Quitting The Day Job

Let Some Dreams Die

As a compliment to the post on Becoming Zen, I have a process I’d like to share with you.  I keep a written list of long term goals.  I keep it in my wallet, and I evaluate it every month or so.  These are not ordinary tasks:  Paint the back door, clear out the garage.  They are long term goals, both professional and personal: work more with Microsoft Visual Studio, pay guitar every day.

I’ve kept this list for years.  It rarely alters, but once, a few years ago, I made drastic alterations.  I came to the enlightened and sad opinion that I was NEVER going to achieve some of my goals.  Ever.  I took a hard look at the list and decided: “I have to let these dreams die.”  It was a difficult decision, but honestly I knew I could never achieve them, and instead of wasting precious thought and energy on them, I let them float away.

How does this apply to quitting the day job?  First off, make a list of your goals.  NOW don’t do this because books like Changing Careers for Dummies or I Don’t Know What I Want, But I Know It’s Not This advocate it.  No, use it as the foundation for your escape plan.  What is it you WANT to do when you get out, what is it that you NEED to do to get out.

Secondly and more importantly, cross out items that are just plain impractical, you know “Make a Billion Dollars, leave my old company and fire the boss”.  Sure it’s a goal, but the chances of it happening are unlikely.  Take a serious, hard look at your goals and eliminate all of those that you will NEVER be able to accomplish.

If nothing else, my goal list lets me dream of a life outside of these 1/2 height prison walls.