In this episode, I had the honor of joining Maurice Philogene on Try Life On to share my journey from the polished corridors of Google and Microsoft to the meaningful, soul-aligned work I now do as an emotional intelligence coach.

We unpacked what it really feels like to be “successful” on paper and completely misaligned on the inside—and the quiet, persistent gut nudges that eventually became too loud to ignore. I opened up about the moment I realized burnout wasn’t just exhaustion, it was a signal—a call to radically redesign how I defined success, purpose, and leadership.

If you’ve ever felt like you were living someone else’s version of success, this conversation is your reminder: you get to choose again.

5 Key Takeaways:

• Emotional intelligence is not a soft skill—it’s the foundation for sustainable success and self-leadership.
• Burnout is often a clue, not a curse; it can become the catalyst for transformational clarity.
• Listening to your gut isn’t a luxury—it’s a leadership practice.
• Redefining success means stepping away from external validation and designing your life around your values.
• Kindness and connection are often the most underestimated tools for building both business and legacy.

Tune in to hear how I began to “try life on” for real—and what I’ve learned about courage, clarity, and carving your own path.

Tune in every week for a new episode of Big Meaningful Life. Subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform and never miss an episode!

Connect with Maurice Philogene:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mauricephilogene/

https://www.instagram.com/mauricephilogene/

Connect with me on:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sallymahamdeh

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sally_mahamdeh/

Join the newsletter here.

Send me an email with ideas for future episodes: sally@hayatti.co

Music Credit:
This episode features ''Je n'y suis jamais allé'' by Yann Tiersen.