Summary

The article discusses the potential benefits of quitting a job, emphasizing the importance of overcoming information asymmetry and the fear of the unknown to discover new opportunities.

Abstract

The author, a former Chief Decision Scientist at Google, shares insights on why quitting a job can be a positive decision. The article highlights the concept of information asymmetry, which suggests that employed individuals may not be aware of all the opportunities available until they are open to exploring them. It advises readers to quit before reaching a point of inevitability, as waiting too long can lead to missed chances. The narrative includes personal experiences and anecdotes about the author and friends who have made courageous leaps into the unknown, only to find a wealth of opportunities awaiting them. The article also addresses impostor syndrome and advises that those who are genuinely valuable in their roles will likely find other good opportunities. It concludes by recommending the book "Quit" by Annie Duke and suggesting that quitting can be a strategic move for personal and professional growth.

Opinions

Quitting a job before it feels necessary can be strategically beneficial and open up a wider range of opportunities.
Information asymmetry while employed can prevent individuals from seeing the full spectrum of potential career paths and opportunities.
The fear of quitting without another job lined up is common, but it may be unwarranted as new opportunities often arise once availability is known.
Overcoming impostor syndrome is crucial when considering quitting, as it can distort the perception of one's worth and potential.
Quitting is not universally advised; it should be a calculated decision based on individual circumstances and job satisfaction.
There is value in leaving a job on good terms, as there may be opportunities to return if desired.
The article promotes the idea that quitting can be a positive step towards personal growth and should not be viewed as a failure.

Why quitting your job might be the best decision you’ve ever made

Advice for those who are afraid of leaping into the unknown

In my previous blog posts, I told you about how and why I quit my job as Google’s Chief Decision Scientist. This blog post is part 3, where I’ll get into how information asymmetry keeps us from quitting when we should.

A real exit sign with neon dice for luck— how fitting — captured by the author in New York.

It’s not the end of the world

Some of us are conditioned to believe that if we leave a job/relationship without another one lined up, it’s the absolute end of the world. I’m not in that camp myself, but I’ll admit that diving into the void takes courage no matter who you are.

The information asymmetry is real. You won’t find out all your options while you’re trapped in the daily grind.

I’m lucky that my friend, Jepson Taylor, jumped before I did and kept reminding me of the thing we all need to hear when we’re thinking of quitting: the information asymmetry is real. No one will tell you about most of the opportunities out there until you’re truly available to throw yourself into them. As long as you appear committed to your job, you simply won’t get to find out most of your options. When Jepson made his leap, the floodgates opened. He had no idea there were so many adventures available to him. I’m experiencing the same thing myself, now that I’m unaffiliated.

Most of us quit later than we ought to

By the time quitting is inevitable, you’ve probably waited too long. The strategic sweet spot is to quit before you really feel you want to. Before urgent circumstances shove you out of your comfort zone.

But while you’re in the bubble that is your stable life and stable job, you won’t know what’s out there. It’s easy to catastrophize: “What if no one wants me? What if there’s no job I could get? What if I’m going to be unemployed and eating ramen forever?”

And so you wait. And you wait. And then maybe one of the very few offers arrives that actually permeates your bubble. It’s not necessarily your best one, because you haven’t seen what’s out there. But you take it and you never get to find out.

By the time quitting is inevitable, you’ve probably waited too long.

Don’t say yes to everything

So, of course I was nervous in the weeks leading up to quitting. I owe all my friends and family a heartfelt apology — thank you for putting up with me in August. A big lesson for me is that no matter how much imagination we think we have, we pragmatists who tend to err on the side of caution usually underestimate the richness of opportunity out there for those who are open to it.

You’ll probably overdo it at first, stocking up on projects the way we all hoarded toilet paper in March 2020.

And when you do quit, you’ll probably overdo it at first. (That’s okay.) You’ll have no idea how much opportunity will come your way — thanks, information asymmetry! — so you’ll be tempted to say yes to everything, stocking up on projects the way we all hoarded toilet paper in March 2020. As if it’s the end of your career and not the beginning, until you’re overwhelmed with all the commitments you’ve made. Go slow and save your energy for the biggest opportunities worthy of you. There are plenty out there if you’re talented, so take a deep breath and don’t try to squirrel away the first projects that come your way, like nuts for a barren winter. Speaking of nuts, this is also solid dating advice for newly single people.

(Did I take my own advice? Not quite. But I’m getting there. I’m only human, after all, and all the adventures in my inbox are still mighty tempting. At least I fully expect to laugh at myself later.)

What if you’re an impostor?

Impostor syndrome makes it even harder to quit. (If you’d like to join me for a tangent where I ramble about impostor syndrome and one thing you can do to reduce the likelihood you’ll feel like one, hop over to this blog post.) Though talented people shouldn’t be terrified of quitting, impostor syndrome stacks more asymmetry on top of the information asymmetry problem you already have. If you already think you might not be good enough for your job, of course you’ll think that losing it is the end of the world. You’re convinced everyone will be onto you and you’ll never have as good of an opportunity. You will far underestimate what you’re worth. But what I suspect is that making the leap can be incredible for boosting your confidence in yourself.

It’s worth mentioning that I’m enough of a tactician (if not always tactful) to realize that this advice isn’t universal. I’m not saying that everyone should quit their job. If you’re a true impostor who snagged a job you have no business being in, I guess it makes game theoretic sense for you to cling to it like a camouflaged moth on tree bark until someone turns the light on.

You also shouldn’t quit a job you enjoy, where you’re respected and, if it’s as important to you as it is to me, still growing as a professional.

Value finds its place

But if you’re a really good worker in a good position that you deserve, chances are that there are many good opportunities out there for you. If you’re considering quitting, remember that the information asymmetry problem may mean that putting yourself out there isn’t as scary as it looks. You have value. Value finds its place.

And if opportunities don’t show up, your decision to leave is probably not irreversible. As long as you leave on good terms, most employers will take you back. Not to be cold and blunt about it, but it’s expensive to train a newbie employee and it’s so much cheaper to rehire someone who already knows the internal systems. They don’t tell you this explicitly because they don’t want you to go around quitting willy-nilly, but it’s the smart move for them to take you back and most of them aren’t stupid.

Another friend of mine, Annie Duke, wrote a book I heartily recommend called “Quit,” which was a lovely motivational read for me as I set out on my journey. It didn’t make me quit (I’d had that 10-year deadline all along) but it did lighten the load. I’m sure that there are a lot of people who would benefit from reading it if they perceive quitting as failure. It’s not a failure at all; quitting is how we grow.