Shall I just quit my day job?
This has been bothering me for a long time now.
Right now I work as a DBA for a high-tech company almost full time. I earn a good salary, which I need to support me and my wife.
I started looking into Internet Marketing because after almost 7 years of doing this, I’ve come to realize that the 9 to 8 lifestyle of the average Israeli high-tech employee is not what I’m looking for.
I want out of the rat race!
Here’s the thing… I think I’ve learned everything I need to learn about the Internet Marketing world. I think in a short time I’ll be able to do this full time. But I don’t seem to have enough time to do both.
It might be just excuses but… It seems that if I can not concentrate on 1 thing at a time it will not work.
Maybe if I quit my job I’d have the positive pressure of having to earn money online which would finally kick by butt into doing this seriously.
What is happening now is that the only time I have to work on making a living online is for 2-3 hours after midnight when the house is quite, my wife is asleep, and I’m too tired to do any productive work other then browsing/emailing/telesminaring and coming with a 100001 new ideas for websites that never show up.
I have enough money to keep me afloat for 2 months if I stopped working, I want to believe that I’d be able to earn some serious money in 2 months time, IF I only did that.
But burning the bridges is just too scary…
We’ll see what will happen.
Nadav
March 2nd, 2005 at 4:09 am
Nadav,
Boy, do I feel the pain in your post.
I was you five years ago. I wasn’t a DBA, but a technical architect. Some thought I was the best in the field.
Then I made the jump. Not into Internet marketing per se, but the Website above is one of my marketing efforts. It’s an e-Book I’ve written and it’s doing pretty well.
Another Website www.simplicity-institute.com — is my core business. I teach online courses to holistic practitioners.
I can’t say I’m making millions of dollars. These five years have been tough. But I would NEVER go back to a “real job.” I mean never. I’ve had a million offers, but I won’t go.
I am poorer, but I love it. I work hard, but all my hard work goes towards my goals, not somebody else’s.
That’s the most realistic advice I can give you. Having said all that — Go for it, Nadav.
March 2nd, 2005 at 7:49 am
Thanks for the feedback Daryl,
I know I’ll have to make that jump soon enough.
I hope It won’t be long before I’ll post an “I just quit my job” article here.
I envy you for having the courage to just do it.
Nadav
March 16th, 2005 at 4:34 am
Oh boy!!!
I know exactly what you mean. I know that I don’t want to stay at my J.O.B. My goals were set and I aimed high; however, I got caught up in the ebook>teleseminar>mini-course cycle among other things
Now, I too am just plain ‘ole scared. You’ll know when the time is right.
March 17th, 2005 at 6:08 am
Nadav (& Cy),
You need to watch that analysis paralysis - it’ll hold on tight once it gets ahold of you.
When I first started my consulting business, it would out of necessity than anything else. I didn’t have a “real job” and didn’t have any “real job” experience. I spent so much time learning and “soaking” stuff in that it all just became some far away dream that I couldn’t make come true.
Then one day, I woke up, decided I was done dreaming and by golly gosh I was going to start doing. I built my first website and so the story began. That was just over 6 months ago.
My best advice to you - even if you feel too tired to do anything besides surf->forums->blogs->email, etc - remind yourself that while you’re doing all that, you could be doing something to get yourself closer to your goal (i.e. building a website, planning a PPC campaign, researching keywords).
I wish I had the luxury of a steady job while I was getting started because there were certainly times when I could buy groceries (and lemme tell you, it sucked), but keep at it - don’t get scared, press forward and you’ll succeed. It also has a bit to do with your attitude as well…
That’s it for my long rant LOL
March 17th, 2005 at 6:10 am
Please excuse my bad grammar and spelling - I’m dead tired and I didn’t proof read
March 26th, 2005 at 10:07 am
Nadav,
Here are some points to consider:
Are you making an income online that can support your lifestyle?
Does your wife support you in this? I mean *really* support you. Would you both be prepared to go without the luxuries of life for awhile, possibly even work later hours??
See, it may look rosy on the “other side” but it sure isn’t easy. The road is tough and that is why it’s always best, I believe, to start with a small manageable project first - to prove that you can take “theory” and put it into practice and also that “theory” does indeed work (and pay the bills).
If time is a factor see if you can outsource the project by having someone else do it - this will give you more time to formulate the plans without doing the elbow work… maybe even have your wife help? or someone on Elance?
Anyway, hopefully these are more things for you to consider before taking the plunge. I suppose the best option would be to get time off work (for a period of at least 2 weeks) and see how you go.
All the best.