In this episode of Outlaws, Shayla and Kate pull back the curtain on the hidden curriculum—the sneaky, unspoken rules that shape how we define success, worth, and ambition.

From career ladders you never questioned to the belief that being busy means you're important, they unpack the beliefs that ruled their lives (until they didn’t). They share five deeply ingrained "rules" they’re actively unlearning—and how it’s changing the way they work, live, and measure success.

But this conversation goes deeper. They explore what happens when you realise you’ve been performing an identity that isn’t fully yours. The burnout that comes from trying to be palatable, professional, and perfect. The pressure to be “good” at everything, including being human. And the radical relief of asking: what if I just stopped?

💥 In this episode:

• The myth of the ladder: Why climbing higher doesn't always mean going further

• How we confuse busy with worthy (and how to stop)

• The sunk cost fallacy: Why time spent doesn’t have to equal a lifetime commitment

• External validation vs. internal clarity

• The cost of performance: When “doing it all” means losing yourself

• Why redefining success is a radical act—and a necessary one

💡 This episode is for you if:

• You're questioning your career path or life choices

• You've ever felt guilty for not wanting more

• You’ve internalised rules that no longer serve you

• You’re tired of performing an identity just to “fit”

• You’re ready to design success—and your life—on your own terms

🎧 Listen now and start unlearning the rules that were never yours to begin with.

Links

Alain de Botton TEDX talk https://www.ted.com/talks/alain_de_botton_a_kinder_gentler_philosophy_of_success?language=en

CREDITS

Hosts and producers: Shayla Strapps and Kate Offer

Website - www.outlawspodcast.com

Get in touch - Contact@outlawspodcast.com

Join us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.outlaws.podcast/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1335594167730235

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/outlawspodcast

Hosted on Podbean.

You followed the rules. You ticked all the boxes. You built the “successful” career. So… why does it still feel like something’s missing or that you're not really happy?

In this first episode of Outlaws, your hosts Shayla and Kate (two former lawyers turned question-askers and life-redesigners) get real about what brought them here — from burnout and breakdowns to career pivots and messy in-betweens.

We talk:

• Walking away from careers that once felt like a calling

• Burnout, identity, and the cost of "success"

• Why we started this podcast (and who it’s for)

• The power of unlearning and choosing your own way

• Why you don’t need to have it all figured out to begin again

This is not your average self-help show. Outlaws is for anyone standing at the edge of a big change — curious, scared, maybe a little bit fed up — and wondering what life could look like off-script.

Whether you're ready to quit, pause, pivot, or just take a breath — this is your permission slip.

CREDITS

Host and producers: Shayla Strapps and Kate Offer

Website - www.outlawspodcast.com

Get in touch - Contact@outlawspodcast.com

Join us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.outlaws.podcast/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1335594167730235

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/outlawspodcast

Hosted on Podbean.

Outlaws is the podcast for professionals who look successful on paper but feel stuck inside. Hosted by two (out)laws who walked away from traditional legal careers, we explore bold career pivots, honest stories, and practical tools for rewriting the rules of work and life. If you're craving more meaning, freedom, and truth in your career—this is your space. Subscribe and start your own outlaw journey.