacy isn't justabout financial freedom.
It's about living with purpose,taking action, and building a
foundation that lasts forgenerations.
(11:36):
Don't just listen, implementwhat you've learned and share it
with someone who could use afinancial or career
breakthrough.
If you found value in today'sepisode, help us grow by rating,
reviewing, and sharing thepodcast.
I'll be back next week with morestrategies to help you master
your money and career.
Until then take ownership ofyour future and build your
(11:57):
legacy with intention.
hello and welcome to money and career mastery from
overwhelmed to ownership.
I'm Laura Sexton, your abundanceand legacy coach here to help
you navigate the world of money,debt payoff, and career growth
with confidence and clarity.
In this podcast, we'll tacklethe financial and career
challenges, holding you back,optimize your income and build
(00:22):
the freedom that comes with trueownership.
If you're ready to break freefrom overwhelm, create a budget
that aligns with your values anddesign a legacy that empowers
future generations.
You're in the right place.
If you are feeling checked outat work, you're not alone.
Over half of employees areunhappy and it's costing all of
(00:44):
us.
Hey accelerators, according to a2025 report from Talent LMS, 54%
of employees say that they'reunhappy at work.
That's astounding.
They say they're unhappy eitheroccasionally or constantly.
I can definitely relate to thisin a former life, there were
days where I would find myselfjust doing my job and
(01:10):
emotionally I was dreaming aboutwhat my business would look
like.
And let me tell you, there'sstill some times where I'm doing
things like helping out mydaughter's Girl Scout troop.
I love all of the girls in thattroop.
They make me so happy.
Yet.
Every once in a while I startdaydreaming about something
else.
(01:30):
I'm not always a hundred percentemotionally present in that
moment.
I'm just doing the bare minimumand I have a constant stream of
clients coming in saying they'recoasting through their work.
They're in survival mode atwork.
This is so common, especiallyfor parents or post pandemic
(01:51):
career pivots or those carryingtheir invisible burnout.
But what if it didn't have tostay that way?
What if you didn't have to staystuck in a quiet disengagement?
What if the rest of this yearcould be the start of your
ownership season?
Okay, so people you may beasking, I've heard of quiet,
(02:14):
quitting, but what in the worldis quiet, quacking?
Not quacking, not like a duck.
Quiet cracking.
And why does it matter?
Employees are showing up, butthey are silently burning out
and Gallup reports, their 2025report.
They say that global engagementdrop from 23 to 21%.
(02:34):
It's a dip similar to the COVIDlockdown levels and it's costing
the world economy.
By us dropping our engagement2%, we have a loss in
productivity of$438 billionbillion with a B.
Because our productivity hasdropped, because our engagement
(02:56):
has dropped.
We are losing as an economy$438billion.
But guys, this is not laziness.
It's a breakdown of purpose, abreakdown in connection, and a
breakdown in sustainablesystems.
This matters and you matter, myfriend, in case I didn't say
(03:17):
that earlier.
It's not just about the numbers.
It is about you as a wholeperson and you engagement in
your purpose.
Do you feel like you'refulfilling your purpose?
If you don't feel like you arefulfilling your purpose, it is
very easy for you to start tocrack under the pressure and the
weight because it's not what youare meant to hold.
(03:38):
One of the things with takingownership means that we
recognize where we're at and westart to change things.
So here are your signs.
Here are your signs that you arequiet cracking, you feel
invisible or unheard at work.
This is the worst.
I did a skit with my Bible studya couple months ago, and yes,
(04:01):
that does sound silly.
I understand that.
But we were doing something formaking people feel welcome.
So we did the skit and I feltlike.
I had a lot to offer.
Since I was an actor for adecade and I've directed movies
and I've been on the stage moretimes than I can count.
I felt like this was the perfecttime for me to step ahead and do
(04:23):
something, and yet I wasconstantly pushed to the wayside
and somebody else's opinion waslouder than mine, and I felt
invisible, and I felt unheard.
I felt unworthy, which is crazybecause I'm the one with the
most stage experience, butthat's okay.
(04:45):
I had to let my ego go and I hadto just walk it through because
it was just one tiny littlepiece of a bigger puzzle.
If it work, you were feelinginvisible or unheard.
Is it constant or is it just.
One person, is it something thatwe can change?
Because if we can change it,let's change it, but if not, we
(05:06):
may need to make the biggestchange of all.
Second sign, you're quietcracking.
You do the bare minimum becausethat's all you've got left in
the tank.
I've been there.
I've been there.
I probably am there mostevenings.
As a mother, we can very oftenbe running on fumes.
(05:27):
That is not any way to conductyour entire life.
If it's occasionally, that'sfine.
If you have a partner in crimethat's gonna pick you up on
those bad days, that's fine.
But if you were just doing thebare minimum, because that's all
you have left all day long,eight hours a day at work, that
(05:47):
is a sign for burnout, myfriends.
Sign number three of quietlycracking.
You're overwhelmed, but youcannot pinpoint why.
Yep, yep.
Sign number four, you stoptrying to advance, not because
you don't care, but becauseyou're tired.
The difference between this andburnout.
(06:08):
Is that it very much has to dowith the culture of where you
are working.
Burnout can be from a myriad ofthings.
Burnout happens when you'remisaligned in your purpose,
which also has to do with quietcracking.
But burnout has a lot to do withover work, mentally,
(06:28):
overstimulation, quietlycracking has to do with under
work because you feelundervalued.
What's gonna make the biggestdifference in this?
What's going to make the biggestdifference for you is
leadership, training andclarity.
The talent LMS found 47% ofquiet crackers state that their
(06:54):
manager doesn't listen to theirconcerns.
Ugh.
Employees very seldom leavecompanies.
They almost always leave a badmanager.
62% of non crackers receivetraining, but only 44% of those
frequently cracking did so.
(07:15):
Non crackers.
They're getting the training.
They're getting what they need.
Those that feel like they'recracking, they're not getting
the support that they needed.
They needed extra training.
They needed their leaders to beengaged, and they needed to be
trained up so that they had thetools that they needed to move
forward.
Training isn't just about skillbuilding.
(07:35):
It's an antidote todisengagement and a catalyst for
connection.
Even if your manager isn'tinitiating change, you can.
Okay.
You can go and ask for thetraining that you need.
You can ask for clarity in yourjob description.
If you feel like you don'talways have a firm grasp on what
your KPIs are, your keyperformance indicators are, you
(07:58):
need clarity on that, and that'sgoing to help you feel like
you're doing things.
Because let me tell you,nothing, nothing is worse than
being an employee that does thesame thing day in and day out,
and you have no idea why.
You have no idea if you're evendoing it right.
'cause nobody gives you any kindof feedback.
You need the feedback.
And if you're not getting it, goask for it.
I personally think that thereare great ways to do this, ways
(08:23):
for you to take ownership evenbefore January comes.
January is the great time forpeople to change up their jobs.
They wanna stick around fortheir Christmas bonus and then
January's here and they're like,I'm out.
Maybe the company that you'rewith aligns with you on many
different things and you're justcracking in the one position
that you're in.
(08:44):
Here are three practical stepsfor you to shift out of the fog
and into your purpose.
The first one's reignite yourpurpose.
We're gonna reignite that sparkinside your soul, reconnect with
why you started working at thisplace and what it is that you
care about.
As you were focused andreignited inside of your
purpose, reconnected to why youare doing the work that you are
(09:07):
doing, you are going to have abetter chance of sustaining
regardless of where you're at.
Take ownership by advocating foryourself.
Ask for a conversation.
Ask for the resources you need.
Ask for clarity if you don't getit, that in and of itself is
data for you.
Behavior is a language.
(09:28):
Listen to it.
The third step to shift is tomake a micro move.
Go.
Update your LinkedIn.
Apply to one job.
Research a new field block onehour for career, creativity and
clarity.
Take the time to decide, do Iwanna stay in this company long
term?
(09:48):
Do I want to change?
Do I want to make a move?
Take tiny steps.
Sometimes those tiny steps endup being a step off a cliff into
the perfect spot for you, andyou would've never known had you
not made that first move.
Friends, it's very easy to burnout when you don't know why it
(10:09):
is you're doing the work thatyou're doing.
It's very easily to crack underthe pressure.
So what I want you to do is takeownership of your career.
Take ownership of your future.
Here are your three action stepsfor the week.
Rate your current engagement atwork on a scale of one to 10.
If you were anything seven andbelow, we need to make a change.
(10:33):
Write down three things thatwould make your job more
sustainable or fulfilling.
And take one brave actiontowards reclaiming your
ownership this week.
Speak up, reflect or exploremore options.
If you have been quietlycracking, you are not broken,
you're just ready for a shift,come join us over the free
Facebook group.
We're gonna prepare for a sevenday money mindset shift
(10:54):
challenge in October.
It is your chance to align yourmindset with your life and the
work that you actually wanna do,or you can reach out to me and
we can have a one-on-oneconversation about what it feels
like to shift into your purpose.
The link for the Facebook groupand for a call with me are down
in the show notes.
Come on over guys.
(11:15):
I'm ready for you to come jointhe party.
You know what it is?
Accelerators go out and make adifference.
thank you for spending time withus today on Money and Career
Mastery from Overwhelm toOwnership.
Remember, your legacy isn't justabout financial freedom.
It's about living with purpose,taking action, and building a
foundation that lasts forgenerations.
(11:36):
Don't just listen, implementwhat you've learned and share it
with someone who could use afinancial or career
breakthrough.
If you found value in today'sepisode, help us grow by rating,
reviewing, and sharing thepodcast.
I'll be back next week with morestrategies to help you master
your money and career.
Until then take ownership ofyour future and build your
(11:57):
legacy with intention.
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