
Why I Quit A Six Figure Job - ryan-allen
http://www.two-shay.com/articles/why-i-quit-a-six-figure-job
======
TomOfTTB
I don't know. This seems stupid to me. I'm all for chasing your dream when you
have an actual dream to chase. But to quit a good job that pays well just to
randomly walk around and try to figure out what you want to do doesn't seem
wise to me. It seems much wiser to wait till you have an idea that you want to
pursue and then quit. That way you have more resources to devote to the idea
that you're actually dedicated to.

~~~
quan
I recently quit my high-paying job, in fact, today is my last day, and
"randomly walk around" is exactly what I'm going to do. For most of my 27
years, I've been trying to do the "wise" thing by getting good grades,
graduating from a good college, working at a good job, finishing my master,
etc. For once, I want to be foolish.

My number 1 reason for quitting is I want to get off the addiction of the
constant paychecks. It's easy and safe, but the trade off is the predictable
and unbearable daily routine. Everyday on my way to work, I know exactly which
lanes to switch to on 495 for the optimal travel time. I log on and off the
computer at work at roughly the same times. Once back at home, it's sad to
look at the reflections of myself and the clock in the bathroom while washing
my face and know that the same action happened at exactly the same moment
yesterday. As for long term, I know exactly where I will be (in the best
scenario) in the next 15-20 years if I continue to work for this or any other
big companies.

That's no way to live life if you look at the short time we have here. That's
why I take the year off to travel, not only to break the daily routine, see
new things, and meet new people but also to taste the danger of having no
financial security to motivate myself to act.

Before quitting, I've consistently worked 2-3 hours everyday after work on
side projects. But the passion and focus cannot be there after being exhausted
by 8 hours of work and knowing I will still get the next paycheck even if my
projects fail. So now I'm excited to have my 8 hours back. Let's see how this
foolish thing will work out.

~~~
steveklabnik
> My number 1 reason for quitting is I want to get off the addiction of the
> constant paychecks.

This is interesting... it reminds me of what I tell people when they ask if
I'm going to finish college.

I can count the classes I'm missing on one hand, so I often get asked when I'm
going back, and they're shocked when I say I'm not. Basically, at this point,
a degree will only stop me from getting boring, corporate jobs. I don't want
those. But if my startup were to go under, it'd be real tempting... and then
I'd get caught in a tarpit. I'd just rather not risk it, and make it harder on
myself to get boring jobs.

~~~
presidentender
That sounds to me like rationalization, not reasoning, I have to admit.

~~~
steveklabnik
It's quite possible. I really hated school.

~~~
Oxryly
Not to pile on, but that sounds like more rationalization as well. Did the
resistance to school increase the closer you got to graduation? I think the
problem you're facing may be much closer to home.

~~~
steveklabnik
It did increase, but that's because I was getting more and more annoyed with
doing work that was completely irrelevant. When I take a Web Programming
class, I don't expect to learn about Java Applets, for one example...
especially while reading about Haskell in my free time. (not that Haskell is
relevant to web apps. I'm trying to point out a disparity in the level of free
time studies vs. classwork)

And after years of C and Perl, getting used to have to do all of my
assignments in Java was extremely frustrating. Especially as I was picking up
other languages in my free time.

(I just voted you back up to 1, by the way. Dunno why someone would downvote
an honest question...)

~~~
presidentender
I wanted to quit school just about the entire time I was there. Some days, I
still think I should have; my economic outlook at this point would be better
if I'd gone to a union plumbing apprenticeship.

But to do it almost and not quite? I'm giving you advice based on my own
rationale ("Hey, steve, do what I did!"), but you should go back. Finish it.
It's 3 months, and it doesn't close any doors to you.

It sucks to jump through Java-shaped hoops when _clearly_ Perlythonjureskell
would be the best language, but unless you're in greenfield projects your
whole life, it's one more harsh reality.

You might want to do greenfield projects, but a degree won't close those
opportunities to you.

~~~
steveklabnik
I dunno. I see it in terms of the sunken cost fallacy: yes, it could be three
months and a few thousand dollars... but if I don't need it, why throw more
money and time down that pit?

> but unless you're in greenfield projects your whole life, it's one more
> harsh reality.

I'll go back to making pizza before I take a Java job. I don't need much money
to be happy, and I'll hate my life a lot less. I can still enjoy programming
in my free time.

~~~
presidentender
Oh no, going back isn't for sunk cost reasons, quite the opposite. I'd advise
just about anyone against _starting_ college.

But, ignoring the time already spent (which is already wasted), there's a 3
month period between you and the bump to employability that comes with a
bachelor's degree. Nobody's making you take a Java job afterwards.

~~~
steveklabnik
See, I don't think there's an actual bump to employability to any job that I'd
want to have. And also forget that we're talking worst-case; Ideally I'll be
self-employed for the rest of my life. But if something terrible happens, my
GitHub, reputation, and connections will do more than a piece of paper ever
could.

------
agentultra
Maybe it's just the bias lens, but it seems like the dream is to work for
yourself.

If everyone did that... well what would it be like?

I still treat myself as a free agent when I work as a salaried employee for
someone else. I am invested in what I do with my time and want to accomplish
things like anyone else. I just don't find it very practical to put my wife
and I through the stress of financial insecurity just so I can get a kick out
of my day. That being said, I don't just work for anyone to get a paycheque
(at least not anymore now that I have some years of experience behind me).

I prefer jobs where I'm treated as part of a team. I like to think that the
company hired me because it found my skills and experiences useful to their
goals. I'm also more likely to work for a company who is working on things I
am interested in working on.

Some people though; they take any job they can get. They need the paycheque.
You'll wear yourself in that kind of job. But sometimes it's unavoidable.

The only thing I don't like about articles like this: the mention of the big-
ass six-figure salary that they walked away from. If it wasn't about the
money, then who are you trying to impress? "Hey guys, I could've bought a nice
home in the hills and a lambourghini if I wanted to, but I'm way too cool for
that." Give me a break.

I understand the pursuit of happiness and so the article wasn't a total loss
of time. I just think he could've changed the headline to be more appropriate
to what he was actually writing about. It's too sensationalist.

------
asmithmd1
"A job is low risk. ... risk is shouldered by the owners of the company, and
that’s why they stand to gain (or lose) a lot more."

Not true, as an employee you bear all the risk of being laid-off if the
company does not do well; but do not benefit from the upside.

~~~
jakevoytko
Looking at it from another angle, the laid-off employee loses nothing - they
simply stop receiving. However, the owners are on the hook if the company goes
belly-up

The entrepreneurial system is organized so that the risk takers are the money
makers when a company succeeds. It doesn't really make sense any other way -
why else would someone start a business that might fail and cost a fortune?

~~~
jbarham
A lot of those laid-off people who "simply stop receiving" their paychecks are
losing their houses. And the whole point of incorporation is that if the
company goes bust, the owners are not personally liable.

The risk-reward incentives for being an employee vs. employer are not quite so
simple as you make out.

~~~
astine
A lot of those people who are losing their houses are losing them because they
treated money they had not yet earned as an asset. Unless your employment
contract says you have tenure, you should act as if it does.

~~~
davidbr02
Then nobody would ever be able to buy a house with anything less than cash.

Nobody has a guaranteed job for the next 30 years

~~~
astine
"Then nobody would ever be able to buy a house with anything less than cash."

I've heard worse advice. That would have avoided the mortgage crisis anyway.
The fact that the default in so many markets is to 'buy' things with borrowed
money is probably for the worse.

I'm not saying one should never go into debt, but, plan ahead. Your job is not
a given so make sure you have a buffer.

------
JoeAltmaier
I've quit six figure jobs repeatedly. When the startup gets bought and you
find yourself working for the man, again, and your team is resigned to their
fate and the work is rote and going the wrong way, its easy.

When the company has a good idea and the team is working hard, but you can see
the Founder is NEVER going to take anybody's money and there is too much IP to
finish in any reasonable amount of time, its much harder. But done that too.

And I often had not the slightest idea what to do next. But something comes up
- each time its easier, you know more people.

~~~
plinkplonk
"I've quit six figure jobs repeatedly."

So have I. My last job at MegaCorp paid 6 figures in US dollars _in
Bangalore_. That is a lot of money hereabouts and I did confess it did give me
a pang to give it up - All I had to do to earn it was put on a corporate face
and attend meetings all day.

" But something comes up "

yes it does. Hacking Robotics/Computer Vision Code. Couldn't be happier.

But I think a key factor is whether you have a wife/kids to support. Many
talented folks continued at MegaCorp for the steady salary checques. I respect
that decision.

~~~
JoeAltmaier
Have wife, three kids. No, family's just the common excuse. Put money in the
bank, enough for 6 months, and you are free from that.

If you work for the guy that pays you the most, there's a word for that:
prostitute. You think you're deciding where to work; actually they are, by
bidding for your labor. You don't take charge of your life UNTIL you take the
job for reasons other than money.

------
bkrausz
I totally get the sentiment and agree with all the reasons (to varying
extents), but quitting my last job, where I was in almost the exact same
position, was incredibly difficult. I wouldn't have been able to leave without
another incredibly compelling opportunity (which I got). Those downsides are
part of every job and are only downsides if you let them be.

<shameless-but-not-self-serving-plug>

On a related note, if anyone in Boston wants a job as awesome as the OP's was,
go work for TripAdvisor (my former employer). Hit up sanj AT tripadvisor.com
with a resume ( <http://news.ycombinator.com/user?id=sanj> )

------
KateKendall
I did a similar thing recently. I had so many things I wanted to work on and
no time to do them, especially while working fulltime or being tied to one
location. As they say - you can always get money back, but not time or
opportunities. It's not a conventional path to take, but it certainly
challenges your creativity and willpower. And as Xavier put it – it's about
the freedom to say yes.

------
jister
>> I currently have enough assets to sustain me for about two years

I think this is the actual reason why he quit. He has savings. I don't think
he will do that if he doesn't have money.

------
dmpatierno
Two years of saved living expenses is great, but at a six figure salary, you
can easily double that in 6 months. It seems a little foolish to back away so
early.

Though I'm sure the short-term result of quitting must be wonderful. I
especially liked the anecdote about staying up weeknights to watch B-grade
sci-fi.

Best of luck!

~~~
xaviershay
Sure I could double it ... but why? 2 years is far in excess of my planning
capability. The effective difference between 2 and 4 for me is basically zero.

(Also! Not having a job doesn't mean I don't have income. I'm still aiming for
50K in the next financial year, even if I fail I'll still meet living expenses
comfortably I reckon)

~~~
mrtron
Don't touch at least half of your savings for a zillion reasons.

Good luck on road ahead. This article will be nice to review in the months
ahead. I wrote myself a similar note when I made the leap.

~~~
mkramlich
xaviershay: I agree with mrtron in that it would be nice to see a follow-up
post from you in a year or two to tell everybody what you've done, learned,
how it worked out. would be educational for everybody.

~~~
xaviershay
Totally, it's on the cards

------
RyanMcGreal
Off-topic: the NYTimes-style snap-out link recommendation was really
distracting - and not in a good way.

~~~
wyclif
Me too. My exact thought was, "this is a personal blog, not the NYT." It put a
dent in the initial impression I had of the blog as handrolled.

~~~
xaviershay
Thanks for the feedback, it's had mixed responses. I hand rolled the snap out
to copy the NYT, if that counts (it has subtle but important differences) ;)

------
pinchyfingers
Working to build another person's dream is okay if you believe in the dream.
If work provides challenges that are personally rewarding then being an
employee is a good proposition.

Good employers are inspiring and they respect the needs of their employees. I
would never want to employ a person simply for their utility as capital.
Business value does come first when choosing to employ someone, but with the
spectrum of choices available to employees in the United States, an employer
should offer opportunities for personal growth.

Employment with meaningful challenges is a decent alternative to self-
employment.

------
thinkdifferent
What kind of job did he had? It seems very good. Can I send them my cv :) ?

------
thegyppo
Good to see lots of Melbourne names pop up in this thread. Melbourne FTW!

------
mike463
I'd quit a six figure job... for a seven figure job. :)

------
steveh72
It's worth pointing out he's probably talking about Australian dollars. Not
that it makes a difference to his message.

------
Maven911
Does anyone know what he used to do and where to earn 100k a year ?

~~~
xaviershay
Ruby on Rails developer, primarily. Heaps of demand at the moment.

------
billywayne
is this what they call a "first-world problem"?

------
ahoyhere
Why are people so concerned with this guy's personal choices to spend time
flaming them or lauding them? He's not telling anyone else to do it.

~~~
steveklabnik
He did specifically say that he wanted to hear what people think, though.

~~~
ahoyhere
Yes, but people respond from the stance of "HE TOLD ME TO DO IT SO YAY!" or
"HE TOLD ME TO DO IT SO HE'S A STUPID ASSHOLE, JEEZ."

Even if you wanted to give your opinion when somebody asks for it, there's no
need for that level of emotion -- unless you take it as either encouragement
or an affront to your choices, and therefore, you yourself.

------
mkramlich
I agree with many of the individual factors he cited, but I think that
quitting a job, especially a 6-figure job, after only 6 months is neither wise
nor mature nor ethical, at least under the conditions he cited. It's not like
it was an abusive situation or there was any significant dysfunction there. So
I suspect he's on the young side. Bright maybe, but young.

That said, I'm not knocking his aspirations or desires.

~~~
xaviershay
How many months do you feel would be sufficient? What extra information should
I be looking for in those months?

~~~
mkramlich
In the context of traditional jobs, it's generally a good idea to stay at a
job anywhere from 1-5 years, at minimum, before voluntarily quitting -- and
this is speaking in general terms, because there is no perfect number, etc.

If you're laid off or fired, it's different. If the work situation is abusive
or dysfunctional in some way, again, it's different. You have to show empathy
also and look at it from an employer's point of view too: it takes a lot of
effort to find somebody, especially find somebody good, and then there's ramp
up time on both sides of the fence. As long as both parties make a good faith
effort to make it a good situation, it's generally bad form for an employee to
quit that early without significant mitigating circumstances in his life
(family/health problems, etc.) Not saying you should stay there 10 years,
that's too long in this field and economy.

Partly it's a judgement thing, and partly comes from perspective gained from
past experience. If you ever want to work for somebody else again it will be a
black mark against you in many employer's minds, for example -- again, without
there being significant relevant negative circumstances at play. Also, unless
you're a young adult, all of this would have been knowable at 0 months rather
than waiting to the 6 month marker to realize them. So again, if you're a
younger adult, it makes more sense and is more excusable. Been there, done
that, have the metaphorical t-shirt. :)

------
pvdm
wow! "A job is a TV that takes up even more time."

------
drlisp
Xavier looks like Carrot Top

~~~
ngsayjoe
I quit my six-figure job (in Malaysia) 1 year ago as well to build my startup.
It feels so liberating ever since. I haven't manage to made back the same
level of income i used to make though. But somehow managed to get an angel
seed and achieve ramen profitable business within 1 year. Haven't ever
regretted it a single second!

One thing that really pushed me to take the leap was "I have only one life, it
is short. It is now or never!" in my mind!

