Quitting Your Job Archives - The At Home Couple

The Work At Home Curse

Here’s a story…

2 years ago I quit my career in the customer service industry to pursue my dreams of making money, from home, on my own terms.

I learned everything I could about building great websites and blogs and started flipping them online for cash, which at it’s peak was generating more than 3k per month in profit. I know this doesn’t sound like a lot, but for a kid who’s spent the majority of his life broke, 3k per month was bling bling!

After my days as a rock star site flipper sizzled down, I got into the offline market and started pitching my services and expertise to local businesses – which was in the later part of 2009. I knew that I was the best at what I did (WordPress and social media) and had this innocent idea that I would make way more money building a 5 page website for a business than I would flipping it online.

Work the same (8-10 hours a day) and make more money – it was a no brainer.

12 months later…

I have been grinding full time as a guerrilla web designer, copy writer and social media guy, helping businesses all over Canada get more leads, clicks and phone calls from their websites – and things have been good, but there’s just one thing…

I’m still trading hours and tasks for dollars, while working on the client’s clock. Sure, I make about $300 per month passively through Google Adsense and a bunch of niche blogs I own, but at the end of the day if I stop working, the money stops coming in.

Here is where the problem lies.

When I quit my job, it was because I wanted to work less and make more. I wanted to make money while I sleep and remove myself from my businesses with no fluctuation in my bank account. After two years of being able to say I “work at home” I’m not sure I’m on the right path…

It is the work at home curse.

When someone first discovers how to “make money online” and the glorious lifestyle it can bring you, everything is covered in sparkles and ribbons. The grass smells so sweet and the possibilities are endless. All you need to do is to build a bunch of websites that make money when people click on them, quit your job and travel the world while you become a millionaire.

Sound familiar?

I know for a fact that there are thousands of people all over the world that are “working from home” and are their own “boss”, and so many of them are just as tired now as when they were working for the suits. The question I’m really trying to confront is this:

At what point should I stop romanticizing the fact that I’m self employed and actually start making money doing something I love?

Don’t get me wrong, the Internet has been a passion and fascination of mine for 15 years, since my very first encounter with America On Line (remember the free CDs?)

Anyways, I guess what I’m trying to say is all any one can do is dig deeper and wider in hopes of striking “the force” when everything finally aligns… Consider this day 1 of my personal revolution.

Cheers,

Elijah

P.S. You can obviously see that I’ve gotten extremely bored with current design of the blog and decided to start experimenting in real time. Bare with me!

Swimming Upstream Is The Hardest Part

Hi All!

Here I am . . . resurfacing again!

I’ve been working my (now littler) butt off. I know it’s not over yet, but this year has been especially grueling. I’ve immersed myself in a career and I’m afraid that I’ve lost sight of my goals. In fact, I’m in a place right now where they are changing on a daily basis. I am pulled between what I want and what I have been taught to want. Teetering between creating my rules and following already set ones. Don’t get me wrong, I really like my job and I feel extremely fortunate to be working directly in my field, pretty much on the front lines. And it’s not like the rules I have to follow now are as restrictive as others I’ve encountered. It’s because of this that I struggle with what to do next. I feel like decisions are going to be thrown at me in the near future and they are going to be life changing. You know, the ones that fork the road and require the “what if” reminiscing later on in life.

And then, in a weird twist of life, I came across a manifesto and movement today on one of my favourite blogs, princesslasertron.com.

Chris Guillebeau is the author of The Art of Non Conformity. A book for “for unconventional people who want to do remarkable things.” He is living his dream and has made a commitment to visit every country in the world and so far, has been very successful. In addition to making your passion your work, he emphasizes helping people and giving back. So simple. Pretty impressive.

After reading his manifesto, A Brief Guide to World Domination, I feel better. Even though going against the grain of the mainstream and doing things a little differently is harder and takes longer to reveal success, it is necessary for change. If you think about it, our entire world consists of products and services that were created by people who had the cahones to do things differently and succeed. I think this book is just what I need to re-strategize where I want to take my life, what I want to be doing and how I want to be doing it.

I’ll let you know how it goes. ü

Cheers,

Veronica

How Bad Do You Want To Quit Your Job?

I’m fortunate to be self employed for over 2 years, and though my knuckles and bank account are still scraping the bottom, I don’t ever regret quitting my previous job. The question is, for those of you who are bored tired at your current day job – what’s stopping you from quitting or looking for something better/more enjoyable?

If working a day job is something that you must do because of commitments, children, massive debt etc.. that’s totally okay – but don’t get too comfortable with the idea of stability and a risk free life, because this is the ultimate recipe for a mediocre existence. And there is no one in this world that wants a life that is “fine”.

PROBLEM: You hate your current job, boss or industry.

SOLUTION: Start looking for something better. And when I say looking, I don’t mean sending out resumes online for 2 weeks and then giving up. Get your act together, spruce up your resume (even embellish if needed) and decide what it is you want and how you are going to make it happen. If you need a fake reference, just send me an email – I can say you worked for my company and that you’re awesome (which isn’t a lie).

This job doesn’t have to be permanent, so wipe that thought from your mind because that will do nothing but make you feel stuck again – just in a different environment. Think of your new job as a stepping stone to your ultimate goal.

My buddy Alastair just had a huge win, and I will use him as a great example: He is in the Restaurant/Venue Management industry and last night he told me that he quit his job – and found something WAY better. I was so pumped when I heard this that I may have pooped a little in my pants…

We’re talking about going from managing a mediocre dessert bar in the ghetto to managing an uptown, upscale “old hollywood” inspired supper lounge. It took him months of phone calls, walk ins and hustling – but he made it happen! And though he’d much rather be a Restaurateur and running his own joint (only a matter of time) he’s being positive, excited and realizing the abundance of opportunity this new job is going to give him.

On top of all this, it’s easier for him to get too and I’m a 20 minute commute (VIP by association rocks).

What I’m trying to say is I know it’s tough – and scary – but it is necessary to TAKE THE LEAP every few years until you get to where you want to be. I don’t care how old you are, how many kids you have or what your monthly bills look like – you must keep moving and avoid becoming stagnant. You mustn’t look too far ahead, but still have a grasp of your end goal and how you will achieve it – whatever that “it” may be!

HOW BAD DO YOU WANT TO QUIT YOUR JOB?

What’s stopping you?

Don’t be a wussy and share your thoughts/current situation – letting others know is the first step to getting the ball rolling!

Cheers,

Elijah