Scores of people ask us how to quit their jobs. Much of the time it feels like they’re simply asking for our permission.
The truth is you don’t need our permission. Quitting your job is easy: simply walk into your boss’s office and yell, Screw you, I quit!
What happens after you quit is the hard part.
First, the simple questions surface: What will I do to make money? How am I going to pay my bills? How will I afford medical coverage? What if I fail? What do I do about the people who depend on me?
Eventually, the more difficult questions begin to peek there ugly little heads into the picture: How will I spend my newfound free time? How will I live a more meaningful life? How will I cope with this new sense of utter loneliness. What if this doesn’t work long-term? What will I tell people I “do” if I no longer have a title to give them. Will I die alone?
The most important questions, however, should be asked before you consider leaving your job: Am I living a lie? Why do I want to quit my job? What am I passionate about? What is my mission in life? Should I look for employment that is more in line with my passions and my mission? What would my ideal employer look like? Should I start my own business? Will the Cincinnati Bengals ever make it to the Super Bowl?
With the exception of that last question, these are better, more meaningful questions that get you to the root of why you want to quit your job in the first place: you are unhappy with your current circumstances.
Quitting your job isn’t the answer to all your problems, and it’s not a decision to be taken lightly. We wrote an entire chapter exploring the difference between a job, a career, and your mission in our book Minimalism: Live a Meaningful Life.
