No goal set, but already quit job... oops

[Stormcaller]

I just finished reading a thread about a guy who didn’t like his job and wondered if he should quit. And everyone unanimously agreed he should get out because “life is too short” etc. cliché etc.

I’m just wondering if there’s anyone out there who has quit a “stable, decent paying job” because they didn’t like it and went on to actually find what they felt they were missing in the other “stable” job.
How many have failed? I don’t mean to be negative here, but I need to know because I’d like to know why those attempts failed and try to avoid them.

I finally had the courage to say enough is enough concerning my job. I had a feeling that I just HAD to do it, regardless of how stupid the idea sounded to my brain.

It was a VERY well paying job, but I was deeply unhappy with the lifestyle it allowed. It was stressful shift work and tough on my mental and physical health. I was working long hours and literally living at work (like actually truly living and sleeping at work).

I felt that by continuing my job, I was actually missing out on something much better. PROBLEM is: I still don’t know what that better is.

Did I set myself up for failure quitting my job without a concrete plan, or could it be that since I’m so exhausted from that work I am low on inspiration?

Hopefully I’ll soon be able to think clearer.

Any advice on what a good plan is now?

[Gene]

Originally Posted by Stormcaller

I just finished reading a thread about a guy who didn’t like his job and wondered if he should quit. And everyone unanimously agreed he should get out because “life is too short” etc. cliché etc.


Any advice on what a good plan is now?

I think you must decide for yourself whether this was a good choice or was not a good choice. I do believe if you learn from this experience and utilize that experience later to make better decisions it can be a positive experience for you.

One of my mentors would counsel me that sometimes I must close one door before another door will open for me.

I hope the door of your hearts true desire opens and that you have the clarity to recognize the door and the courage to walk through that door.

[Stormcaller]

Gene, thank you for your reply.

At the time I thought I did the right thing, and now doubt has come back as my brain has started to protest (it's funny how my brain and my feelings seem to be at odds all the time). Anyway once in a blue mood my "feelings" won the fight, and now my brain has come back with another army sort of speak.

I think you are right about closing a door before another opens. At least that's how I felt at the time I made the decision.
We are taught that in order to properly plan we should have a full backup plan in place at all times. But what do you do when you are too exhausted to add any more tasks to the multitude of tasks already at hand? That's why I closed the door on that one. It was like the draft from that open door was creating a vacuum and sucking all the doors on the other side right into their frames. Well I guess I really just jumped into ocean on this one, I'll either sink or swim.

[juicemcnewton]

I think quitting your job with no plan is a HUGE mistake. Although I didn't quit, I lost my job (twice) with of course no backup plan and minimal savings, and it wasn't very fun.

I would like to say it's a good idea if you have savings, but even then if you have no plan with what to do.. No second job lined up or some kind of business concept. I don't know, I think it's a bad idea.

[theknightwhosaysni-NI]

I think it's a wise decision to have quited your job if you weren't happy about it.

I am pretty sure the exhaustion you are describing is part of the explanation why you're low on inspiration. If I was living at my job I know I would not be able to make plans for my life. Human beings need some time to be alone and think and get back their energy. That's normal.

What I would say is : Take a few weeks for you, in an environment and with people you like that make you feel good. (That's what I would personnally like to do if I were in your situation, so that's just my point of view). Then you'll feel the urge to do something and inspiration will come.

I am happy for you that you took that decision.

[InterfaceLeader]

I've quit three jobs over the course of my life, with no goal or plan in place. One (a call-center) led to me going to America for six months, meeting the love of my life, and getting engaged

The second (McDonalds) gave me the space to work on some hobbies, such as websites, that in turn got me headhunted for a job I really really like.

Those two experiences were great. The first job I quit though (as a waitress) left me broke, rapidly sinking into a cycle of debt, and with no prospects of getting out - and ended up with me desperately grabbing the first job that came along that would take me, which was even worse than the one I had quit.

So basically it depends partly on your luck, and partly on what you decide to do with your free time, and partly on how much you have saved up.

[Katharina77]

Hi there, Stormcaller,

I have a habit of quitting my jobs without a plan, so I think I know what you're going through

I don't agree with theknightwhosaysni-NI, that it was a wise decision. On the other hand I completely agree with all the rest he says

I hope you have some savings; if you do - take a whole month off and do only the things that feel good. Spend time with people who like you. Don't think about the future, don't try to come up with a plan (you will do this in a month). For now just live and do whatever feels good.

Your job for the next month should be to figure out what you're passionate about. And once you know what you're passionate about, you will find a way to make a living out of it. You will!

No one should stay in a job they hate. It's soul killing and just wrong.

All the best
Katharina

[Shelley Kerekanich]

We applaud you for having the courage to take the step that you did in leaving your job. It sounds like you were burning out from the long hours and the stress it created in your life. You should take this time ahead of you to reflect on what is most important to you and what motivates and drives you most. What is your true passion?

We recently made the decision to leave our jobs as well. We both have steady, reliable, good paying jobs, but it just isn't enough! It doesn't seem worth it. For us, our true passion is helping others, and like you, want more time to spend with family and friends doing the things we enjoy most. Our current and past jobs did not create this for us. So we went after what we wanted. We now own and operate our own business and are living inspired lives!

Before you make a decision on what you want to do, really think about what will make you happy. The best job is doing something you love and enjoy. Whatever you end up pursuing, follow your dreams!

[coollikeme]

freedom. Now you need to find out. What you love to do, and make money doing it.

[lizthefair]

I think there is a big difference between quitting your job and losing your job. When you quit, you have taken active action to change your path, and acting, rather than being acted upon, almost always leads to greater happiness (some research suggests that the difference between happy and unhappy people has more to do with their control over their lives than it does with the actual circumstances, but that's another post).

As for what to do now, try to stay in that place of control--reflect on your own best future and do what you need to get there. What gets tricky is that you will have to balance your future and abiding happiness on one hand, with the fear about where the next dime is coming from on the other--and it is a balance so you can go too far in either direction on that one.

Once you start listening to yourself and being open to new ideas, my bet is they will come to you.

Good luck!

[Jason S]

Stormcaller, I wouldn't waste another minute looking backwards. Quit, fired, good idea, bad idea... it's all irrelevant. You're out of the job, and you need to find what's next, presumably *fast*. What's done is done. It's over. Move on.

I think you need to couple your soul searching with some down-and-dirty action. A body in motion tends to stay in motion, and a body at rest tends to stay at rest... Newton's second law of thermodynamics seems to apply to human beings as well as physical objects, so MOVE. Don't worry so much about the plan as getting out there and interacting with people, trying things, and getting in front of people/situations that will help you figure out that next step as quickly as possible. The plan will reveal itself as you go--it's like Geoffery Rush's line from *Shakespeare in Love*: "It will turn out well in the end [How will it?] I don't know. It's a mystery." Trust in it, but don't wait for it: luck favors the prepared...

So get out of your head and get into the world. Spending too much time (and by "too much time," I really mean "any time") second guessing yourself will cause you to freeze, and that'd be bad.

Good luck!