Current Events > Has anyone quit their full time job to follow a passion?

(+) Yeah! (+)

I'd like to hear anyone's experience with leaving a well paying full time job to follow their dreams or do something else that makes them happy although they'll make less.

I'm in a situation where I've been working 2 jobs for almost 4 years and I'm burnt out. I plan on quitting my full time job next January and doing my part time full time while I pursue things that make me happy. I've been pretty miserable the last few years and I'm 30 ready to do something with my life. I'm financially stable with no debt and savings just not where I want to be in life mentally and professionally.

Anyone else on the same boat or experience?

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I quit a full time job that offered a pretty okay living for the area to go to school for Physics

Never once regretted it

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No but I did give up on one passion to work a shitty joby in hopes of another passion taking off.

Here I am.

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Quit mine two years ago to finish college.

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Yeah I quit a steady job to go into aviation. Then I got laid off a few months later LOL

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SaltyWet posted...

Yeah I quit a steady job to go into aviation. Then I got laid off a few months later LOL

Roflmao

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Yep I totally stepped away from a consumerism lifestyle and left the 9-5 about 10 years ago

I make 30k a year, live in a small town in the mountains, work my dream job, am married and own a small place, and take 2-3 months off a year. I spend most of every day outside and have a lot of friends and community. I can answer any questions you want, it's kind of a broad philosophy.

All I'll say as my main point is: it really is as easy as saving a little money and then just doing it

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i never got a job so i could pursue my passion, working out pretty okay thus far

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Colorahdo posted...

Yep I totally stepped away from a consumerism lifestyle and left the 9-5 about 10 years ago

I make 30k a year, live in a small town in the mountains, work my dream job, am married and own a small place, and take 2-3 months off a year. I spend most of every day outside and have a lot of friends and community. I can answer any questions you want, it's kind of a broad philosophy.

All I'll say as my main point is: it really is as easy as saving a little money and then just doing it

Is there a way to get into wildlife research without the relevant degree?

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Tag

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Nah but I often fantasize about quitting my job so that I can become a full-time alcoholic.
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tote_all posted...

I'm on a path to be a Radiologist or another high earning low stress medical specialty, but I'm still leaning towards Public healthcare even though I'll be poorer and more stressed.

Does that count?

What draws you to public healthcare?

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I hope to have enough saved up by in 10-15 years to retire and teach computer science as an instructor

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I quit being a gangbanger to raise a family

SaltyWet posted...

Is there a way to get into wildlife research without the relevant degree?

@SaltyWet
I don't work in that field but that's what I studied in college. There's no way I know of, no. All of my friends from college and my connections made there, and a couple uncles work in wildlife bio and they all have masters degrees. It doesn't have to be a "wildlife bio" degree though, could be natural resources, ecology, etc

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Does having crippling depression and quitting your job to play video games full time while your gf supports you financially count?

If so, then yes. And it was the dumbest shit ever and ruined my life. 0/10 do not recommend

Colorahdo posted...

@SaltyWet
I don't work in that field but that's what I studied in college. There's no way I know of, no. All of my friends from college and my connections made there, and a couple uncles work in wildlife bio and they all have masters degrees. It doesn't have to be a "wildlife bio" degree though, could be natural resources, ecology, etc

You can get two year associate degrees. The pay is low, but it's a step in the right direction.

Source: Forestry/Wildlife Management student

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Punitive posted...

Does having crippling depression and quitting your job to play video games full time while your gf supports you financially count?

If so, then yes. And it was the dumbest shit ever and ruined my life. 0/10 do not recommend

Lol was she okay with the arrangement?

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MrResetti posted...

No but I did give up on one passion to work a shitty joby in hopes of another passion taking off.

Here I am.

How's it working out?

I remember years back making a similar topic to this one and iirc you'd given some pretty sobering advice. At this point I can say what I wanted then didn't take off like I thought it would, but the path led to some other very valuable experiences and brought to the fore the things I really need to work on to get what I want.

At the end of the day TC, I think if things really aren't working out for you a change can be just what's needed and new experiences can be very worthwhile. Just be open to the idea things might not work out exactly how you expect, and that you'll have a whole new set of frustrations and challenges to deal with. At the end of the day though it's preferable to deal with those when you have something greater in mind than to struggle for something you can't relate to, imo

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Colorahdo posted...

Yep I totally stepped away from a consumerism lifestyle and left the 9-5 about 10 years ago

I make 30k a year, live in a small town in the mountains, work my dream job, am married and own a small place, and take 2-3 months off a year. I spend most of every day outside and have a lot of friends and community. I can answer any questions you want, it's kind of a broad philosophy.

All I'll say as my main point is: it really is as easy as saving a little money and then just doing it

I think it's the dream situation for a lot of people just make life simple. Either make just enough to sustain a passion on the side or find work that aligns with it. Live in a safe place and scrap unnecessary hassles.

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Balrog0 posted...

Lol was she okay with the arrangement?

Kinda not really lol. Brb, setting FB relationship status to "it's complicated."

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]


Nope :-)

...

*sobs hysterically*

KaZooo posted...

I think it's the dream situation for a lot of people just make life simple. Either make just enough to sustain a passion on the side or find work that aligns with it. Live in a safe place and scrap unnecessary hassles.

Yeah and I think a lot of people assume you are giving up the benefits of modern society, but that's not true. I post on ce, I have heat, I drive a car... You're "giving up" the things that a consumer society says you need: eating at restaurants, needing the latest car/phone/whatever, a big house with a yard and a garage filled with all the shit you forgot you had. Extra this, an extra one of those, a snowblower you use once a year, a bike you haven't ridden in ages...

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