I hung up the phone and knew exactly what I was going to do: Burn it to the ground.
6 months prior to that conversation with my dad, I was levitating between my entry-level corporate job and management. I was offered a 38% raise and a great title.
But thanks to incredible fatherly advice, I turned them down.
Why? To chase my dreams of building a business from the ground up and living a life free of a boss, a schedule and a salary.
My quitting story
In hindsight, that was the beginning of it all. My journey to ultimate freedom in time, money and mobility started with that conversation with my dad.
I remember hanging up the phone and feeling liberated. Like I had just grown a pair of wings and flown the coop. Unshackled from the cuffs of modern expectations and work culture.
So what’d he tell me?
“Jimmy, you’ve dreamed of this moment forever. You’ve always wanted to start your own company. I know you’re scared. I know you don’t know what’s on the other side of this decision. But they’re playing with your ego.
If you don’t leave now, you never will.”
He was right. If I accepted that promotion and remained with that company, I would’ve stayed in that limbo position for years. Permanently knowing that I’m destined for bigger, better, more aligned things.
But not reaching for them.
If I turned 30 and was still in Corporate America, I would’ve looked back on my 20s having not accomplished what I really wanted to accomplish – to build a foundation of freedom for the rest of my life.
Now? Just two years later, I can happily say I’m doing just that.
Since that call, I’ve …
- Gotten in the best shape of my life
- Lived in 5 countries in another continent
- Reduced my expenses to minuscule numbers
- Fallen in love with a girl who doesn’t even speak my native language
- Built my company to over $250,000 in revenue without hiring a single employee
And nope, I wouldn’t have done any of that if I stayed at my job.
So… that’s why I now teach young entrepreneurs about the importance of taking control of your life.
Your grandparents and parents are wrong about this …
The most risky thing you can do is stay in a job you hate, working for a boss and company you hate, all to come home at the end of the day to a life you hate.
Forget the idea that you have to scale the corporate ladder to make money. Toss the concept of living in a high-tax, low-culture community. Ditch the notion you have to live where you live to be happy.
Stop going through the motions. You deserve better – and you know it. All it takes is opting out.
Based on my own journey and countless mistakes I’ve made, here’s what I recommend you do to take control of your life, quit the job that enslaves you, and start living the life you’ve always imagined for yourself:
Step 1: Clarify your vision & goals
Breaking news: This life isn’t for everyone.
Do you have the discipline, the emotional strength, the responsibility to handle all the ups and downs?
I’m not perfect. I’m still working on myself. To better handle the downs. To celebrate the wins. I’m no saint.
But you have to have some semblance of personal responsibility and a goddamn interest before taking these steps.
Before you quit your job, articulate your vision. What do you want to accomplish in your life?
I read Donald Miller’s Hero on a Mission then went through his course (free and paid options). This book was straight-up life-changing.
With his help, I wrote my own obituary and worked backwards to understand what I truly wanted to do with my 75ish years left on this planet.
So step 1 is all about clarifying what you actually want to do. Again, this free life ain’t for everyone. Ask yourself these questions:
- Where would you like to live?
- What do you want to achieve in your career?
- Do you want to get married and raise a family?
- On whom would you most like to have an impact?
- How do you want people to remember you? What kind of legacy do you want to leave?
Once you have that ironed out, you can determine whether your current path serves your goals – or most likely, not.
Step 2: Create a plan
Before quitting your job, you should really have a plan in place.
My grade on this step: A fat F 🤣
I quit my job without any clients, any idea what I wanted to do and no plan for the future. Whoops.
I wouldn’t recommend putting yourself into that position.
Instead, map out the start of your business roughly 6 months before quitting your job. That gives you a little runway to …
- Understand what service or product you’ll create
- Find some clients willing to pay you
- Complete a few deals
If you’re more risk-averse like I am, I recommend this approach 100%. I was (am) lucky to have the safety net I do. No matter how much I f*ck up, my parents and family love me. And I could sleep on a couch at home if I really needed to.
Thank god it never got to that point. In fact I made $10k in my first month after quitting my job.
How?
Step 3: Develop your network
✏️ Note: Granted, I’m an extrovert and thrive in social situations. I understand if you’re not, this step can be a little tough. But nothing worthwhile comes easy, right?
Plant the seeds before harvesting them.
Your network is essentially a garden. You have to love your garden and tend to it before harvesting it. I know, cheesy. But true.
Before you need to lean on your network for opportunities, be friendly. Reach out cold. Ask how you can help. Genuinely care about the people you meet and the connections you make.
Time and time again, I’m reminded people are the most important asset you have. The stronger your network, the more opportunities will come your way.
But it’s not just a lever to pull. You have to give to your network what you can contribute.
Then when it comes time to start your business, you have …
- Compelling testimonials
- Potential clients in the pipeline
- Referrals willing to help you and your company grow
Find mentors and role models and learn all you can from them. Don’t let this be barrier to starting your company, but do it simultaneously.
There are so many wise entrepreneurs out there willing to help people like you and me avoid the mistakes they made.
Step 4: Take the leap
You’ve determined what you want to do in life. You’ve created a plan to achieve those goals – no matter how ambitious. And you’ve started to plant the seeds, grow your personal network and learn from others.
Now take the leap – Quit your job. (In reality, it should’t be that much of a leap. More of a calculated hop than a risky jump.)
But don’t say I didn’t warn you: Entrepreneurship requires discipline.
You don’t have a schedule. You don’t have a boss telling you what to do. You don’t have a salary to depend on.
For the first time in your life, your success depends entirely on you.
Map out what your day should look like.
Need more clients? That’s on you to reach out to them. Need to get more stuff done? Figure out when you’re most productive and block that time for deep work.
When things get tough (trust me, they will), believe in yourself and dig deeper.
If this is what you were meant to do, if free is what you were meant to be, then you’ll make it happen.
Things always seem to turn out well for the people who truly care. Don’t they?
That’s it. Follow these four steps to quitting your job and you’re golden:
- Clarify your vision & goals
- Set a plan
- Develop your network
- Take the leap
I didn’t just make this up. I lived it. And it helped me – especially as a risk-averse entrepreneur (yes, they exist) – be confident in my early decisions.
