Getting out of your comfort zone is the most difficult thing in the world to do. But then, the thing that I learnt early in my life (thanks to an advice from someone I respect a lot) was that the time to quit your job is before it starts to feel painful.
The worst time to quit is when the pain is the greatest, simply because decisions made during great pain are rarely good decisions.
So, sometime in 2010, I decided to quit my job just as I was starting to get comfortable in it. That comfort was leading me to stagnation, and thus pain. I quit in 2011.
That my spouse was strongly by my side – not just emotionally, but also rationally – was an important factor that helped me in my decision making. Our second child was on the way when I had decided to quit, but that acted more of an incentive than a deterrent to quitting my job. The thought of taking care of my kids, and seeing them grow every day, encouraged me to move fast in this decision.
Now, while it may seem like an easy decision in hindsight, quitting a comfortable, high-paying job isn’t a cakewalk or a subject of a dreamy life ahead. There are finances to be taken care of, fears of worst-case scenarios to be laid to rest, lifestyle to be readjusted, and survival plans to be made.
In my case, life was expected to be topsy-turvy over the next few months after quitting, and it turned out to be exactly that. The first six months were scary, especially because I had to break my addiction to a large monthly paycheque. Over that, there was not a single rupee of income for those early months, before it started trickling in.
Occasionally, I had nightmares of failing in my new work. But since I was working with no Plan B, and that I had burned my boats, there was no way but to forge ahead. And that I did. Maybe I got lucky.
Anyways, there have been multiple lessons I learned during that period from my experience in quitting my job and living a life my way. I would like to share these lessons with you, just in case you are sailing in the same boat as I was around eight years back –
- You don’t need to quit your job if you can work on your passion alongside.
- Quitting your job must be the last resort, or when you find the burden unbearable and abusive.
- Quitting a job and living a fulfilling life isn’t as easy as those who have done it would make out to be. Things get scary at times.
- Quitting your job will affect others in your life, so it’s critical that you have an honest conversation with your family first and get their buy into the decision.
- Learn an important and sellable skill before you quit your job to start on your own.
- Practice minimalism and lean living at least a year before you plan to quit your job. Instant compromises are heart-breaking!
- Save money to use as initial capital for your business, and then keep your expenses low. Don’t borrow money for your business till the time you aren’t generating cash.
- Don’t believe people who tell you – “How I quit my job, doubled my pay and cut my hours in half”…or something like this. They will not help you if you reach a point of no return.
You see, quitting your job isn’t the answer to all your problems. It’s not a decision to be taken lightly. But my doors and windows are open if you need any help and guidance in making this decision, in case you are looking to make one. I’d love to play the devil’s advocate.
As for my consultancy fee, it’s a cup of green tea and your promise to share the learning with someone needy in the future…again for just a cup of green tea. 🙂
This is another beautiful post, Vishal. Can’t thank you enough for this.
Now tell me, when can you meet me? The green tea is on me. 😂
Thank you, Anand!
Come over. 🙂
I Quit !
Best wishes, Jayant.
Taking the leap of faith as they say is the most difficult part before starting something of your own and that too when you are already earning a nice Living…. Nice post Vishal… Keep Inspiring…
Glad to know that, Harman. Thank you.
The words in this article come from your own deep experience and it shows in your writing. A very nice and thoughtful article Sir.
Thanks Mr. Subramanian!
Thanks Vishal for all ur blogs.
I am 3 year away from quitting job, but the reason is not to sail with my passion instead to live with my little family.
Mostly I ll come to u with a cup of green tea😄
You are welcome, Rajesh. 😊 Thank you.
hi
My family’s monthly expenses is around 40K a month then 1.5 crore amount is sufficient to take care my family needs in future.
my age is 38 and monthly take home as of today is around 70K.
After collecting 1.5 crore i want to quit my regular job.
Best wishes, Manish.
Vishal, You are just awesome.
I like to share my little story about you.
When I was baby stepping (and still I am ) to learning about stock market investments. I was stubble upon to one of your videos about How to read a balance sheet (1-3) I don’t know about you at that time I just searched in youtube and saw your video is an intense care for viewer to learn something about balance sheet. I bookmarked it.
After this two years when I looked back on my material I came across your video bookmark and saw the author of the video is Vishal Khandelwal I was shocked and I was very happy and I feel very great to myself that I am going in a correct path.
Link for the video
I like to Thank you for the wonderful work you are doing. Sorry if my grammar is wrong and if I am not able to frame the correct words to present my thanks.
I recommend viewers to watch this video.
Thank You Vishal!!
Thanks for your kind words, Saravanan. You have my best wishes!
Thanks Vishal, you are such an inspiration. Best line i ll take away is you dont need to quit the job if you can work on passion alongside. Thanks 🙂
Glad to know that. Thanks MS!
Sensible and practical advice (as always), Vishal. Been there done that long ago, and later, made a surprisingly not-so-easy decision to also go back to job scene with similar “don’t wait till it gets desperate” evaluation. Wife has taken similar decisions at different points. As you mention, discussing it out and seeking support helps a lot. One of the sober books that discusses this topic is called The Escape Manifesto.
Thanks RG! Happy to hear your story. Regards.
In my opinion, work done even on weekends should inspire you instead of being burden. Guess if Monday mornings start looking dreadful, it’s time to quit! . But of course with caution as you rightly mentioned that it has to be holistic including near future finances and family priorities.
Thanks a ton, Vishal!
As always, I wait to read your thoughts which resonate so well. After so many years of knowing you and got the inspiration to start practicing the points, you’ve mentioned preparing me and my family for a complete debt-free living before I attain financial independence.
Please do let me know when you’d be in Delhi NCR next and I would love to host you for a cup of your fav green tea and healthy snacks 🙂
Regards,
Gautam
Glad to hear from you, Gautam. Thanks for your kind words.
Sure, will let you know when I’m in Delhi next time. Regards.
You are a true inspiration. Always delighted and happy to read your notes.
Thank you, Gurjeev!
Hi Vishal,
It’s been great reading your articles n blogs with lots of value addition
I’m 41 yrs old and already have created corpus of 2.25 crs which is giving around 10% pa returns. My monthly expenses are 1.25 Lacs pm would like to know incase I can quit job in next 2 yrs n start my consulting business
Also would want to join personal session from you on selection of stocks n companies for long term
Thx
Regards
Amit Kumar
Hi Amit, sorry I don’t offer personal advice on this platform. But you may read these posts on quitting job, and decide accordingly – How I Quit My Job And Found Myself. Regards.
You had a great life experiences Vishal and whatever you have written here are so much true….Now I am also in that phase of my career where I am feeling stagnant and not happy with the corporate job that I am doing….thinking of quitting sometimes. I have been trying to figure out things which I really love doing and out of that Share market is one such thing but I am a novice in this area….What advice you would like to give me on this….thanks
Thanks Lalit. Being a full time stock market investor is not a good idea, except when you have a lot of experience and have done well in investing. In that case, you can manage other people’s money and earn your income. Here are two posts I wrote sometime back that may help you –
1. Want to Become a Full-Time Investor? Here’s Your Checklist
2. Why You Must Not Quit Your Job to Become a Full-Time Investor
Regards, Vishal
Thanks for thoughts straight from your heart. Apt for my current phase of life.