I want to quit my job! We’ve all been there but is it the right thing to do?

One thing’s for sure, "I want to quit my job," could be a knee-jerk reaction. Take time

out to cool off first and think it through fully.

Let me tell you about Sally, a good friend of mine. She popped around last week, and as always, it was great to see her. What happened next was a shock.

The visit started with a hug, and she asked how I was. “I’m great,” I replied. “What about you?” Well as the words slipped out, I could see the tears begin to flow. And, like a good friend, I poked that hornet’s nest. “What’s the matter?” Sally collapsed into the nearby chair and wailed, “I hate my job. I’m going to quit.” Well, I must admit, I want to quit my job, was the last thing I expected from Sally. She loved her job and was very good at it.

I felt awful. I’m sure you would too. I’d made my friend cry. Although in reality, Sally needed to cry. She needed to expel that cloud of emotion hanging over her head. Her feelings came tumbling out. It was work. Sally felt totally overwhelmed, and she needed to share.

As it happened, that week I’d read a short book by Seth Godin called, ‘The Dip’. It was an interesting read, addressing the need to quit or push onwards. Apt at that moment. In ‘The Dip’, Seth discusses the need to give ourselves permission to quit when quitting is best. At that moment, I didn’t think Sally; quitting was best. The book also discusses how to recognise those times when things get tough, but when you just need to dig in and push forward.

Well, at that moment, Sally was standing on a precipice and ready to jump. Her jerk reaction, I want to quit my job, was not good, and like so many, she couldn’t afford to quit; she needed the money.

Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life. Confucius.

What a wonderful quotation by Confucius. Real life works a little differently. Even the jobs we love are not sunshine and roses, every day. Occasionally that rose gets a visit from a bee, or worse, a wasp. What is it with wasps? The more involved we get, the chances of the odd sting is likely. But when that happens, the important thing is to define what’s making you feel unhappy. You may also need to decide how many days you’ve been stung.

I tell you, I’ve certainly found myself disappearing into my office, locking the door and having a quiet sob. The harsh reality is, even the jobs we love can sometimes make us cry.

Frustration can be an ordeal. It’s at times like this when you just need to push through. But what if it’s a person who’s stung you? Then, you need to talk to him or her; even if that person’s the boss. In Sally’s case, it was the boss. Can you think of anything more challenging than confronting the boss who’s left you feeling, I want to quit my job. Guess what, a boss is human, and like all humans, they’re prone to making mistakes too.

Sally was at the point of running, ready to quit. However, she had nowhere to run. She was looking to take the first job that came up. That was crazy! Sally loved her job, and, she was brilliant at it. She just hated the situation she currently faced.

“Talk to him,” I suggested. Sally looked horrified. What was the worst that could happen? She was already at the point of bolting. So, he makes her life harder. How much worse could it get? She was already crying all the time and desperately unhappy.

I convinced Sally to phone there and then. She made the appointment to meet with her boss the next morning.

Do you want to know what happened? Well, Sally’s still working for her boss. The meeting took place, and her boss was stunned. He hadn’t appreciated the pressure he’d loaded on Sally’s shoulders. Hadn’t realised how close he’d come to

losing a valued member of staff. And do you know what? Sally left that office feeling appreciated and ready to face the new challenges of a job she loves.

So, the tale ends. The moral is, many times, just the act of sharing can put a problem into perspective. What’s more, talking can resolve many issues and see you changing your mind from; I want to quit my job. To I love my job but recognising that even a job you love comes with the occasional sting.

Meta title:

What To Do When You Think, I Want To Quit My Job

Meta description:

I want to quit my job! We’ve all been there. See how the act of sharing can put a problem into perspective, while a knee-jerk reaction to quitting can be wrong.