Seriously Though, Quitting Your Job To Travel?
Posted: December 17th, 2009 | Author: Shawn | Filed under: blah blah blah | 11 Comments »
If you’ve spent even one lunch hour at your desk googling up the idea of quitting your job to travel around the world, then you’re familiar with the heap of anonymous internet people who love to tell you to quit. Most of them sound pretty convincing too. Except the ones that use the term, “free spirit” too often, they just sound like twats. They all love to charm you with tales of how they’ve never felt so alive. The saucier ones will even use clever analogies like how we’re all cubicle zombies slaving for the man until we die. Sheep hammering on keyboards because our herd says that is what we should do. Oh you get the idea. Is it really a good idea though? Or maybe they are trying to convince themselves?
I’m almost finished with my second to last day of work. Tomorrow will be the last day of my lovely career. My career which I get paid well to do. It doesn’t have any heavy lifting, I get a fair amount of time off each year, and I do pretty interesting stuff. I’ve been here for 9 years and I have a really comfy chair. With that in mind, let me try and give you some honest advice on whether you should quit your job and travel around the world.
You idealistic idiot, you’re talking about quitting your job! You know they stop giving you money after you quit, right? How will you pay your bills? What if you break a tooth? Who is going to pay for that? What if [insert emotionally important person here] gets sick, can’t work, and asks you for help? You don’t have any income! How’s that retirement fund going? Saving up so you won’t be a homeless senior? Oh you quit your job, well that’s sure going to pay for the rapidly rising cost of retirement. Who is going to want to hire you when you get back anyways? The grown up world has moved on while you’ve been finding your free spirited self. No one is going to want to hire you. Damn hippy.
There’s also the respect factor to consider. Modern society has a thinly veiled caste system wherein you’re respected according to how you earn a living. It’s a big part of your image, and even self image, which you’re going to have to come to terms with. Once you quit your job you quickly slide into the murky depths with the fry cooks and the telemarketers. Imagine a scenario in which tomorrow you meet the queen, president, or whatever your country has. You would be introduced as your career. In the eyes of the world your career is who you are. Now imagine that same scene after you quit your job to go travel. “Your highness, this is [name], who is unemployed, but working on a book idea entitled, ‘Putting The Ho in Hostels’. Shall I call security?” Oh yea, you’re a big shot now.
If you can make peace with all the financial and social status repercussions, then you should definitely quit your job and travel. I’m one day away from doing it for the second time. It can work out beautifully as long as you really understand what you’re doing. I seriously mean really understand, not just what you read online. Otherwise the panic attack that is going to hit you someday in the back seat of a Nicaraguan chicken-bus is going to make explosive diarrhea seem like a holiday. Who doesn’t love a nice holiday?
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// shawn
Photo Credit: Unfortunately, I have no idea. Let me know if you know.
I can tell I’m ready to quit my job because I have no problem with any of those qualifications you just threw at me!
I actually am lucky in a way that I don’t have a career that I really care about. I never viewed the cubicle job I’ve been working for a year and a half now as anything other than a means to an end to get back out into the world.
I think for me the harder decision will be when it comes time to settle down, get a good job and stick with it.
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My favorite line in this post: “You idealistic idiot, you’re talking about quitting your job!” Love the post. So spot on. I quit a perfectly great-paying job to be a freelance writer, and a few years after that I became a travel writer… good thing I love Ramen noodles and cheap mac ‘n cheese. Enjoy your travels–you sound like an realistic idealist! :)
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I think my parents had the concerns you listed more than me, however I was certainly aware of them when I decided to quit my job and travel. Actually, I had decided before I’d even gotten that job that it would be a means to an end.
Knowing you’re working toward a dream is a great motivating factor. I never got too comfortable at the job. When I reached my savings goal, I quit, even though it was just a month shy of qualifying for my annual bonus.
No regrets!
.-= Dave´s last blog ..Photo Essay: The White Temple of Chiang Rai, Thailand =-.
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I’ve got about 4-5 months left at the job that’s tethering me to Australia. I love my career and while I will miss it, a career isn’t everything.
There will always be work for someone who isn’t afraid to put in some effort and is open to the possibilities the world has to offer.
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Whether you quit or get booted, the decision remains the same. Pursuit of your passion and adventure, or run back to something you may not have liked to begin with.
I chose Passion and Adventure.
.-= brian´s last blog ..Best Gift You Can Give – Is To Not Be There?!?! =-.
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[...] “If you’ve spent even one lunch hour at your desk googling up the idea of quitting your job to travel around the world, then you’re familiar with the heap of anonymous internet people who love to tell you to quit” writes Shawn of Rerunaround.com. He continues: “Most of them sound pretty convincing too. Except the ones that use the term, “free spirit” too often, they just sound like twats.” Great new blog. Great insight. We delight in some new perspective. [...]
Thanks for the kind words and cool perspectives folks :) It’s nice to read comments that are so similar to what I’ve been telling myself in the bathroom mirror for months.
Today’s my last day.
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although i did have those concerns you mentioned above, i still left my job and traveled (twice)…
i left and returned home, and i still heard the same blabbering from people that i’m emotionally close with that it was a stupid thing to do…
but the thing is, i do know it’s stupid but it was fun and the things that i’ve learnt will last for a long time…
and just like the messages of the other anonymous people that you’ve mentioned, i felt so damn alive when i travel… it’s so damn good!!!
have a safe trip shawn…
.-= flip´s last blog ..Flip’s New Year’s Resolution =-.
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Erm, I thought I had subscribed to your blog, but apparently did not as I discovered this post from Steph…dammit. It’s nice to hear a different viewpoint on this, and also, you are hilarious. I have all these fears and more, I’m trying to tackle them one at a time…starting with debt.
.-= Candice´s last blog ..How Do You Define Home? =-.
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I’m definitely worried about this step of the RTW planning. I’m curious – how much notice did you give your job? I’ve been at mine for over 3 years now and have a good reputation so I don’t want to ruin anything for any future opportunities. Got any advice?
Thanks! Adam
.-= Adam´s last blog ..Wombat Wednesday: The Beach =-.
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Hey Adam, you definitely want to be as cool with your notice as much as possible. What I recommend is giving a variable quit date. For example, let them know that you want to quit in the next 1 to 3 months. Co-ordinate with them what timing works best for everyone. One month is a nice low end amount of notice. And if you’re willing to be flexible then you should be leaving on very good terms.
@Candice, I forgive you for forgetting me, but I’m going to need time to heal :)
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