As readers of this blog are already aware of, I can’t stand my job. Well, rather than complain and be miserable every day it was time to do something about it. Or as my dad would so elegantly say “either shit or get off the pot.”

Last week I officially gave notice to my employer that I am out. It wasn’t a shocking moment to my manager as we had been discussing the possibility of my exit for some time now, but it hit hard for others. One of the downsides I’m dealing with is the feeling of letting my team down. These are good hard working people and they deserve good leadership and a good work environment. While the response has been a somber one, they all understand the situation and the support has been wonderful. It is a good feeling to know that the people you work with have respect and appreciation for the work that was put into creating a better workplace.

So where do we go from here? Well, once a decision like this is made and the initial euphoria wears off there was a major reality check that happened. The reality is that I don’t have another job to go to, which also means I don’t have a steady paycheck once my time is up. If that reality isn’t motivation enough, then I had better get back into that office and tell my manager never mind, just kidding! Luckily, I have an amazing wife and she came up with the amazing idea of starting our own business. It’s wonderful to have someone that is supportive and helps to nudge me in the right direction!

In our last update I revealed that I am an excellent test taker, sarcasm alert, and passed my state exam with flying colors. Since I received this notice we have been working to put a plan in place to hit the ground running. We have never started a business and the list of things to do looks insurmountable at times. But it’s a good feeling to finally be working on something that will hopefully benefit us financially instead of an employer.

The unknown of course is how this change will impact our journey to achieve Financial Independence and our ability to keep to our five year timeframe. Not only am I walking away from a steady paycheck, I’m walking away from the free money that comes with an employers 401k. I’m fully vested in the plan so I’m not losing any money other than the future matching contributions. But free money is always a good thing to get and that will be coming to an end.

While we expect there will be an initial financial hit I think we will be much better off in the long run both personally and financially. There is a lot of hard work to be done, but I can’t help but feel this path fits nicely into our lifestyle. Aside from the financial aspect, the flexibility of making my own schedule and being able to work around events that are important to us is something I look forward to. Especially with a kid that just started his senior year of high school and is a student athlete.

So in two weeks I will control my own destiny and have only myself to answer to. I look forward to the challenge and the prospect of a brighter future. It’s a large leap of faith, but one I am confident is the best for my health, my family and our future.

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Until next time…………

Joe