The Entrepreneur Forum | Financial Freedom | Starting a Business | Motivation | Money | Success

Welcome to the only entrepreneur forum dedicated to building life-changing wealth.

Build a Fastlane business. Earn real financial freedom. Join free.

Join over 80,000 entrepreneurs who have rejected the paradigm of mediocrity and said "NO!" to underpaid jobs, ascetic frugality, and suffocating savings rituals— learn how to build a Fastlane business that pays both freedom and lifestyle affluence.

Free registration at the forum removes this block.

Business is good but too scared to quit my job

Anything related to matters of the mind

biggeemac

Gold Contributor
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
150%
Jun 25, 2011
826
1,236
48
So, yeah, i'm at that point where its time to talk about leaving the job. The business is clearing around 18-19k after all expenses, mortgages, yadda yadda. The wife called me yesterday and told me she could really use my help when I am at work. We agreed last night to a great transition plan. Now i'm starting to look at healthcare replacement options, trying to see what things I forgot to consider, and starting to feel a lot of anxiety. I'm not sure why I am feeling like this. I looked at my paychecks.....$2100 twice a month, plus all the insurance and other pieces that get factored into my compensation package. Pretty small compared to what I am able to do on my business.

I'm sure there are plenty of you that have left the comfy day job to continue growing your own business. I feel somewhat institutionalized.....like the guy thats getting ready to leave prison after a 30 year stay. Can anyone give me some perspective on this? Is the anxiety normal?

(edit.....the title "too scared to quit" is not accurate. More like "I am scared about leaving my job")
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

DrunkFish

Bronze Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
151%
Mar 25, 2015
182
275
29
Missouri
I mean, are you making enough from your business to quit then?
 

Ravens_Shadow

THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
643%
Oct 2, 2012
1,239
7,962
Austin, TX
If it makes sense and your business can support you, then quit your job. You're choosing to continue to let your time be spent at a job instead of at home with your wife.
 

Parker fields

Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
200%
Dec 14, 2017
39
78
Tulsa, OK
Pretty small compared to what I am able to do on my business.

You already said yourself.
Do you have a small nest egg? like 3-6 months of living cost saved up? that would at least be a good safety net if you are worried.
Leaving the ball and chain should never be scary. Image what you have already started and with traction. Now imagine you have 4x the time to invest in it, on your own schedule might I add.

Make a solid plan. Be professional and give your company time to hire/train someone, something I've offered before, and make the leap.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

minivanman

Platinum Contributor
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
265%
Mar 16, 2017
1,722
4,562
54
DFW
Yes, it is very normal. You are leaving security. You could be making $18,000 a minute but still have anxiety about leaving your j o b. As the time gets closer you are going to start having butterflies and all sorts of feelings...... but within a few days of quitting your j o b..... WOW will it be GREAT!!!!! YOU will FINALLY be in CONTROL of YOUR life for the first time EVER!!!!
 

RobD88

Bronze Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
249%
Nov 20, 2017
196
489
Missouri
I can imagine the anxiety. I hope to be there feeling that same thing in a year or so. I think what will push me is knowing how I exponentially I can grow my own business when I can devote myself to it full time.

The kicker...you can always find another JOB.
 

Michael1359

Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
98%
Sep 8, 2014
56
55
54
If you’ve got several months of expenses saved, do it. Imagine what your business could do with full-time effort.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 

Zcott

Silver Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
213%
Jul 24, 2018
303
645
Sounds like you are at the point that everyone dreams about - quitting their job because they're racking it in.

Are you clearing 18-19k monthly or yearly? If that is monthly and you have nerves, what figure would it have to be for there to be no nerves?
 

ZCP

Legendary Contributor
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
336%
Oct 22, 2010
3,952
13,267
Woodstock, GA
Take a week off work. Work a 'normal' week on your business. How did that feel?
Now go back to work. How did that feel? That should help clear it up for you.

It is normal for you to feel this way? Anytime their is potential of change, there is trepidation. So yes!

That is what we do though.... We are willing to get out of our comfort zones to make things happen.
Your job has been a comfort zone for a long time. Now it is time to challenge yourself with a new chapter.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Mattie

Platinum Contributor
FASTLANE INSIDER
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
129%
May 28, 2014
3,485
4,490
53
U.S.
I'm sure there are plenty of you that have left the comfy day job to continue growing your own business. I feel somewhat institutionalized.....like the guy thats getting ready to leave prison after a 30 year stay. Can anyone give me some perspective on this? Is the anxiety normal?
You have an emotional attachment to the place. This is not unusual when you leave a long-term career, or even an educational institution. It's been a huge part of your life, the people their, the memories, the experience, and so like anything else, you still go through the process of grief to a certain extent, anxiety, depression. It's a loss and even if a good one, we still have stress or anxiety about positive changes.
 

biggeemac

Gold Contributor
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
150%
Jun 25, 2011
826
1,236
48
Take a week off work. Work a 'normal' week on your business. How did that feel?
Now go back to work. How did that feel? That should help clear it up for you.

It is normal for you to feel this way? Anytime their is potential of change, there is trepidation. So yes!

That is what we do though.... We are willing to get out of our comfort zones to make things happen.
Your job has been a comfort zone for a long time. Now it is time to challenge yourself with a new chapter.
I will be taking a week off to see how it goes.

You have an emotional attachment to the place. This is not unusual when you leave a long-term career, or even an educational institution. It's been a huge part of your life, the people their, the memories, the experience, and so like anything else, you still go through the process of grief to a certain extent, anxiety, depression. It's a loss and even if a good one, we still have stress or anxiety about positive changes.
Right now, being at my day job is causing me the MOST anxiety. The reason....my F*cking employees can't get their shit together.

Over this past weekend, I decided to pop in at our other facility because the manager was out on drill and I knew that my other two employees at that site would need some hand holding. I was beyond frustrated at what I started observing and immediately phone my wife and asked her to come over. The site was beyond filthy. My wife came over and started looking through the books and paper work. NONE of it was done. We would normally take the weekend off as we had thought that we arrived at the point where we could take weekends off.....NOPE. We worked all weekend....me on the cleaning, her on the administrative side. The more we worked, the more we uncovered. Needless to say, when the manager gets back, not only is he gonna shit his pants, but he will be placed on probation to see if he can get his shit together. We ended up firing one employee (our son), and considering firing another employee.

I have one good employee that is destined for bigger and better things by the end of the year. Without her, I will either need to find a replacement, or quit and NOT replace her. I am strongly considering this as I have no passion for my day job whatsoever, and have decided that my sites are going to continue to suffer until I can dedicate my full attention to the things that employees tend to overlook. Financially, by the time we get this mess sorted out, fix the staffing, and max out our capacity, I can easily walk off my job.
 

Mattie

Platinum Contributor
FASTLANE INSIDER
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
129%
May 28, 2014
3,485
4,490
53
U.S.
I have one good employee that is destined for bigger and better things by the end of the year. Without her, I will either need to find a replacement, or quit and NOT replace her. I am strongly considering this as I have no passion for my day job whatsoever, and have decided that my sites are going to continue to suffer until I can dedicate my full attention to the things that employees tend to overlook. Financially, by the time we get this mess sorted out, fix the staffing, and max out our capacity, I can easily walk off my job.
This kind of reminds me of Health Care staffing. The biggest problem is finding reliable staffing which is usually a high achiever, wants to be the best at their position. Often people just take jobs for the money, really don't stand behind the company, may not even agree with the product, the system, and it shows in their performance. I seen this working with the elderly community, there would be doctors, nurses, nurse aides who weren't really in it for the compassion, empathy, understanding, love, bed side manner, and the clients suffered in their care, because people wanted the money, but didn't necessarily really care about the clients needs. One year we were all mandated to take certain training because a certain amount of staffing didn't do their job. This might have been at the administrative level down to laundry person. This does cause a lot of time, money, stress, and chaos in the work environment.

I've worked at a lot of places like this and it shows in the service they provide. A lot of staffing at most businesses are not familiar with codes, laws, inspections, and are oblivious to the consequences. There are a certain amount of people who believe it's just a job, what I do isn't going to have that much of an impact.

I guess in my personal experience, I've had bosses who taught me responsibility. I didn't always necessarily like doing some of the jobs by all means. I just understood the importance of getting the job done right, versus skipping steps in the process. This annoys people in my life, but it carried into my every day life. Time savers, preparation, saving money making one trip in travels to get things done, versus making many trips.

Paper work is probably the most important element not to screw up. I was in the Health Care System, so Paper work had to be accurate. If you make a mistake there are major consequences and sometimes life altering consequences.

I can understand why you would be stressed and a little angry I would think.

I hope it goes well for you.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

DennisD

Mini Media Mogul
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
216%
Jun 16, 2012
1,488
3,207
36
Bali, Indonesia
What you're experiencing is normal:
  1. CHANGE causes fear.
  2. EVENTS bring on adrenaline.
  3. RESPONSIBILITY sparks anxiety.
The day before I hopped on a plane to live in Asia I was up ALL NIGHT. So anxious. Running over everything in my head over and over... even though I sold all my stuff and there was no turning back.

Since we were cavemen, we've been programmed to be scared of the unknown.

What you're experiencing now is akin to leaving highschool.

You leaving a world of safety and scapegoats.
Your new world is one where every failure is your fault.

Yes, it's the correct move.
Yes, it's necessary for growth.
Yes, it's supposed to be scary.

Congrats on the shift!
 

Post New Topic

Please SEARCH before posting.
Please select the BEST category.

Post new topic

Guest post submissions offered HERE.

Latest Posts

New Topics

Fastlane Insiders

View the forum AD FREE.
Private, unindexed content
Detailed process/execution threads
Ideas needing execution, more!

Join Fastlane Insiders.

Top