DISCLAIMER: I want to stress that this article isn’t a “Quit your job and launch a startup” article.

That would be irresponsible of me because:

1. Not everyone should be an entrepreneur; and
2. Not everyone wants to be an entrepreneur.

This article is merely a mental checklist that helps you figure out if your career is aligned with your purpose for your life.

Sunday Night

It’s Sunday night and that niggling feeling of unease is settling in again – you don’t want to go to work tomorrow. You ask yourself the question: when is it the right time for me to quit my job?

The short answer is that there is never an ideal time to quit your job. Why? Because you’ll never feel as though you have enough money, skills and experience to jump (or parachute) into the abyss.

It all comes down to “why?”

True happiness and success comes from living in alignment with your “why”, your purpose.

We need to constantly step back and check-in with ourselves. We need to ask, “Is my job in alignment with the vision I have for my life? Is my career guiding me closer to where I want to be? Is this a worthwhile pursuit? Am I wasting my precious life?”

In late 2014, while working as a lawyer I attended a series of presentations that brought together some inspirational female speakers. I sat in awe listening to the stories of these amazing women whose careers I admired.

What I took away from those presentations was that, ultimately, I am my #1 asset and I need to nurture and protect that asset accordingly.

I came to the realisation that investing in myself and the pursuit of my “why” was the best gift I could ever give yourself. It was the most important investment I was ever going to make in my life.

It was for this reason that I decided to quit my job, invest in my future and follow my “why”. These were some of the signs that you may have (already) recognised:

1. You lack passion and are not learning

You may feel as though you’re not being challenged and you’re not reaching your full potential. You are under-utilised and are no longer growing, learning and evolving. Learning is an investment in you for the future. Knowledge also breeds further knowledge. You need to keep breeding!

2. You are excruciatingly bored

Boredom stems from lack of opportunity for growth.

You may lack motivation at work and the highlight of your day is your lunch break. If you’re anything like I was, you may be snacking uncontrollably and have fantasised about jumping through the window.

3. You turn around and don’t see any role models

Monkey see, monkey do.

Successful individuals attribute part of their success to mentorship. You should be very concerned if your organisation doesn’t have colleagues/seniors/leaders that you aspire to learn from.

4. Your job is affecting your mental and physical health

You suffer from constant headaches, anxiety and back pain. Sometimes your physical body is telling you something important when you’ve been trying to ignore your brain (and your heart).

You feel anxious about returning to work for another week. You may get tummy pangs of anxiety on a Sunday night and in the mornings, you may not want to get out of bed.

Anxiety and depression are no joke. Notice the signs and take them seriously

6. You feel as though your soul has been sucked out of you

We’re not all willing to sell our soul to the corporate devil. That’s perfectly fine (and admirable). Each of us has a unique purpose in life; it is our job to figure out what that purpose is and to then start living that purpose.

If your gut instinct is telling you that you want something different or something “more”, then it’s your job to listen and follow that instinct.

7. You’re a rat on a sinking ship

Sometimes you find yourself in an organisation that is akin to a sinking ship. Everyone is leaving or your team is dysfunctional. In those circumstances, you need to be the rat that jumps ship and swims to shore. Strap on those floaties and start swimming!

8. You don’t believe the propaganda you’re being fed by the organisation

In order to truly thrive within an organisation, you should align with the “why” and values of the organisation and the team that you’re working for.

It may be time to quit your job if the offer of partnership after a 10-year slog with minimum reward is just not the carrot you were hoping for.

I personally prefer to grow my own (organic) carrots.

9. You ooze negativity

Sometimes you cannot help but complain about your job. That’s fine, as long as you actually do something to change your circumstances. Don’t allow negativity to attract further negativity. Instead, use the negativity to drive yourself forward to a better outcome.

10. You dislike your boss or the people that you work with

Life is fleeting and oh so precious. Bad bosses? Dysfunctional teams? Ain’t nobody got time for that…

If you can relate to any of the above, it may be a sign that it’s time for you to quit your job in 2017.

Some of you may think “What would I do then?” or “You’re crazy, I have a mortgage. You don’t get it”.

Yes, I get it. It’s scary. But I’ve also come out on the other side and I can tell you that it’s worth it.

You’ll figure out a way that is infinitely more rewarding than dying a slow death in your ergonomic chair. Trust me and more importantly, trust yourself implicitly.

Figure out your purpose and then decide a strategy that allows you to have an career and a life that you love. Get in touch, if you need some help figuring it all out.

L x

P.S. Whenever you’re ready …. here are 4 ways I can help you create a life you LOVE:

• Grab a copy of my FREE Ultimate Decision Making Framework. My clients and I are obsessed with with this Framework.

I use The Ultimate Decision Making Framework to ensure my decisions are in alignment with my overall Purpose. I know you will love it as much as I do! – Click Here

2. Join the Purpose and Profit community and connect with visionary’s and business owners who are also driven to create a life they love

It’s my Facebook Group where driven individuals learn how to create a Purposeful and Profitable life. – Click Here

3. Take my Purpose eCourse

I have developed a series of Foundational eCourses that will give you the skills, knowledge and life tools that you need to begin designing a life, relationship, career or business that you are in love with. If you want to live your own definition of success, start here with proven tools, strategies and formulas.

Ready to begin your next chapter? If so, I’d love you to join me…– Click here

4. Work with me and my team privately

If you’d like to work with me 1:1 to unlock me to unlock your Purpose… just send me a message with the word “Purpose”… tell me a little about yourself and what you would like to work on together, and I’ll get you all the details! – Click here