I quit my job last year after nearly a decade of thinking it was just impossible. I was absolutely terrified of losing my steady income. But having done it, I realized the option had been open to me the whole time, and I learned that even before I replaced my income! My lifestyle has been so much better, I am happier and my partner tells me I complain way less. It’s a win all around, and I just can’t believe I didn’t do it sooner.  

And, it didn’t happen in a day. I probably over-prepared, but there are some things that you can do to make the transition smoother and more successful. 

Discover What You Want to Do Next

A lot of this advice will be coming from the book “Designing your Life” by Bill Barnet and Dave Evans. I started teaching this book to my students in my career class a couple of years ago and it has transformed the way I think about getting a job. 

Their method breaks down into four steps: 1) get curious 2) talk to people 3) try stuff, and 4) tell your story. 

Get Curious

Spend time noticing when something fascinates you. As you develop that sensitivity to interests you didn’t realize you had, you can move closer to the types of things you might like to do. I had not considered becoming a web developer earlier in my career search. I only learned that I liked it after trying lots of other things. It was a total surprise. The real shift comes from taking your own interests seriously. Even and especially the ones you don’t realize you have, or you think you probably shouldn’t have. Become aware of areas of your personality that are under-explored and move towards them. See what happens! 

Talk to People

The easiest way to get out of your head and make your dreams a reality is to talk with people. It can be daunting, but for the most part, people are incredibly generous with their time when someone shows interest in their lives. And nearly every conversation I had led to another conversation. 

Try Stuff

It is hard to know if you are going to like something, or it is going to work for you if you don’t get some actual experience with it. And you don’t want to start by doing something that has to succeed or else! Trying a new idea in small bits makes the task much less daunting and makes it more likely that you will actually do it. Follow the dictum “Set the bar low and clear it!” Repeat often. If a particular step in your process is too overwhelming, break it down into smaller steps until you get to a step small enough that you can definitely do it. Take blogging for example. Sometimes I get overwhelmed by the prospect of writing 1200 words a couple of times a week. I might not be able to do that easily yet, but I can open a Google doc! I can add a title to it! Set the bar low and clear it. It just keeps snowballing until you aren’t talking about doing the thing, or trying doing the thing anymore, you’re just doing it. 

Finances

All the good ideas in the world are not very helpful if you don’t have the resources to make it happen. This was also huge for me. I was never a huge earner and budgeting was massively stress inducing. I was terrified to look at my bank statements. It was just too overwhelming. Then I read the book “The Art of Money” by Bari Tessler and it changed my life. I took her year-long course that begins with assessing your money issues, continues by helping you get clear on your money present, and finally learning how to develop money goals. After years of burying my head in the sand, I was finally able to write all my finances down on a single sheet of paper. I started using YNAB for my budget and I was going to therapy to work through some of the larger issues. 

Thinking Outside of Your Box

In order to move forward, you might have to be willing to give up things that are no longer supporting the life you want to live. 

It might look like selling your house and moving back in with your parents. It might look like taking a day job that doesn’t pay much, but takes less of your time and energy. It might feel like moving backwards, but in order to make big changes you need to break yourself out of your tracks. That might mean making big changes in your life, some of which might feel uncomfortable. And maybe not! But be open to the possibilities and believe in the future it is making possible for you. 

People are quitting their jobs in droves right now. Be inspired! There has never been a better time to chuck your soul crushing job and find a better way. 

And if you need a website for your new venture, we are here to help! Check out our insanely affordable career change package here!