When and how to leave your job
You will know when you’re done.
You will know it’s over.
You might not quit immediately.
But you’ll know that the end has arrived.
You’ll hear yourself thinking things like:
This is a waste of my time.
I don’t want to do this.
This doesn’t even matter.
I could be spending my time doing xyz…
You’ll also start to desperately crave time away.
You’ll want to heal your body.
You’ll long for time off.
You’ll fantasize about taking vacation, exercising, or doing pretty much anything other than working.
You might even start to scale back the amount of time and effort you give to your job.
Of course this is also when all of the guilt will start to rush in.
Guilt will sound like this:
”What are they even paying me for?”
”I feel bad leaving these people behind.”
”Shouldn’t I be grateful for this job? So many people would love to have it.”
”They’ve actually been pretty good to me over the years. Maybe I just need to suck it up.”
Some of these thoughts seem harmless (or even noble).
But I assure you that beneath the surface they are actually quite troubling.
Think of it this way…
Your company would lay you off in a heartbeat and not bat an eye.
They would justify it as a business decision – no hard feelings.
And prior to laying you off, they might even start divesting from your functional area or line of business.
So why don’t you treat your exit the same way?
Probably because you have some misguided sense of loyalty.
And I get it! You might truly value and respect your coworkers.
But you’re not leaving the relationships behind.
You’re leaving the machinery of the business, not the people.
Most organizations are designed to function with or without you.
Whether you stay or go, the company will carry on largely unchanged.
The larger the organization, the truer this is.
This is great news because it means the pressure is officially off.
You can leave guilt free.
If your job were a romantic relationship, the decision to leave might be easier to make.
Because it’s not fair to be in a relationship where you’re constantly expected to do more while being given very little in return.
Or where you’re expected to sit around receiving constant feedback and critiques.
Or where you’re overlooked for promotions that are ultimately given to office bullies, self promoters, and the boss’s favorites.
The equation just doesn’t work.
It can be a tough pill to swallow, but the truth is that your organization is not going to change.
It’s going to keep being the way it is.
In fact, it loves that you keep giving everything you’ve got with no expectations in return.
That equation works for them.
But it doesn’t work for YOU.
So it might be time to leave.
There are two ways to leave:
1- Cold Turkey - pull the plug and exit with no warning.
Most people don't’ consider this to be a viable option.
And depending upon your financial situation, it may not be.
But my experience is that a lot of folks are positioned well to simply leave, they’re just too afraid to do it.
2- Create a 3-6 month exit plan.
Start pulling away slowly form your job.
Go on a Whisper Campaign. (I’ve got a whole process / method you can follow)
Drum up opportunities.
Lay the foundation for what’s next.
Set the date to give your two weeks notice.
Then leave!
Now – an important caveat:
I’ve noticed that some of my clients who choose option 2 end up never leaving their jobs.
Instead, they develop a new relationship to work and learn to set better boundaries.
They find freedom within themselves which allows their job to feel less burdensome.
If this happens to you, it’s ok!
You don’t have to leave just because you said you would.
At the end of the day, it’s about your happiness, satisfaction, and fulfillment in life.
If you can find that without leaving your job, great.
But if you need to leave, make it happen.
Millions of people have successfully quit their jobs and landed new opportunities.
So why not you?
If you’re thinking about it and want to talk it through, send me a DM or an email.
I’d love to set up time to chat.
I’ve worked with hundreds of folks who’ve successfully navigated this journey.
I’ve also done it myself.
I’m happy to share all of the lessons learned so that you can make a smooth exit into something that’s more aligned with your values + the money you want to make.
Until next time.
Thanks For Reading!
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