Full Job - Half Job

[AttractIt]

Hi folks,

I would like to hear your opinion regarding this 2 theories:

1) Keep your full time job (even if you don't like it) and start (on your spare time)
to develop the job (opportunity) you really want

2) Work full time on the job (opportunity) you want, and keep on half or even less a job that bring you some money.

Now, I know you don't have to be very smart to say, well of course pick option 1, BUT, people intend to struglle when they make a change, or starting to go after their heart, and eventually it's seems not easy in any case.

What will be faster to achieve your goals?
It's not only economic here, we're dealing also with desires, feelings, and wantings.

I appreciate your opinion,

[EnduranceNinja]

You know one mistake I feel I have done in the past is work full-time at a job I did not enjoy. You get use to the extra money from being full time and the thought of cutting to part-time is difficult. It took me a long time to get the nerves to cut back to part-time.

It has been about three months since cutting back and I still worry about if it was a good idea. But I know I am right cutting to part-time. In the long run I will be happy and use to the less money.

If your job is slowing you down towards your real dreams cut back. Or if it is an option quit. For me I felt I needed my job due to the health benefits that I need and use.

Good luck in your descission.

[sbdiane]

I think procrastination expands to fill the empty spaces in your days. So option 2 may or may not actually give you more time. However, option 2 may give you more practical experience if you can swing a part time job that has something you can learn to serve you in your new outside interest.

[dannielo]

You have to take many things into account, your age, family to support, etc.

But my personal opinion is that Paul Graham is right:

A Half-Hearted Effort

The failed startups you hear most about are the spectactular flameouts. Those are actually the elite of failures. The most common type is not the one that makes spectacular mistakes, but the one that doesn't do much of anything—the one we never even hear about, because it was some project a couple guys started on the side while working on their day jobs, but which never got anywhere and was gradually abandoned.

Statistically, if you want to avoid failure, it would seem like the most important thing is to quit your day job. Most founders of failed startups don't quit their day jobs, and most founders of successful ones do.

Does that mean you should quit your day job? Not necessarily. I'm guessing here, but I'd guess that many of these would-be founders may not have the kind of determination it takes to start a company, and that in the back of their minds, they know it. The reason they don't invest more time in their startup is that they know it's a bad investment.

If that's true, most startups that could succeed fail because the founders don't devote their whole efforts to them. That certainly accords with what I see out in the world. Most startups fail because they don't make something people want, and the reason most don't is that they don't try hard enough.

In other words, starting startups is just like everything else. The biggest mistake you can make is not to try hard enough.

[AttractIt]

thanks a lot for the answers, folks, they really gave me more perspective.

Although we are really rational people, it's amazing how big important decisions in our lives, we take from the heart, isn't it?

I can really identify with paul graham, because one of the keys to success is to walk till the end with something we like, want or need.

Very interesting.