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How to Quit Your JobWant to know how to quit your job? If so, you're not unlike most of the workforce.Research reveals that only 11% of employees are highly engaged. 13% are extremely disaffected, and 76% are neither engaged nor disaffected. They're just neutral and floating along. (1) Long before corporate research on engagement and long before Dilbert and "The Office" helped us find humor in our situation, Henry David Thoreau wrote the blunt truth: "The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation." So, how do you quit your job? How do you get out of the hum-drum cycle of mind-numbing 9-5 boredom and create a life you love?  1. Start with Asking Why, Not How Before we investigate the question, "how to quit your job," let's ask "Why do you want to quit your job?" In your response, you may have a list of problems with your workplace. That's fine. But that's not what I mean. When I ask, "Why do you want to quit your job?" I don't mean "What do you want to get away from?" I mean "What do you want to move towards?" There's a saying from Carl Jung: "What you resist persists." If you simply want to get out of a job to escape something without really knowing what you want to move towards, you'll likely jump out of the frying pan into the fire. You'll find another job that seems mildly interesting at first. But over time the same grievances will creep up again. Bad boss. Commute. Time pressure. And then the cycle repeats itself. . . To break the cycle, you have to learn how to quit your job in a way that moves you closer to living a life you love. So, let's take a second pass at the question. Why do you want to quit your job? What do you want to move towards and create in your life? Be as specific as you can. If you said, "To have more time," that's not good enough. More time will leave you with a vacuum that boredom and depression will quickly fill. If you said, "To live on the beach and play golf all day," that's not good enough either. Lobster and golf will get old really quickly and you'll begin to rot. (Ever notice how people who retire to "play golf" go downhill quickly, sometimes within 2-3 years after having a vigorous job?) So, final time: What do you want to move towards and create in your life? What can you do with your natural talents and passions? How can you use your strengths? What's your purpose? What are your dreams? The question is not how to quit your job; the question is how to quit your job in a way that sets you up for a fulfilling and satisfying life. Building a life that uses your strengths and purpose and that excites your dreams forms a core ingredient of lasting fulfillment and happiness. (Check out the pages on positive psychology and the recipe for happiness based on positive psychology research for more.) Be as clear as you can here. Don't skip this step. Spend some real time thinking, "Deep down, what do you really really want in your life?"  2. Clarify Your Dream Why trade a job you hate for a job you're neutral about? If you're going to learn how to quit your job the right way, trade that job you hate for a life you love. Otherwise you'll be back in the same cycle. Check out the page on identifying and acting on your dreams for more info. Also, here are a few books I really enjoy that can help you expand your thinking about new work possibilities:
3. Set Some Goals Once you have a dream and a direction, begin to turn it into reality by setting some goals. Plan your escape from the job you hate and also plan a full transition into the life you life. The first part is easy; the second part takes more thought. Use the goal setting resources and goal setting worksheets to help you think through these. As you think through your goals, be sure to identify what success looks like and any support or resources you'll need along the way. This may include learning about new careers, learning to change your finances and lower your debts, or connecting with mentors. It could be anything, but clearly identify at the beginning what help you'll need. 4. Take Action Once you've identified your dream and set some goals, take some action. Start with baby-steps if you need to. Do an internet search. Call a friend. Whatever it is, start with something actionable. "Thinking about it" is not good enough. Do something to get the ball rolling.  5. When You're Ready, Quit Your Job - On Your Terms!Once you are ready to transition to your new situation, then you can proudly quit your job. At this point, the question "how do I quit my job" changes slightly. It now means, "In what manner should I quit my job?" and there are a lot of fun answers for that. . . Write a letter, give a farewell speech, throw yourself a party. . . Whatever it is, if you've woven a successful transition, feel proud that you're moving on - not just to a new job - but to a new lifestyle and new way of living. Good luck! Leave How to Quit Your Job and Return to Find My Purpose Leave How to Quit Your Job and Return to BPGR Home Related Articles
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