Let me preface this post by saying that I don’t suggest to my readers to leave their jobs because I don’t know their varying situations.
Leaving your 9 to 5 when you’re a single 20-something-year-old that lives in an apartment is VERY different than leaving your job with benefits and bonuses when you have a family of 4.
But I know that a lot of you are “fed up” with working 40 hours a week only to feel drained and miserable when you get home. And to some of you, giving up a benefits package may be a small price to pay to regain your sanity.
If you’re at the end of your rope, I’m writing this for you.
This is not for the people who don’t want to go to work because they’re simply lazy. This is for the people who are so damn talented that they could build an empire that stems from their purpose. This is for the people who know that they’re meant to do more.
Leaving your 9 to 5 is like finally moving out of your parents’ house and getting your freedom. It’s like chucking the deuces to your sugar daddy and to be with your dream guy. (Don’t ask me how I know.) It’s like when you leave the comfort of consistent checks to answer your calling. Even though you know it’s less secure.
Your “9 to 5” may be an actual job. It could even be your parents’ financial support you while you’re in college. It could also be the abusive partner that controls all the finances and supports you.
I hear you when you say you’re fed up. But, for your life to change, you have to be fed up enough to take action.
1. Figure out why you’re REALLY there…then let go.
If you’re somewhere you hate because:
- Your parents have been waiting for this moment forever
- It looks good on social media
- The credentials look nice on paper
- It makes you feel more validated as a person
- It’s making everyone, other than you, happy
Then, you’re there for the wrong reasons.
We often stay in situations we dislike because of societal standards we don’t truly believe in. At some point, these reasons lose their meaning and only become a hindrance to your purpose.
When I realized that college was a hindrance to my business, I sacrificed my parents’ approval and obtaining a degree to follow my dream. Once I stopped worrying about outward approval, I was able to give 100% attention to make my dreams a reality. No one’s opinion had control over me anymore.
It was liberating.
It was also the only way for my purpose to have a fighting chance. Until you let go of that need for approval, you’re not going to make it to the next step.
((Toolkit comes with a budget excel file and a worksheet))
2. Get realistic about your current + future situation.
When you’re in a comfort zone for so long, it can be hard to imagine your life without it. You start to think of life outside of our comfort zone as just a dream instead of something that can be real. So that’s all you do. You dream instead of plan. You think that those dreams can only be a reality for other people.
But, really, they can be your reality too.
What would your life be like without your 9 to 5? Consider both the good and bad to remain balanced. When we focus too much on the good, we allow our naïveté to put us in a dangerous situation. Being realistic is key. When we focus too much on the bad, we jeopardize our opportunity to have good in our life.
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The “bad” would be situations like:
- You don’t have a consistent paycheck to cover your bills
- You no longer get benefits from an employer
These aren’t necessarily bad things, they’re just things you’ll have to be responsible for in a new way.
Once you get over the initial shock of your new responsibilities, you can seriously plan how much you’ll need to make per month so that you don’t end up starving and homeless. This step requires that you create a budget and get real with your numbers. It’s scary, but it’s necessary.
The “good” would be things like:
- Spending more time with your family
- Creating a happier lifestyle
- Being able to take more vacations
Next, write down who depends on your success and measure the concrete ways they need you to succeed. Here’s an example.
- You (put yourself first on this list because people can’t rely on you if you’re not taken care of first). You need to be happy, healthy, and living comfortably with minimal stress. You have $400 in personal expenses (phone bill, hair, nails, spa, etc.)
- Husband – Needs you to be happy. Needs you to be healthy. Needs you to cover $500 worth of household bills and groceries.
- Daughter (5 years old) – Needs you to be a role model. Needs more time with you. Needs you for health insurance.
Again, whether you’re single or have dependents will affect how you plan. If it’s just you, write down all your bills and personal expenses.
Next, be realistic about how much you’re bringing in with your freelancing, side hustle or business. $100? $500? $5,000?
Now, write down people and/or resources you can depend on for moral (and even financial) support. For example, how much in bills could your husband cover if you weren’t working? How much do you have in your savings account in case 1 or 2 months don’t go as planned?
After downloading your toolkit, you should be clear about how much money needs to go out versus how much is coming in. You need to CONSISTENTLY bring enough money to cover all your expenses (including your emergency savings) for at least 3 months before quitting.
3. Devise a plan and implement strategy.
You have to start thinking of yourself as a business owner now. Change your social media bios to include the website with your products and services. Start telling your friends on and offline that you’re accepting new clients and customers. Start building your email list. If you’re not a self-starter when it comes to building a brand, invest in a course about succeeding in business while you still have income. With a course, you’ll see faster results. (Use your 9 to 5 to work on achieving your dreams.)
While you’re still building, consider what to do about your 9 to 5:
- Completely quit your job and start working for yourself full-time
- Work part-time at a new job after you start making half your income with your side hustle
To keep growing, you must set VERY specific goals.
How many clients do you want per month? How much do you need to be making within 3 months? 6 months? 9 months? By the end of next year? (During this time you need to work on saving 3 – 6 months worth of household expenses).
Set these goals and track them monthly or quarterly. It is EXTREMELY important to measure your results or else you’ll have no idea what works and what doesn’t. A strategy is a plan of action designed to achieve a goal. So, a REAL strategy has a plan and a goal that you can EXECUTE and MEASURE.
Once you’re clear on your numbers (this is the scariest, but the most important part), you can get real about what to do next. Consider joining a community, getting a coaching or finding an accountability partner. It’s really important to be around supportive people when you’re working on making one of the biggest decisions of your life.
Have you created your exit strategy? Share how in the comments! You may be helping someone else. 🙂
Your toolkit comes with a budget excel file and a workbook.
YESSSS!!!! Well done on this post! You nailed it! Recently I quit my 9 to 5 back in November and reading through this was exactly what I went through. In fact I have a close friend who I’ve been coaching, helping push her in this direction as she needs to get away from the 9 to 5 job. Don’t worry, I will send her the link to this 😉
It’s all about getting in that mindset right. Taking a look at your life and seeing, realistically, what you do and what expenses you have. Yes, being out on your own and not knowing when that next paycheck will come can be scary, but it is so rewarding! If you are passionate and knowledgable about what you do then you got this! The biggest advice I can give you, and its mentioned above, is PLAN your exit strategy. It will help you in the long run!
Maya, I love how you ended with asking people to share their stories here in the comments. I just did a Periscope & blog post on this the other day so if anyone is interested in my story check out http://edtroxellcreative.com/tips-ive-learned-far-starting-business/.
Thank you for taking the time to write this post & your site as well as your marketing is on point! 😉
-Ed
Thanks, Ed! I had a chance to check out your post and you made some GREAT points! Thanks for sharing!
Awesome! You are so welcome!
So much value in this blogpost + scope! 🙂 Especially relevant for me since I’m in a 9-5 and planning to quit in the next two years.
“These aren’t even necessarily bad things, they’re just things you have to be responsible for in a new way.” So true. It’s similar to my philosophy in eating / dieting. It’s not about completely antagonizing eating but about being responsible for what you put in your body.
I’ll be working on this workbook for sure!
From a new reader,
Pam x
http://craftedbypam.com
I’m currently working a 9 to 9. Yes, 12 hours a day but only four days a week so I get three days off to work on my blog and other businesses and some hobbies. I don’t really want to leave my full time job yet. I don’t hate it yet. I’m actually still enjoying. I guess that’s because I’m still single, I’m only in my 20’s and I’m getting paid fair. But I’m pretty sure it’s not enough because I still can’t afford a house or at least a car. And in the future I want to be working less for more money. Maybe not now, but I’m currently working my way to it. I took a three month break from blogging and I just got back but I’m still not sure where to start in how to make money from blogging. I’ve no product yet, I really need a proper guide in doing this. One of my friends just quit her job to be an online freelancer. I feel kind of jelly because now she has all the time in the world. Anyway, this workbook is just awesome. I love the part ‘my current reality’ and where I have to project my reality for the next couple of months and what I need to do to get there. It’s really helpful. Thanks so much, Maya!
http://www.heidepadilla.com/
Gosh, this article is so well broken down! I love how you gave very specific examples of things you need to think about like what you need to provide for your contribution to your family. I still haven’t mustered the courage to leave my 9-5, but when I do, I’ll definitely refer back to this article. I read your about me page and I can’t say I’m quite at the “fearless” stage yet! Lol. I think it’s important to be ready mentally and emotionally when you make a big decision like this!
Thank you so much for this post. It is a great read and wealth of information.
Love that you stressed the importance of execution and measurement. I can’t count how many times I work with business owners who saw a spike in sales/traffic/referrals in the past and didn’t track their data so they have no idea how to replicate that!
When entrepreneurs (& solopreneurs) don’t setup a system of tracking their data PRIOR to executing their plan it’s because they don’t believe they’ll be successful. They enter with the mindset of “What have I got to lose. I’m going to give it my all, but I don’t think this is going to work for me.”
So powerful, Nia! You’re exactly right! We have to track measurement to duplicate the same (or BETTER) results. And that self doubt kills continued success.
Definitely some great things to consider! I love how you mention that we do not have to let our dreams stay as dreams but can go get them! I love entrepreneurship and have quickly found that the 9-5 life will not suit me for the long haul! I really enjoyed reading your post! I can’t wait to read more of your story (business at 18?!)
I have been looking into “side gigs” or possible outlets for full time employment at home. I just recently started out budgeting in hopes of ridding my student loans so I can focus more easily on what I want in life!
https://curlycaroline.wordpress.com/
Just found your blog this is amazing and is really helpful. Thanks for sharing your wisdom I’m feeling really inspired.
Chances are you’re focused on building your business, not the day you will
leave it behind. But failing to plan for your transition out of your business
can result in a messy succession process and lost value. Startups looking for
angel investors or venture capital (VC) absolutely need an exit strategy
because investors require it. The exit is what gives them a return. Exit
strategies related to startup funding are quite often misunderstood: The “exit”
in exit strategy is for the money, not the startup founders or small business
owners. The exit strategy related to startup funding, is what happens when
investors who had previously put money in a startup get money back, usually
years later, for a lot more money than they initially spent. The exit strategy
related to startup funding, is what happens when investors who had previously
put money in a startup get money back, usually years later, for a lot more
money than they initially spent.
·
Merger & Acquisition
·
Initial Public Offering
·
Selling to a friend
·
Liquidation of cash
Drawing from over 32 years of business experience across a broad
spectrum of disciplines, AGC founder Alan Gavornik https://goo.gl/T6H6m7
maintains hands on expertise in the areasof corporate formation and start up, capital round financing, growth and expansion initiatives, sales and marketing, and exit strategies.
This business prowess is further enhanced by AGC network of industry
experts which are available to compliment an engagement as needed.
Consulting services are available in the following areas;
·
Strategic Business Development
·
Sales and Revenue Growth
·
Capital Financing
·
Product Development and Distribution
·
Exit Strategies
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