I still remember the day I got my job as a mechanical engineer at Jaguar Land Rover, one of the most prestigious brands in the world, and the overwhelming joy that came with it. However, if you had told me back then that, five years later, I would ditch every engineer’s dream job to pursue my own online business, I probably wouldn’t have believed you.
But that’s exactly what happened.
It wasn’t a premeditated move, it came about after a gradual deterioration of my satisfaction with my career. Not just my engineering career, but the concept of working a 9-5 office job. I just couldn’t see myself continuing to wake up early, get stuck in traffic while commuting to an office and having to sit in a chair for eight hours a day over the next 40 years or more.
Then one day, after a particularly tough week at work, I’d had enough. I just knew I had to get out.
I yearned for a job that gave me more freedom, more time to spend with the people I love, and more purpose. I wanted to feel that I was doing something meaningful.
Since I couldn’t find that perfect job anywhere, I created it.
I decided to build a business that teaches people how to take control of their own money and put it to work by investing it into stocks. By doing that, they can earn passive income – money they don’t have to work for, which gives them the freedom to do what they want with their lives.
Over the months that followed I did two things: I lowered my expenses so that I could save money to have a financial cushion, ready for when I left my job, and I worked on my business for one hour every evening after work.
Nowadays my life is exactly how I wanted it to be. I work from home (or coffee shops!) on something that I love and I’ve got the freedom to choose what I do, when I do it, and how I do it. And, most importantly, I’m so much happier.
Obviously a career change like this is much more doable thanks to the internet. My advice to anyone who wants to do what I did is not to rush into it. Be strategic.
Make sure you’ve saved enough money to cover your expenses while you build up your business. And don’t just go with anything; make sure you build something that you feel passionate about. It may be a truly life-changing decision.
This blog is part of The Leap, a New Year series of blogs from people on why they underwent drastic career changes, and the difference it’s made to their lives. Have a story to contribute? Email us on ukblogteam@huffpost.com