<ol><li>There’s a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survivorship_bias">brain feature</a> called survival bias. It makes us focus on the people who make it and forget about all of those who didn’t.</li><li>At this point, you’d expect a breakthrough that turned my clusterfuck into a triumph. I wish I could give it to you, maybe even humblebrag a little bit. But I’m not there yet.</li><li>You can see me as a failure. Or you can see me as a possible outcome. I’m somewhere between delusional and determined, which some people refer to as optimism. </li></ol>

It’s never too late to change your mind - or to carry on

<ol><li>Save enough money to survive one year before quitting your job.</li><li>Keep your social life and body healthy to handle stress and self-doubt.</li><li>Observe yourself during your dream-chasing adventure. It’s okay to change your mind if entrepreneurship doesn’t turn out to be your thing.</li></ol>﻿See you around.

Summary 

If you embark on a similar adventure and struggle with money, observe yourself. Do you still enjoy doing what you said is your dream job, or does it make you sick? Are you considering solutions to make your business work, or are you thinking about returning to your old job?Your answers won’t be the same every day, but you’ll develop a preference.<ul><li>If you want to make your project work above everything else, then stick with it.</li><li>If you feel exhausted and dread your new life, stop and go back to the old one. There’s no shame in changing your mind. You just have to own it.</li></ul>

Lessons

Make sure you have at least two safety nets before quitting your job.<ol><li>Save enough money to cover one year of expenses before you quit. You’ll have a ton of issues, and trust me: you don’t want starving to be one of them. Unexpected events like sickness or a broken fridge can also shake your finances.</li><li>Secure a roof over your head . Move back with your parents or relocate to a cheaper city where rent is affordable. For many of us, it’s the easiest way to reduce costs.</li></ol>

Remember this

<ol><li>When you throw away a stable career, health insurance, and social approval, many people will question your choice. </li><li>The worst voice you’ll hear will be your own though. No matter how down-to-earth you are, you’ll start your journey with expectations that will turn out to be too high.</li><li>Deep down, you’ll expect results to show up within days, but the days will turn into weeks then months. That’s when self-doubt comes banging at the door.</li><li>Scary stuff? Sure. Can you handle it? Absolutely.</li><li>By the time the self-doubt part starts, you’d already built enough mental muscle to withstand it.</li></ol>

Clients won’t chase you — doubt will

<ul><li>Call that one person who believes in you. I often cry to my girlfriend about my failures, and Tina would always ask me the same question. “How can you make this work anyway?” Find your Tina.</li><li>Connect with others in your dream job / field. Chasing your dream is a lonely job but you don’t have to do it alone. Seek Facebook groups and Slack communities where you can share your thoughts, find accountability partners, and receive feedback.</li><li>Move your body. Exercise helps you relieve stress and stimulate your brain. Go for a walk and do some push-ups; both your health and career will thank you for it.</li></ul>

<ol><li>Problems kept charging me like hungry zombies happy to spend an endless night feasting on my brain. </li><li>None of my favorite gurus warned me about that when they encouraged me to chase my dream.</li><li>Success pornstars never miss the opportunity to tell you how hard they worked and how well it paid off. </li><li>They rarely tell you about the massive safety nets that got them there. Without family, First World privileges, and savings, it’s freaking hard to walk down the solopreneurship road. </li><li>I didn’t know that until Murphy’s Law punched me in the face. “Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.”</li></ol>

You will face problems that will make you stronger 

<ol><li>Sometimes, life sucks. You’re stuck in a job you don’t like, and everyone seems to be enjoying themselves running online businesses and getting rich. Or so you’d think.</li><li>In reality, making a decent living as a solopreneur is hard. Your gurus will tell you it’s simple and doable — and I’m sure that’s what they believe. </li><li>Everyone sees the world through their personal lenses and since things worked out for them, they genuinely think the same is possible for you and me.</li><li>When you quit your job to write, coach, or sell online, you don’t rise to the occasion; you fall to the level of your preparation.</li></ol>

Final thoughts and recap

Here's an honest story about quitting a corporate job to write online. If you're considering writing, you'll find this non-success story helpful.

Lessons

Similar ideas to Lessons

When we don’t love our jobs

What burnout is

Before quitting, figure out what’s wrong