You Have a Choice: Career Crossroads and Intentional Change with Eric Nehrlich

Career crossroads don't discriminate by age or seniority—even executives at Google face them. Eric Nehrlich's journey from a physics student to a Google executive, and eventually to executive coaching, is a compelling story of burnout, choice, and reclaiming personal agency. In this episode, we explore: - The unexpected career pivots from physics grad school to tech startups - The financial and leadership pressures during Google's Great Recession era - Recognizing burnout and the physical toll of overwork - Challenging traditional career narratives and societal expectations - The power and consequences of owning your choices - The process of thoughtfully building a coaching business alongside a corporate career - Moving from opportunity-driven to intention-driven career decisions - The role of accountability and one small step experiments in change - The necessity of focus and saying no to good things to do great work - Balancing personal values, family, and professional ambitions This conversation underscores the importance of adapting with self-awareness and intention in the evolving landscape of work and leadership. Eric Nehrlich is an executive coach, author of "You Have a Choice: Beyond Hard Work to Meaningful Impact," and a former Chief of Staff at Google. His coaching practice helps leaders cut through complexity and find clarity to navigate career and life challenges. At No More Mondays, we believe humans still matter—even in high tech, high stakes environments. Eric's story reminds us that meaningful impact comes from values-driven choices and embracing change with courage.