Ask HN: Those who quit their jobs without anything planned. How did it go?

Would also love to know, sometimes I feel like to really change paths, I can't do the whole interview and switch thing while employed, but I'm scared of "falling off the train" if that makes sense. Also I do take other's experiences with a grain of salt, but in general appreciate seeing things from others' points of view.

I tend to have 2-3 months of new hobbies picking between jobs. It is easy to unnotice burning out but harder to pick oneself up after it happens. A start of a burnout has always been the main reason for me to move away/forward from a job.

I find vacationing between jobs more rewarding than during a job. My mind is clear and I have increasingly more willingness to try and do new stuff. It's easier for me to pick up new hobbies where there is no unpleasantness that I have to go back to soon.

I have a comfort of working in a field where landing a job is easy enough not to worry that quitting will result in homelessness.

1. Have savings

2. Have your resume always up to date

3. Have a network of people who can hook you up

4. Take a deep breath, commit to leaving but do it on YOUR schedule - quitting on the spot is emotional, not rational - avoid doing that if you can.

Back in the day I learned something that my employer was doing that I knew I could not abide by. I did #4 but I had #1, #2 and #3. Within a month I had a job offer and so I THEN quit and took the new jobs. In the exit interview I told them exactly why I was leaving; and not surprisingly they didn't care. Decision validated!

Literally no downside?

I can think of a few: there’s a good chance it doesn’t work out and you find yourself running an unprofitable business working harder to make much less than your old software engineering job.

I quit Google after five years and moved to NYC right before the pandemic started.

Working on my startup now. Pays infinitely less but makes me a lot happier. I love getting put in situations I would've never dreamed I would be in.

My biggest lesson so far was that I should've left Google earlier. I didn't need nearly as much saved as I had expected. The only thing I could wish for is more friends who did the same. I do miss having coworkers.