How I Knew It Was Time to Quit (and My Step-by-Step Exit Plan)

Mar 24

If you’d told me 10 years ago I’d quit my corporate job to run my own business, I would’ve laughed, politely sipped my coffee, and gone back to my color-coded Excel sheet.

I was the definition of “corporate success”: good salary, solid benefits, a title my parents could brag about.

But secretly? I felt dead inside.

If you’re reading this, I’m guessing something inside you feels off, too.

You’re successful (on paper) but the thought of doing this for the next 10 years makes you want to run away and open a goat farm.

Before you go full Eat Pray Love, let’s slow down.

Here’s exactly how I knew it was time to quit my corporate job. And how I built a plan that made leaving feel smart, not reckless.

Step 1: I Stopped Telling Myself to “Be Grateful”

I can’t tell you how many times I gaslit myself with, “You should be grateful! Other people would kill for this job!”

But gratitude doesn’t cancel out misery.

If you’re miserable in a role that looks good on paper, it doesn’t mean you’re ungrateful.
It just means it’s not a fit anymore.

So before I did anything, I gave myself permission to admit:
“This isn’t working.”

That one sentence was the beginning of everything that came next.

And listen - If you hate your job, you basically have 3 options:

Stay and make it work
Change jobs and go work for someone else
Leave corporate life behind entirely and go do your own thing

Here’s the thing: Most people think they have to figure everything out at once, they get totally overwhelmed, and then they just stay confused.

So I made this handy dandy flowchart to help you NOT get overwhelmed and make a decision already:

Step 2: I Got Clear on What I Actually Wanted

Before quitting, I walked through some important questions:

I made a list of my dream job qualities - everything from “freedom over my schedule” to “no one emailing me at 10 pm.”
Then I narrowed it down to my non-negotiables - the things I absolutely needed to feel fulfilled….(When I compared that list to my current job, the gap was… painful.)
And then I asked myself - Are there opportunities for you to get what I want with my current employer?

That’s when I realized: this wasn’t a bad job.

It was a mismatch.

And you can’t fix a mismatch. You can only outgrow it.

Step 3: I Figured Out - Work for A New Employer or Work for Myself?

Once I decided if I should stay or go, the next step was to decide if I should go work for someone else or start my own business.

And the main question here is - What do you WANT to do?
NOT - What was I afraid of? (because working for yourself is scarrrrrrrry)

Being an entrepreneur isn’t for everyone.

I decided to quit my corporate job and work for myself because:

I wanted freedom and I didn’t want to answer to anyone anymore
I was tired of having co-workers
I didn’t want anyone else to decide how much money I could make
I wanted to see what I could do

And I didn’t feel like another employer could deliver on those things.

Step 4: I Made a Concrete Exit Plan

I wasn’t about to rage-quit without a plan (I still had bills, kids, and an unreasonable Amazon habit).

And the idea of leaving a steady paycheck made me want to pee my pants.

So I asked myself, “What do I need to have in place to feel ready to leave?”

And then I made a plan to make sure I had those things.

Here’s what I did:

Budgeted for six months of expenses
Set a clear goal: 10 private clients or 6 months of savings - whichever came first. Once I had one of those things, I felt like I could go.
Worked part-time on my business while keeping my full-time job

That plan gave me both clarity and calm.

It also made me not chicken out when I hit my goal.

I wasn’t running away from my job. I was running toward something better.

Step 5: I Chose Bravery Over Readiness

Change is scary. REALLY SCARY.

I’ve met so many people who’ve stayed in the wrong job because they knew what to expect when they went into work every day.

And that kind of predictability feels safer than the unknown.

If you’re waiting to feel “ready,” you’ll be waiting forever.
I sure was.

I didn’t feel ready to hire my first coach.
I didn’t feel ready to launch my business.
I didn’t feel ready to quit (I was literally shaking when I put in my notice)

But I did it anyway.

And that’s what changed everything.

Within a year, I was fully booked, making more than I did in my corporate job, and working fewer hours than ever before.

Step 5: I Built a Life That Fits Me (Not the Other Way Around)

Quitting my job wasn’t really about leaving corporate.
It was about finally trusting myself.

So if you’re standing where I once stood (wondering whether you should stay, leave, or start something of your own) and here’s what I want you to know:

You don’t need to know how it will all work out.

You just need to trust that you’ll figure it out - one brave, imperfect step at a time.

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Are you ready to do the impossible?

Hi! I’m Erica

Wife to Brendan. Mom to twins + one. Dog mom. Slow runner. Coffee drinker. GIF enthusiast.

I’m a licensed mental health therapist and life coach and career coach. I help you accomplish in 6 months that thing you’ve been thinking about doing for years.