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h for just 2 months.</p><p id="a804">Wondering what led to such a drastic move?</p><p id="997f">Toxic culture, bad manager, and no work-life balance — mentioning all these in a sentence should give you the gist. So one fine day, I quit.</p><p id="7205">And this is what happened.</p><h2 id="94c2">1. My self-confidence soared through the roof</h2><p id="95ea">I went against the tide and didn’t heed conventional advice. I listened to my heart. There is a different kind of bravery in doing something that no one would advise you to do. And no, it’s not called stupidity.</p><p id="b1b4">Yes, it was an impulsive move, but I knew I could find another job or build a backup plan eventually. And when I found one, the realization completely and truly empowered me. It made me put faith in myself.</p><h2 id="eacb">2. Realization that I am more than just my job</h2><p id="f63b">The first few days after quitting my job, I suffered a mini identity crisis. How to answer the common question of “What do you do?”</p><p id="066b">It gave me time to introspect and wonder why my job meant so much to me. I realized I gave too much importance to my job. We feel a compulsion to love our jobs — and even consider them as yardsticks for success and happiness.</p><p id="d884">It’s simple actually — it’s just a job. A source of steady income. I realized that there are 100 other things I love doing and are a part of my life as well. This helped me make space for all those lost passions and dreams that I had subdued because of the demanding job.</p><p id="2d1d">I’ve spoken about this realization of undue importance given to our jobs in my article “4 Reasons Millenials Will Never Be Happy at Their Jobs.” The link is appended below, in case you want to read more.</p><div id="0a46" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/4-reasons-why-millenials-will-never-be-happy-at-their-jobs-61527aa20074"> <div> <div> <h2>4 Reasons Why Millenials Will Never Be Happy at Their Jobs</h2> <div><h3>The disparity between how the world views millennials and how millennials view the world of work</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div>

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    </div><h2 id="3fb1">3. Switched to my dream industry — marketing</h2><p id="8f5d">I knew I wanted to build a career in marketing, and the gap after quitting gave me time to find the perfect opportunity. I touched base with seniors in the industry, studied the domain I wanted to be in, and finally managed to land a marketing job!</p><p id="8d24">My regular job would leave me just enough hours to grab a quick bite while watching the telly, followed by quickly crashing for the day. But with no job, I had nothing to do. No manager breathing down my neck and no urgent deadlines to finish every day! I could spend hours and hours reading and researching, building my knowledge. It was this preparation that led me to the next opportunity — something that would have been impossible while staying (trying to) afloat in a job I hated.</p><h2 id="b5f7">Conclusion: Choose Your Poison Pill</h2><p id="7bf0">While making tough decisions, remember that it’s going to be difficult either way. Getting a divorce will hurt but so will staying in a bad marriage. Similarly, quitting your job will hurt but so will staying in a workplace where your mental health is compromised.</p><p id="52e2">When I quit my job, I chose <i>uncertainty</i>. I chose not to know where my next paycheque will come from. But I also chose my mental happiness.</p><p id="45ab"><b>And it’s perfectly okay to quit a job with no backup plan</b>. Do not think of it as a low point in your life. It can be a great opportunity to shift gears, introspect and do what makes you happy.</p><p id="ad22">In the end, leaving you with this quote by T. S. Eliot which has helped me sail far from the shore, every time:</p><blockquote id="5168"><p>“Only those who will <b>risk</b> going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.”</p></blockquote><p id="73f6"><i>Subscribe to my newsletter and get your free copy of ’14 Tips To Achieve Work-Life Balance’ <a href="https://tinyurl.com/2yd2w69f">here</a>.</i></p></article></body>

3 Things That Happened When I Quit My Job Without a Backup Plan

#1 My self-confidence soared through the roof

Gutsy. Ballsy. Stupid. Impractical. Bold. Daring.Ungrateful. Dense. All these myriad compliments are meant for the same person — yes, yours truly.

What did I do? I quit my high-paying consulting job without a job, start-up idea, or any kind of backup plan. Some thought I was brave enough to listen to my heart. While others thought I wasn’t resilient enough to overcome tough circumstances.

See, it’s not that uncommon for people to quit their jobs without a backup plan. If you google “quitting my job without a job”, you’ll find some articles in agreement, but with a few caveats. Which I absolutely ignored — like:

#1 Don’t Quit on an Impulse — Lol, I am the most impulsive person you’ll meet, and ain’t nobody shy to admit it. One fine day, my manager’s personal comments triggered me and I wrote the resignation mail to HR.

#2 Don’t Burn Your Bridges — I happily did so. See, the phrase ‘burning bridges’ comes from ancient Roman times. When an army crossed a river to invade their enemies, the commanders would order the bridges burned to guarantee that their troops could not retreat. I burned my bridges when I walked out, with no intention of coming back. Ever.

#3 Get Your Finances in Order — I was newly married at that point in time, setting up our new home. My partner was well-cushioned, but my personal finances were a mess. I knew I had enough for just 2 months.

Wondering what led to such a drastic move?

Toxic culture, bad manager, and no work-life balance — mentioning all these in a sentence should give you the gist. So one fine day, I quit.

And this is what happened.

1. My self-confidence soared through the roof

I went against the tide and didn’t heed conventional advice. I listened to my heart. There is a different kind of bravery in doing something that no one would advise you to do. And no, it’s not called stupidity.

Yes, it was an impulsive move, but I knew I could find another job or build a backup plan eventually. And when I found one, the realization completely and truly empowered me. It made me put faith in myself.

2. Realization that I am more than just my job

The first few days after quitting my job, I suffered a mini identity crisis. How to answer the common question of “What do you do?”

It gave me time to introspect and wonder why my job meant so much to me. I realized I gave too much importance to my job. We feel a compulsion to love our jobs — and even consider them as yardsticks for success and happiness.

It’s simple actually — it’s just a job. A source of steady income. I realized that there are 100 other things I love doing and are a part of my life as well. This helped me make space for all those lost passions and dreams that I had subdued because of the demanding job.

I’ve spoken about this realization of undue importance given to our jobs in my article “4 Reasons Millenials Will Never Be Happy at Their Jobs.” The link is appended below, in case you want to read more.

4 Reasons Why Millenials Will Never Be Happy at Their Jobs

The disparity between how the world views millennials and how millennials view the world of work

medium.com

3. Switched to my dream industry — marketing

I knew I wanted to build a career in marketing, and the gap after quitting gave me time to find the perfect opportunity. I touched base with seniors in the industry, studied the domain I wanted to be in, and finally managed to land a marketing job!

My regular job would leave me just enough hours to grab a quick bite while watching the telly, followed by quickly crashing for the day. But with no job, I had nothing to do. No manager breathing down my neck and no urgent deadlines to finish every day! I could spend hours and hours reading and researching, building my knowledge. It was this preparation that led me to the next opportunity — something that would have been impossible while staying (trying to) afloat in a job I hated.

Conclusion: Choose Your Poison Pill

While making tough decisions, remember that it’s going to be difficult either way. Getting a divorce will hurt but so will staying in a bad marriage. Similarly, quitting your job will hurt but so will staying in a workplace where your mental health is compromised.

When I quit my job, I chose uncertainty. I chose not to know where my next paycheque will come from. But I also chose my mental happiness.

And it’s perfectly okay to quit a job with no backup plan. Do not think of it as a low point in your life. It can be a great opportunity to shift gears, introspect and do what makes you happy.

In the end, leaving you with this quote by T. S. Eliot which has helped me sail far from the shore, every time:

“Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.”

Subscribe to my newsletter and get your free copy of ’14 Tips To Achieve Work-Life Balance’ here.