Too many people skip a critical step before leaving their job

It's been weeks now and you're still feeling like you're trapped at work. You can still perform your job well, but it leaves you unsatisfied and it's wearing you out.

If you don't already have an ideal job offer on the table, you should have a final conversation with your boss before you decide to quit, said career expert and bestselling author Ramit Sethi in a recent Facebook Live Q&A at Business Insider's New York office.

A viewer told Sethi that she had spent her entire career with a single company and was feeling burned out. She said she considered quitting and running her own business. 

"If you're feeling burned out, I think you might be surprised, but having a candid conversation with your boss could be something you might want to consider," Sethi replied. "If you're doing a good job at work, if you're a top performer, your boss doesn't want to lose you. So I would really speak to them and say, 'this is what I'm feeling,' and come to them with a solution: 'This is what would make things great, what would make me more motivated and more excited.'"

The solution may include outsourcing some of your workload to someone else, or even taking a sabbatical.

Sethi added that as an entrepreneur himself, he admires the urge to be your own boss, but he also recommends people don't act impulsively on that urge when they're feeling unhappy at their job. "I don't really like for people to quit their jobs and then start a business, unless you have a substantial amount of savings," he said. "So you may want to consider doing something on the side and building up a little side income."

Ultimately, it comes down to being honest with yourself and your boss. If your boss responds negatively to your honesty, then you may truly be better off finding a new job.

You can watch the full Facebook Live interview below.