In 2010, my wife Sarah and I were honourably fulfilling the role that society dictates as the normal and acceptable way to live.
I had a stable, good paying job as an Insurance Assessor and Sarah had just started her own little home-based business. We had two cars, were living in a well presented, three bedroom, two bathroom house in Melbourne’s outer suburbs, had a beautiful 18 month old daughter, Sophie and a crazy, but incredibly loveable chocolate Labrador, named Cooper.
Perfect I hear you say……..the only problem was, no matter what society thought, we certainly weren’t leading the life we wanted to and nothing about that was going to change unless we chose to do something about it.
It was fair to say that I didn’t enjoy my job. Although I knew I was competent and confident in my role, this would not stop the sick feeling that would start to infect my stomach as early as Sunday afternoon, when I started to think about going back to the office the following morning.
As a result of work and the pressure that I felt that I was under, I would go as far to say that that at times, I was bordering on developing, or if I was to be honest with myself, was most probably even suffering mild depression. However, being the red blooded Aussie male that I was, I would never have admitted this to myself or anyone else. In fact, it is only now that I can look back on the situation with some clarity, that I feel I can acknowledge it.
I was often leaving home before Sophie woke up in the morning and getting home after she went to bed. I was missing her growing up and I hated it.
From an outsider looking in, the choice was simple, get a new job. However, at 38 years old, leaving an industry you have been in for over 15 years, and then trying to force your way into a new one, whilst still expecting to earn the salary and respect that you have become accustomed to, is a difficult proposition.
I don’t think I am not the only one to have similar feelings and that there are thousands of people around the world who continue to perform jobs that they detest, feeling they cannot get off the crazy merry-go-round which is the life they feel they are forced to live.
A major reason for this is the common misconception these days, that the easiest way to fix all of the problems in our lives is to become more successful. Unfortunately the most common way to measure success in modern day society, is directly related to your financial position and employment status.
The crazy thing is, by this definition, if you are working for a typical employer, the only way to become more successful, is to become even more engulfed by your work, take on more responsibility and ultimately spend longer hours in the office. The truth is, this does nothing more than make the merry-go-round faster and even harder to jump off without seriously injuring yourself.
This is a sample taken from a chapter in the book How To Escape Your 9-5 And Do Something Amazing.
At last! A guide to stepping off the corporate hamster-wheel and living a fuller, more rewarding life. Written by people that have successfully made a break for freedom, How To Escape Your 9-5 And Do Something Amazing is your freedom manifesto.
With thought-provoking, insightful features written by people from all over the world, this book will change your life. If you have ever wondered how you can shake off the shackles of your 9-5 but still make a living, then this is the most important book you will ever read.
