Earlier this week on the drive home from work, I called my dad and told him that I absolutely hated my job and it was making miserable. I felt my stress levels going off the charts and I was already experiencing a relapse of my IBS (stomach problems) that were caused by the very first job I had. Most people probably think I’m nuts considering I spent the last 6 months looking for a job. Some might think I’m even more nuts for pushing publish on this post.
The reality is life is just too damn short to spend it doing something you can’t put your heart into. The Skool of Life is really hitting momentum and I’m in the process of working on several other projects that have the potential to provide me an excellent long term income. Rich Lazzara, who I’m pleased to have now as a friend and trusted advisor told me “You might take 2 steps backward, to take 20 steps forward.” The key really is putting your all into what you are doing. I realized by the end of the day that I wasn’t at all looking forward to my job, and I’m perfectly ok with going back to my parents house and spending time looking for something I really want do. It’s a big risk, but risk and reward go hand in hand.
Part of following your dreams is being willing to take a chance even if you know you might fail. Fear of failure is something we almost develop as a byproduct of the society we live in. The naysayers also seem to come out of the woodworks when you do things out of the ordinary. If you get fired from a job, you’re labeled “bad employee.” But a bad employee often makes a stellar entrepreneur. That being said, I still plan on continuing my search for a full time job, but focusing more on the areas I love, social media, creative stuff, writing, and things of that sort. The truth is I don’t want to be a salesperson and I don’t enjoy it. I love speaking, inspiring and motivating people, and hopefully by accomplishing my own dreams, I’ll be able to to inspire others to follow theirs. On the one hand it felt like a tough decision, on other other hand it was a no-brainer. As Morgan Freeman said in Shawshank “Some birds aren’t meant to be caged, their feathers are just too bright.”
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{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
Great post, Srinivas. I, for one, am glad you pushed publish on this one!
Hey congrats! Being a believer in entrepreneurship, It’s always good news for me when someone leaves a job. Especially if you don’t like it. I think that even though it involves some sacrifices, working go yourself, if you do it right, is the best way to go long term. I wish you the best of luck!
Eduard
Eduard: Thanks for the encouragement. I was actually quite surprised even by the reaction on my Facebook wall by the encouragement that people have given me on this post. My old roommate said I have a journey, and that I need to pursue that journey.
Yeah yeah, you don’t want to be a salesperson for somebody’s crap.
Sell your own crap.
Listening to Flash Callahan – “Do You Know The Truth” … seems strangely appropriate.
You know, I really WAS surprised to find out you left this job after your long search, but I’m really proud of you for it.
My husband left his corporate gig in July and, as the savings start to run out, he is very tempted to just go get another one of “those” jobs, the kind that will easily pay the bills, but totally waste his life. Instead, I try to encourage him to stay with what he is doing now, selling outdoor gear with a retail outfitter.
It seems crazy, really. He’s 40, with a wife (who doesn’t work) and a homeschooled son. His managers and co-workers are, for the most part, young and care-free. But the fact remains, he LOVES outdoor gear and outdoor adventures. That is what sets his soul on fire. When he goes to this job, he feels like he’s not working… he’s getting paid to play; he can’t WAIT to go back in. THAT is priceless.
We’ll have to come up with other ways to fill in the income gap, hopefully before our savings run out, but this… THIS is his thing. I know it will turn into much more for him because he LOVES it.
Life is too short to work a job you hate.
@Dave: I definitely just felt that selling something that I have no passion for was not the right decision.
@Lisis: Thanks for your encouraging words. I really wasn’t sure whether or not to post this. I’ve been really overwhelmed by how encouraging everybody has been in terms of encouraging my decision. I knew when I couldn’t bare another day in that role, something was seriously wrong. I have some pretty exciting things planned for the future of The Skool of Life and my own online ventures.
awesome post as usual..:)
All I’m going to say here is…
HELL.
YEAH.
Nothing is permanent. If you decide later that your new plans didn’t work out the way you expected, you can ALWAYS change course. That said, I have a feeling they will–you are really making big moves here, Srini, and I support you 100%!
Cheers!
Ash´s last blog ..When Being Professional Is Harmful
Awesome, seriously.
Hi Srini. Many people don’t like to admit or even talk about how much they dislike their job because of the many other people out there who are unemployed. I agree with Ash when she says that you can always change course, if your new plans don’t work out! I am inspired by your courage to even publish this post because I too feel the same way about my job. I think that you’re better off making sacrifices and looking for what you really enjoy than being miserable. I think you’re doing a great job already because I absolutely get a lot of inspiration by listening to all the interviews on Blogcast!
Susan´s last blog ..Small Breaks Are OK
Sri – Your post is an interesting tangent of “The Dark Side of Early Retirement” I wrote on my site a couple months ago. There seems to be a big movement to quit a job, if it’s not perfect.
I’m here to tell you NOT to go over to the dark side and retire from it all so early. There’s over 100 comments on the post, and I think you’ll find it quite insightful.
Best,
Sam
Financial Samurai´s last blog ..Three Keys To Motivation And It Has Little To Do With Money
Great post, and I can obviously relate a lot. I really did hate my job, and was pretty much hanging on for the sake of security, but you’re totally right…not worth it. This is really a blessing in disguise.
Candice´s last blog ..Being Laid Off is Apparently Blogging Goldmine
Candice,
The blessing part sometimes takes a while to show up, but once it does it’s the sweetest thing in the world and you’ll never look back. I think life is way too short to spend it doing something you hate.