The majority (77%) of our global workplace feels disengaged and unfulfilled at work. Nearly half of employees around the world feel stressed and anxious. There’s a fundamental problem in how we’re encouraged to choose our career paths. Our society's narrow definition of "success" is making people disengaged, stressed, physically unwell and in many cases — suicidal. Attempted teen suicides have doubled in the last decade. Why? Because of “High expectations and pressure to succeed in a culture of achievement.” Why do we put this unnecessary pressure on our young children — and ourselves?

In this deeply personal and emotional story, Dr Kate De Jong shares her journey of being trapped in a career that was slowly making her sick from the inside out. She calls for a cultural shift in our definition of success towards unapologetically pursuing what "makes you come alive”. Because as the late Howard Thurman said “The world needs people who have come alive.” This thoughtprovoking, evidencebased presentation will leave you intrigued about realigning your life in a way that allows you to thrive, physically and emotionally, while making your highest contribution.
Dr Kate De Jong is a business mentor for startup entrepreneurs and small businesses. She stepped away from her 15year consulting engineering career in 2012 to start her own business after struggling for more than a decade with chronic fatigue, anxiety and mystery illnesses. After a series of devastating events in her midthirties, she realised it was her career that was making her sick. She had no choice but to quit.

Kate is passionate about helping people understand the link between vocational happiness and mental health. She challenges our societal definition of “success” and the pursuit of careers solely based on external measures of success like money or status. Her personal experience has taught her that workplace disengagement, stress, and anxiety are often caused by people suppressing their true selves to meet others' expectations.

Kate now helps people like herself who don’t fit into the ‘corporate box’ to find and realise their contribution through entrepreneurship. As an awardwinning coach, bestselling author and host of the Thriving Business podcast, Kate’s vision is to make business easy so that purposedriven entrepreneurs can make the difference they’re here to make. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx