Lessons I learned after quitting my 6-figure job

Four years ago, I left a comfortable six-figure job and a steady, regular paycheck for the unpredictable world of entrepreneurship.

After climbing the corporate ladder and paying your dues, it can be difficult to walk away. Here are some of the biggest lessons I've learned so far.

I didn't need as much money as I thought

I could have quit sooner, but I put off quitting because I mistakenly believed that I had to earn as much from my day job as I was getting paid as an employee. As your income increases, you start splurging on extra things and your spending habits change. But will it really improve your life? I realized that the things I was buying weren't actually all that necessary.

Discover the real reason why you are obsessed with your salary

I wondered why I was so obsessed with a six-figure salary. Why did I work so hard to achieve that number, and what did I want to spend that money on anyway?

I quickly realized that my real motivation for making more money was to buy myself vacations, adventures, time and space to relax, travel, etc. And all of this was possible without a six-figure income. The numbers I had in my head were arbitrary. We could afford to do all of these things for far less.

Moving abroad may give you more freedom

Once I figured out my break-even point, I had another big eureka moment. I started using the internet to meet people like me, but they lived abroad. At that moment, I realized that maybe I didn't need to stay in Canada. Maybe you can live abroad and get the life you want.

I discovered other unconventional ways of living.

I started exploring a different way of living and discovered the world of digital nomads and people who travel while working from their laptops. surprised. I quickly realized that I could quit sooner than I previously thought.

The first business you create after leaving your job may not be your last.

My first business was a career change business where I stayed in the same international education and travel industry and set up an agency to sell programs to students, travelers, and teachers.

Owning your own business doesn't necessarily make you happy

I am always grateful for my career change business. This gave me enough income to quit my job, but within six months I was once again completely dissatisfied with my career. How could I be miserable again if I left my cubicle? I felt disconnected from my work and its larger meaning, and I didn't feel as fulfilled as I had hoped.