Should I Quit My Job Now?

[Lauritz]

I have only been working at this job for about a year. I started working at this company because the job makes use of my mechanical engineering degree. Even though I knew that I did not want to work in this field before I started, I just wanted to give it a try before doing something unrelated to my degree. 

Now the job turned out to be meaningless and boring to me. I work in an industry I do not like and the work itself is not growing me personally. 

The only reason I consider staying with the job is financial freedom. In Four years I could be financially free and my investment would provide for a minimalistic lifestyle. After that I could pursue enlightenment for example more fully. 

I would like to quit now and then do my own thing. I already have an idea and know how to pursue it. It would give me a sense of purpose and motivation. But of course, first I have to make sacrifices. The income is much lower and I will move back into my parents house. It is big enough and i get along well with them. 

I guess no one can help me with my decision, but I just wanted to hear some of your opinions on the situation. Should I quit a meaningless, low consciousness job in order to grow myself and pursue what I know to be better for me and everyone around me, even though it is a more difficult way? For me the only true answer must be yes. 

But what is your opinion?

Edited June 26, 2017 by Lauritz

[puporing]

@Lauritz If you're in a bad money situation (like having debt), I would say stick it out until it's paid off.. But it doesn't sound like that is the case. I quit a job in my field of study (which I thought was my life purpose) mostly because the company I worked for was unethical, so what you would call low conscious job after I realized that. It was the best decision I've made and I wouldn't go back for the money (yes I'd rather work a lesser paid job), I would've quit earlier if not for my living situation. Now I am working on starting my own business. So I do think it's a trade off of your precious time. I think it's REALLY hard on you once you reach a certain level of consciousness to stay at such jobs, it's like living in-congruently with your values and it does hurt your self-esteem to not live truly to yourself. 

[Lauritz]

@puporing thank you so much for your reply. I would like to ask you a few more questions. As you seem to have been in a similar situation like i am. 

I have no debt and am actually already half way financially free. Meaning I can cover half of my expenses if I rent my own apartment. That is why I temporarily move to my parents. That way I have enough time to start my business without having to focus on making money. I can focus on developing a business based on what I think will bring people the highest value. I will have the time to study all the subject I need to be successful. 

 

So you say that you have also stopped using your degree in your job/work? 

It will be that way for me. Actually I think that a mentally difficult decision. To say that all the years of studying will pretty much not be put to use any longer. How difficult was this for you?

[puporing]

@Lauritz From a job/career perspective, I may no longer be directly applying my degree. But I think my business is related in many ways and a lot of my previous work experience will come in handy. I think starting your business you have to wear so many hats so I'm sure your experience in that field will be useful, if nothing else working at an organization did teach me about running a business and people. I think yeah it's not easy if you went to school for that specific kind of job, I definitely felt like a lot of my years could've been used somewhere else had I had those insights sooner. But that's perhaps what we have to go through in life to learn what we truly want. I think if I had a really cushy job right out of school it might've taken me longer to realize some things. We all change and it sounds like it's change for the better. It takes courage to pave your own path, but it'll be worth trying vs feeling like spending most of the day at work just for a paycheck. You could also think about the business more while you're still working, like doing some research on the side, and then take the plunge if that works better. Some people go part time first before taking the full plunge if you can negotiate something like that with the company. 

[Wouter]

@Lauritz I am curious what are your business plans?

[Lauritz]

1 hour ago, Wouter said:

@Lauritz I am curious what are your business plans?

I am thinking of setting up a permaculture farm nearby a city. So that people can come there, pick their own food and spend time in nature. It should be a kind of food forest where everything is edible. 

Of course many more subideas go into that but this is the basic idea. Get people out of the cities and back into nature in a meaningful way. People need to understand again that nature is not only that thing you look at on your hikes (for example) but that it is actually what we depend on for our life. 

Edited June 26, 2017 by Lauritz

[ajasatya]

@Lauritz i've been almost exactly where you've been (im a computer scientist though). i did quit the job and experienced other things. let's be honest here: finding a job is pretty easy if we're competent enough.

i thought about permaculture too but in the end i choose the yoga path. don't be afraid. if you have doubts about your life, think how it'd be like to know that you were going to die in 2 months from now.

[aurum]

18 hours ago, Lauritz said:

I have only been working at this job for about a year. I started working at this company because the job makes use of my mechanical engineering degree. Even though I knew that I did not want to work in this field before I started, I just wanted to give it a try before doing something unrelated to my degree. 

Now the job turned out to be meaningless and boring to me. I work in an industry I do not like and the work itself is not growing me personally. 

The only reason I consider staying with the job is financial freedom. In Four years I could be financially free and my investment would provide for a minimalistic lifestyle. After that I could pursue enlightenment for example more fully. 

I would like to quit now and then do my own thing. I already have an idea and know how to pursue it. It would give me a sense of purpose and motivation. But of course, first I have to make sacrifices. The income is much lower and I will move back into my parents house. It is big enough and i get along well with them. 

I guess no one can help me with my decision, but I just wanted to hear some of your opinions on the situation. Should I quit a meaningless, low consciousness job in order to grow myself and pursue what I know to be better for me and everyone around me, even though it is a more difficult way? For me the only true answer must be yes. 

But what is your opinion?

Keep in mind I'm speaking from the perspective of a dude who DID quit his job.

Basically, I've spent the last year and a half weaving through this maze of financial hell because of what I did. And while I don't regret it for a second, it has been one of the hardest things I've ever done. And I'm still not totally out, which is why I work like I've got a gun to my head.

I do think in general being strategic about a decision like quitting your job is a good idea. I certainly could have strategized better, and maybe it would have saved me a ton of stress. Maybe I'd be more successful now if I had I just been a little bit more patient and saved some money.

But here were the facts for me:

1) I could not stand doing what I was doing for one more second

2) I knew my life purpose was far more

3) I knew that if I didn't take the leap now, the fear-based rationalizations for not quitting would just get stronger and stronger.

4) I had a proven track record of being able to set a difficult goal and accomplish it

In the end, you really have to know yourself on this one. What kind of life does @Lauritz want? How much risk and stress can he handle? What does that inner intuition say?

From reading your post, it seems like you're leaning towards quit. So if that's the case, be as smart about it as possible because it's probably going to be 10x harder than you think either way.

 

[puporing]

4 hours ago, Lauritz said:

I am thinking of setting up a permaculture farm nearby a city. So that people can come there, pick their own food and spend time in nature. It should be a kind of food forest where everything is edible. 

Of course many more subideas go into that but this is the basic idea. Get people out of the cities and back into nature in a meaningful way. People need to understand again that nature is not only that thing you look at on your hikes (for example) but that it is actually what we depend on for our life. 

Hey I'm working on something similar too! Urban farms to be more exact. Glad there are like minds out there! I am in the middle of finding suitable land to farm right now. 

Edited June 27, 2017 by puporing

[Lauritz]

9 hours ago, Nichols Harvey said:

As a child did you lick the chocolate frosting off of the cookie before you eat the cookie?

(Serious question)

Good question and I think I cannot answer it anymore. But as long as I can remember I always leave the best parts of food for the end. 

 

 

 

[Lauritz]

@aurum thank you very much for your input. I think I am in an easier situation as my passiv income from investment could actually cover a rent-free lifestyle. Meaning all expenses except the rent for an apartment. And as I am going to life at my parents house again (at first), I think it will not be stressful at all until I generate income again.

but yes, I also think that I will actually be working more and especially physically harder than now. But I like work, if it fulfills a purpose for me. And that is something my current work lacks completely. So I dread almost every second of it. 

Yes I am going to quit this week. Because I have a three month leave notice, it will actually be end of September when I am done. 

[Lauritz]

10 hours ago, ajasatya said:

@Lauritz i've been almost exactly where you've been (im a computer scientist though). i did quit the job and experienced other things. let's be honest here: finding a job is pretty easy if we're competent enough.

i thought about permaculture too but in the end i choose the yoga path. don't be afraid. if you have doubts about your life, think how it'd be like to know that you were going to die in 2 months from now.

Yes, finding a job can be a lot of work, but in the end it should be possible to find something. 

My primary goal at first will also be Yoga. I want to become enlightened of course  I am especially interested in dream Yoga. Which actually require more conscious effort during the day time practice than one might think. 

How do you choose the Yoga path as a source to provide for your needs? You are a teacher? I could see myself becoming that (part time) as well. But it would require years of practicing on my side first. 

[ajasatya]

7 hours ago, Lauritz said:

How do you choose the Yoga path as a source to provide for your needs? You are a teacher? I could see myself becoming that (part time) as well. But it would require years of practicing on my side first.

during my last 2 years i've performed a lot of different yoga practices:

• kundalini yoga
• hatha yoga
• raja yoga
• bakti yoga

and this is how i've been shaping my life:

• i practice kundalini yoga everytime i have the chance in some open event
• i practice bakti yoga mainly in my spare time. the mahamantra melts my heart very easily.
• my practice of raja yoga is equivalent to my zen practice (zazen), which i perform every monday
• hatha yoga is the one that requires true mastery for me, so i am preparing my body to become a teacher. the process involves a lot of physical pain because i am healing my shortened muscles slowly. i am already 28 so it takes quite a while. hatha yoga also involves deep knowledge of human anatomy so i have to read and practice a lot to test things in me before i can teach. when i feel like i'm ready for an yoga teaching course, i'll do it.

but this is not my main income. recently i've entered a masters degree in computer science and i'm working towards becoming an university teacher. i'll be a professor with perfect health.

these are my aims:

• becoming a zen master
• becoming an yoga teacher
• becoming a professor

here a cool video i found yesterday.

Edited June 27, 2017 by ajasatya

[Lauritz]

I just took a leap of faith and quit my job today. But I have three month leave notice. So it's three more month. 

That in and of itself was very revealing. Many fears came up and it showed me how easily one can become comfortable with a stable income. That will keep many people in jobs they do not find ultimately fulfilling. It almost would have kept me sucked in. 

I feel generally good about the decision. Although I now have to face many uncertainties.  It i am sure it will grow me much more than if I would have stayed. 

I am glad I could stay true to my values and did let money blind me. 

Edited June 28, 2017 by Lauritz

[krazzer]

@Lauritz my situation was quite similar, and I took the jump. This was 7 months ago and everything worked out great. I earn half of what I did before. But I feel much more in tune with myself.

It's also been the best thing ever for my personal growth.

Glad to hear you also took the jump.

[Lauritz]

@krazzer I would be interested to hear more. What are you doing now? 

Did you find another job or are you self employed?

yes and now I have three more month at this job? This feels unbearable long. 

[krazzer]

I was lucky to have only have a one month leave notice. 3 months is indeed a long time.

I do webdevelopment, and I was working for the largest tech site of my country (so lots of ego there). The guy who started the company back in 1998 was very passionate about what he did but he sold the company a few years ago and now works there as a designer. All the passion from the company is lost and the people running the company now only care about the money. This has all happened before I got to work there but that's my perception  of it.

Being into personal development a long time needless to say I hated it there. I've grown my programming skills there so that's a good thing but after that it was just a grind.

I wanted to get back at what I did before. Building websites and web applications for small to middle sized companies, using the latest technologies available and keep improving myself. I already had some clients so I had something to build upon.

Just like you I was working towards financial freedom. 3 more years and I would have gotten it. But hell I didn't want to wait 3 more years!

So I quit my job last december. Officially being self employed since the start of this year. I'm having a really though time finding new clients, but so far I earn enough to be able to pay the bills.

I earned twice as much at my job but life ain't about money it's about fulfillment. I keep remembering this to myself because society screams otherwise at me.

[Jordan wang]

@Lauritz You already know the answer, It is a YES!!!!

as an engineer you should be creating products that you are passionate about and build a company around that product.

At least that is what I'm going to do.

Jordan wang

[mia_lea]

@LauritzLife is too short to sit long hours in the job you do not like. Make a reasonable decision. Whatever you decide it is good

Listen to your intuition.

[mp22]

On 26/06/2017 at 9:25 PM, ajasatya said:

@Lauritz i've been almost exactly where you've been (im a computer scientist though). i did quit the job and experienced other things. let's be honest here: finding a job is pretty easy if we're competent enough.

i thought about permaculture too but in the end i choose the yoga path. don't be afraid. if you have doubts about your life, think how it'd be like to know that you were going to die in 2 months from now.

Finding a job is pretty easy if you're computer scientist or an engineer. However for social sciences people its actually quite difficult. I have managed to find a well paying job in this field and I have contemplated quitting in order to pursue self-actualization, spirituality but what keeps me here is FEAR of not being able to find other work and support my family. I also like what Im doing but it is keeping me from doing more work on myself. End of rant :-)