This article is a chapter from one of my upcoming books. If you’re interested in paying what you want (from just $1) for the series of books I will be publishing in the coming months, join the Leaving Work Behind Book Club!
You almost certainly cannot quit your job tomorrow without some repercussions. You’re probably not there yet. And that is why you need to come to terms with your job before you do anything else.
The first step is to understand that your job is temporary. It is a means to an end. You may currently need the benefits that your employment contract offers – medical insurance, paid maternity leave, a pension – but those needs will not be permanent. A job is a safety net that allows you to get in a position where it is no longer needed. If you cannot bring yourself to like it, appreciate it for that fact.
Even if you absolutely hate your job, considering it as a placeholder position rather than a terminal illness can make all the difference to your attitude.
Believe it or not, your job gives you freedom. It enables you to work on your fledgling online business without fear of failure, because failure will not mean that the bills will go unpaid. It enables you to create a vicarious business, free of the concerns that cloud many entrepreneurs’ minds. Remember that whenever you feel negatively about your work.
One of your immediate goals will be to quit your job, but that is only one piece of a much larger puzzle. If you do not conduct yourself appropriately you may find the perceived nightmare that is your job hides much bigger monsters when you finally quit.
Leaving work behind isn’t just about quitting your job – it’s about building a life that allows you the freedom you desire. If by quitting your job you are jumping from the frying pan into the fire, you have not really taken a step closer to your goals. You may have taken a step away.
Ultimately, your job is a factor that must be taken into consideration. You may be indifferent towards it, you may dislike it, or you may even hate it. But it is a part of your life – not forever, but for the time being. It provides you with a relative level of security and enables you to work on your fledgling business without fear of the possible repercussions.
Learn to appreciate your job for the above reasons and you will benefit from a more productive outlook.
Photo Credit: Steven Depolo
Excellent points Tom! By making them you are helping discouraged workers to have a more positive view of that job that they may be resenting every minute of the day. Many times in life our attitude makes all the difference!
Fran
I’d say just about everything in life is driven by our attitude Fran!
Tom
How true.Think of your job as the fastest and most reliable vehicle you can use to get to your ultimate destination. It’s an essential tool you need to build the life you want. When you no longer need it, set it aside. But until then, keep it in good working order. you don’t have to, but you should choose to. It makes the journey that much more enjoyable.
Hey Scott,
One of the issues is that people think that quitting your job is the destination, but it’s not. We don’t live in a black and white world where being in a job is awful and owning your own business is awesome. There’s a wide spectrum that these different circumstances exist on.
Once someone understands that improving your life is something that is shaped on a daily basis, not just through discrete events, their attitude towards their daily life seems to improve. I know mine did!
Cheers,
Tom
This is all so spot on Tom.
Lately the hate towards my job has definitely been increasing (the intelligence of our management is not helping to say the least) but you put it best by saying “it’s temporary” and “a means to an end”.
The truth is with a mortgage, I do need to create that 6 month savings buffer and ideally 2 long-term clients minimum before taking that leap – it’s amazing though how quickly you can forget all this when you have a bad day and the instant resignation looks that much more desirable haha!
Cheers Tom!
No problem Jackson!
Hmm… Firefox can’t find the server at forms.aweber.com
I’ll try and join the Book Club tomorrow, Tom! 🙂
That doesn’t sound good! Let me know if you’re still having problems and I’ll add you manually 🙂
Needed that reminder! Thank you!
You’re welcome Shannon 🙂
This is so true! I’m rejoining the workforce after realizing that I needed to fold my fledgling freelance business after 4 months as my life plans have changed drastically from when I quit my 8to5. I’ll be one of many folks signing up for an 8to5 because of the benefits. However, this time I know the job is only a means to an end and everything I do in the interim will be a step forward to relaunching my own business someday. Keep the faith!
BTW Tom, I too get an error message when I select your Book Club using Firefox.
Best of luck with your new job BJ, and getting back out of it again 😉
Nice post Tom. The link isn’t a Firefox issue, it’s a link issue (i.e. happens in multiple browsers). For some reason the page is no longer there (404 error). Maybe you need to recreate the link (do Aweber links expire?).
I have no idea…it’s working perfectly well for me!
SO true… It may seem like it sucks to have a ‘job’ and then what you really want to build, but your job does give you freedom to get your ‘thing’ off the ground. Great post!
Thanks Jo!
I’m affraid to do that
But thanks it seems really helpful to get me in !
Thanks for the advices given !
I think to seriously quit my job and rest in peace now
My pleasure 🙂