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Abstract

oys for a living. Most of us strive to be in that position and would gladly trade 15 minutes of embarrassment for it.If you’re prone to making hasty decisions like me, here are some tips to get you back on your feet.<h2 id="49c8">It’s Not The End Of The World</h2>You’ll be amazed at how quickly you adapt and adjust to new situations. We get desensitized quickly which in this case is a blessing.There will be times when you question if this was the right move, but reminding yourself of why you want to be more than a cog in a wheel will help overcome self-doubt.Quitting a job that negatively affects your health and relationships is a long term investment.And even if you don’t have a solid plan yet, listing your interests is a great start.<h2 id="e51e">Test and Learn</h2>If your job was what kept you from exploring your interests, now is a perfect time to start experimenting.You might be surprised to find that past interests have changed or evolved. You can use this to your advantage. It frees you from tunnel vision.Think of this brainstorming time as a funnel, wide at the top with uncensored ideas then gradually narrowing your focus.As long as you keep the attitude of a learner, you won’t get deterred.<h2 id="4f64">Living Below Your Means Is Not A Theoretical Concept</h2>Living as a starving artist isn’t sustainable. It took me five months of burning through my savings before I picked up a couple of part-time jobs to pay the bills.All of us on Medium have a surplus whether it’s in time, ideas, or energy which you can practice tapping into.Living frugally doesn’t mean you have to be cheap. It doesn’t mean a lower standard of living.<p id

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="47b3">It certainly isn’t a cakewalk either. Not at first. Not if you’re accustomed to maintaining a certain lifestyle.The repetition of placing more thought into the things you add to your life helps you assess what’s meaningful versus what’s extraneous.<h2 id="0f42">Time And Energy Are On Your Side</h2>Can we agree that the days of a company security blanket are numbered? Learning how to think for ourselves and be resourceful will become the new normal.Mastering useful skills will make you highly sought after and indispensable.By useful skills, I mean skills that serve a purpose and something you enjoy. For me, that’s incorporating more reading, writing, and education.We all know that the ubiquitous phrase “I don’t have time” is just euphemism for “it’s not a priority.”The issue of not enough time goes away and a new challenge of creating a productive timetable around your biorhythm appears. Think of all the time saved on commuting alone!You’ll also notice that putting energy into your craft is a non-issue. Your desire to get better will keep you going.While there isn’t a magic formula for overnight success, the incremental progress you make week to week will free you from self-limiting beliefs.Change is uncomfortable. We resist it but ultimately we get used to it.We fall and get back up. We make mistakes and we learn. Even bloopers that are live on through internet lore become old news. While I would never recommend impulsively quitting a job, how fulfilled can you be if you’re thinking that you’re meant for more?Follow your curiosity. Build useful skills you can master. Develop them into a passion and you’ll see confidence soar.</article></body>

What It’s Like to Quit Your 9–5

Tip#1: It’s not the end of the world

Boneheaded plays and sports bloopers. They go hand in hand. Comedic blunders paired with silly sound effects to give us a cheap laugh. In case you missed it in real-time, the internet will get you caught up from all angles with captions and commentary.

One vivid memory that comes to mind is when J.R. Smith dribbled out the clock unaware of the score in Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals. While his momentary yet monumental brain glitch may have cost the Cavs Game 1 and the chance to steal home-court advantage, he succeeded in unintentionally entertaining millions of sports fans with countless memes.

I’m sure he’s learned a great deal since then. We’ve all made mistakes. Luckily the ones we make only affect us and aren’t scrutinized through the lens of a worldwide stage.

I wish I could say it was a string of bad days or a disastrous event that forced my hand to quit my 9–5. It was quite the opposite. One banal day in June, without an exit strategy, I resigned.

Dumb.

Retrospect has a way of clearly pointing out our mistakes. But sometimes these missteps are opportunities in disguise.

Even though J.R.’s career is marred with an asterisk in his legacy, ultimately he gets to do what he enjoys for a living. Most of us strive to be in that position and would gladly trade 15 minutes of embarrassment for it.

If you’re prone to making hasty decisions like me, here are some tips to get you back on your feet.

It’s Not The End Of The World

You’ll be amazed at how quickly you adapt and adjust to new situations. We get desensitized quickly which in this case is a blessing.

There will be times when you question if this was the right move, but reminding yourself of why you want to be more than a cog in a wheel will help overcome self-doubt.

Quitting a job that negatively affects your health and relationships is a long term investment.

And even if you don’t have a solid plan yet, listing your interests is a great start.

Test and Learn

If your job was what kept you from exploring your interests, now is a perfect time to start experimenting.

You might be surprised to find that past interests have changed or evolved. You can use this to your advantage. It frees you from tunnel vision.

Think of this brainstorming time as a funnel, wide at the top with uncensored ideas then gradually narrowing your focus.

As long as you keep the attitude of a learner, you won’t get deterred.

Living Below Your Means Is Not A Theoretical Concept

Living as a starving artist isn’t sustainable. It took me five months of burning through my savings before I picked up a couple of part-time jobs to pay the bills.

All of us on Medium have a surplus whether it’s in time, ideas, or energy which you can practice tapping into.

Living frugally doesn’t mean you have to be cheap. It doesn’t mean a lower standard of living.

It certainly isn’t a cakewalk either. Not at first. Not if you’re accustomed to maintaining a certain lifestyle.

The repetition of placing more thought into the things you add to your life helps you assess what’s meaningful versus what’s extraneous.

Time And Energy Are On Your Side

Can we agree that the days of a company security blanket are numbered? Learning how to think for ourselves and be resourceful will become the new normal.

Mastering useful skills will make you highly sought after and indispensable.

By useful skills, I mean skills that serve a purpose and something you enjoy. For me, that’s incorporating more reading, writing, and education.

We all know that the ubiquitous phrase “I don’t have time” is just euphemism for “it’s not a priority.”

The issue of not enough time goes away and a new challenge of creating a productive timetable around your biorhythm appears. Think of all the time saved on commuting alone!

You’ll also notice that putting energy into your craft is a non-issue. Your desire to get better will keep you going.

While there isn’t a magic formula for overnight success, the incremental progress you make week to week will free you from self-limiting beliefs.

Change is uncomfortable. We resist it but ultimately we get used to it.

We fall and get back up. We make mistakes and we learn. Even bloopers that are live on through internet lore become old news. While I would never recommend impulsively quitting a job, how fulfilled can you be if you’re thinking that you’re meant for more?

Follow your curiosity. Build useful skills you can master. Develop them into a passion and you’ll see confidence soar.