walk away from the safety of the corporate job

i did this back in september but since i’m catching up …

I voluntarily cut my hours in half, and now I’m a corporate slave only 20 hours a week. I get to spend a lot more time doing the things I enjoy, and still have the security of a predictable, regular check. I don’t mind working at my job now only two and a half days a week. I’m able to focus on my other work, the work that is more fulfilling to me, the work that is both my vocation and avocation. Give it a try!

from my department this week have done the same … is encouraging to say the least. but oh man, what a powerful sway the almighty paycheck holds. someday in the not-too-distant future …

Good money, benefits, hours … and brain deadeningly boring. I’m a creative guy and this is not the place for me!!

This is unquestionably the #1 thing I want to do. It’s strange because many looking in from the outside would think it’s a crazy thing – it is a successful company, solid benefits and compensation, decent co-workers, even a good boss, interesting line of work, all the things that should make one happy. But I am not happy, in part due to feeling very overworked, hemmed in by ever increasing bureaucracy, and in part due to knowing this was not what I had set out to do with my life. I think that’s really it at the core – it’s time to do something that is ME. It’s time for me to make the departure out of the tech industry altogether. But it scares me – it’s the only work I’ve had since getting out of college (10 years ago now). It’s been safe. It’s been successful for me. What if I can’t make it on my own financially? What if I regret the decision? But the bigger what if… to me… is what if I never get to build a life I enjoy? I could use some encouragement on this. Every day at work I struggle to keep my spirits up, and am not succeding very well. My fiance is supportive, but I worry that it will place a big burden on us…