Calling All Dreamers - How Did You Break Out Of The 9-5 Rat Race?

I think I may be considered a youngster but I think that just means I have figured it out early.

I went to a good high school where everyone else had college paid for and got a new car just for finishing. Since I couldn't afford college, I didn't want to get sucked into debt early on. I figured if I find something I want to do bad enough then I'll go learn it. 24 now, just quit an office job feeling like I was becoming a cripple, I started a landscaping company with only me and one other guy. We work a couple days a week, leave and come back when we want and it's been incredible. some don't understand that I don't have a plan, I don't care about a plan right now, I'm working and saving money and loving being outside. I'm going to move out of the country pretty soon and give up finanancial security completely. Who cares if I have to be a bum for a little while. I want to enjoy my life now and not hope that I have enough when I am 60 to see what I want to see. Sometimes you gotta live day to day and give up plans for a "solid" future.. Only then can you see what you enjoy the most and chase after it.

Good luck OP. you don't owe anybody the best years of your life for work. Except a wife.

 

I'm on the opposite end. Can't wait to work for someone else! I have been in a retail business I bought 10 years ago and have 3 months left on my lease. I work almost every weekend. 50-60 hrs a week not including everything I do after hours. Retails a different animal, some love the customer interaction some like myself get burnt out and want to choke someone by the end of the day. Stress will kill me before I'm 50 so another 10 years is out of the question. Ever had a day off without work calling more than one? Not me. Someone's sick your picking up the extra slack. It's not all bad. I've done quite well and there are many positive aspects but not enough. I want vacation time, sick leave, to leave work at work when the day is done. I have no plan and it scares me being a single dad with 2 kids but if your miserable change your life, don't accept it.

 

I came to the realization mostly from new friends you gotta enjoy while you can. Quality of life. Previously I used to work 70+hours a week sometimes 7 days for a start up that I thought would hopefully propel me to wealth. At some realization last year I said no and started working 40 hours or less a week. Bicycle almost every other day with friends and travel a lot on weekends. Its been one of the best years of my life. My work on the other hand is a drag and everyday I am thinking of what I could do to get out of here. But the pay and convenience of coming into work at whatever time or leaving is a big plus.

I am getting out of complete debt and at that point I might go into making half of what I make doing something else but I would know I enjoy it. For the time being I am just getting the best out of everyday I can with family and friends. Work is just a means to a good life.

 

I stay home and trade currency for a living now. I was a helo pilot in the Army and even that was mundane at times. I guess you just have to find what you can tolerate for work and enjoy the rest of your time!

The answer is out there; do some searchin'!

 

Like he said. Greatest job ever. I have almost 20 years in, still young(46), great benefits, pension. Four days on, four days off. Stressful and demanding at times, but the firehouse life can be awesome.

 

Im just stuck in that void of "no experience, no job, no experience" etc. I have a degree and experience that goes along with all that, just not exactly a work history. I picked up my current job just to get some money flowing and some history. Never expected to be here for even a month, hundreds of applications, handful of interviews...and I'm still here almost approaching a year. I need to get out of retail. I know a have a lot more potential and there's other places that could actually challenge me. Hopefully somebody will give me a shot one of these days so I can actually start a career path.

 

never fell for the trap. I work seven days on a boat, seven days off the boat. five years later, I made captain and have a cushy salary.

 

Graduated high school and didn't feel like getting into school loans at the moment, and joined the military. Went with the coast guard without really knowing what they do. 6 years later and after having certainly paid my dues, I'm a helicopter mechanic and search and rescue flight mechanic. I may not make tons of money, but my job on a daily basis is interesting, fun, diverse, and rewarding. Plus i have the opportunity to retire at 38 years old and start a whole new career while getting a retirement check and benefits. Keeping in mind that $$ isn't always the answer is key. :]

 

my son and his family are moving to New Zealand for about 6 months but unfortunately I can see them staying longer. They just aren't into the 9-5 rut and are content with having less. Not saying we are real thrilled but it is their life not ours.

 

nurse in a emergency hospital. I work twelve days a month and make great money Work is always interesting due to it being emergency room. peoples idea of an emergency is pretty comical and I work with a ton of different people every shift so it keeps it fresh.

 

Op I was in your position when I was 24. I had a great job at an insurance consulting company working with very high end insurance companies. I started when the company had 4 full time employees my freshman year of college, and it had about 50 when I left 4 years later. I made great money, good benefits, and lots of opportunities to travel for work. While it was great to be able to graduate from college debt free thanks to the job I hated working in an office and in a field I didnt believe in. It would have been very easy to stay where I was, and probably would have stayed for 10 more years. So after 2 years of applying I was lucky enough to get a job with the Forest Service. However I took a 50% pay cut to do something I actually enjoyed, but it was worth it. Now after 5 years I've moved up from a fire engine to a hotshot crew to a permanent seasonal employee dealing with aviation and helicopters. I can actually say that I love this job. Everyday is something different. Now I'm making a pretty decent income(lots of ot) while working 7 months a year, good benefits, a pension at age 53, and lots of options to go somewhere else in the Forest Service if I get bored. I've traveled all around the world during my time off, and have been able to spend more time with family than I used to. It was hard to give everything up, and move to a lesser paying job. But it was well worth it. Obviously my job wouldn't be for everyone, but there are lots of jobs that you would probably enjoy if your willing to take a pay cut. If you hate your job I encourage you to find something else. I would rather live on a fixed income when I'm 70 and loved my job than be rich and doing something I hated for 30 years. Best of luck.

 

Could be an interesting thread.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSyHWMdH9gk

 

Would love to move from the profession I am in but am in too deep now. Retirement, family on my insurance, etc.
It has changed drastically from when I got out of school. I am counting down the years until retirement which feels like forever right now.
Would love to be able to find something that I am passionate about and make less but not lose my investment.
Oh well.....where's that wheel?

 

Same reason i chose not to do college. Didnt know what to study. Joined up with walmart right outa highschool for a pinch above minimum wage at a store. Since then ive been at 3 stores and now 3 warehouses. 400 am to 230 pm 4 days a week. Making upwards of 50k a year at 23. I now want to go to school for something that will help me progress.

 

Become a Registered Land Surveyor, and open ur own company... You could be outside all day...

 

Another decent business to own (if you know about construction) is Home Inspector. Not outside all the time, but always on the go. Depends on your market area, but I know a couple of them who make very good money for the amount of time they put in. Minimal startup costs compared to many businesses. Biggest overhead is E&O insurance.

 

Best advice I can give. Just do it! Try it for a year or so. Don't be afraid to f**k up. Do away with all the excess in your life. Live simply and see where it takes you.

Hardest step is actually following through.

Do away with all the "fancy" things you think you have to have in order to survive. Cut your overhead costs and that's one less thing you will have to worry about. Makes getting a less paying (less stressful) job that much easier to do.

I'm always willing to provide insight to those trying to get out of the grind.

 

My wife and resigned our jobs simultaneously, last day was 10/02.
Although we made 4 times the median household income in our area, live on a resort island that people dream of visiting, and spend lots of money to do so, we were ready for a change.
We both had high stress positions, she had her job for 22 years. I was just short of 4 years.
The Tacoma has shipped, 12 Rubbermaid containers of all of our worldly goods that made the cut, shipped out, the BRZ ships out tomorrow morning.
We fly out on 10/15, meet the Taco in Oakland, drive towards Reno/Tahoe.
Only 1 hotel night has been booked, in Oakland. Once the Tacoma starts in Oakland, the adventure begins. We will find our new town, our new address, and new vocations.
Kids/grandkids in Auburn and Reno. Taking 3 months off, then see what opportunity opens up.
We felt the need to live simpler healthier lives.
Being an employee is right for some folk, being business owners is best for others.
The key is knowing when and if you need to make a change.

 

Truth be told, most folks don't. They may enjoy working for themselves, but as the stories you are seeing here, they often work much harder, and with less perks, than in the corporate world. My parents were an example, going into business for themselves at about 50. Financially it worked out well for them. While the business was self supporting and paid them a fair wage, their money was made on land acquisition for their business site, and at the end of their run, ultimately the sale, and mortage retention of that debt free land. In fact two buyers defaulted, and they resold the land for more $ as the value continued to rise. But that 15 years was a very restrictive time in their lives, because they 'were' the business.

Me? I worked my way through it. All the way to an early retirement. I was able to have multiple career paths within the same organization, but it was based on being successful in what I did and being sure that all those around me that deserved credit it got it.

I also decided to fight periods of 'boredom' by doing things that were not expected, and investing in the future of other people around me, particularly those I was responsible for. I got great pleasure out of 'grooming' (mentoring) others. Those who wanted to be mentored, took your counsel and ran with it, breaking out into the person they never thought they could be. There's also something to be said for those experiences helping my career. Decision makers often notice when new stars rise out of one leaders team. Over and over. Regardless of what unit in the company that leader was working in.

I too had dreams. So I lived below my means, stayed debt free other than a mortgage, and made reasonable investments. When I was laid off after a merger (and 30 years of service) I was almost immediately hired back as a consultant for the new owners. At a much higher rate than if they'd just have kept me. I did that for a couple of years, then landed a job with a local government agency. During my 8 years there I had the most fun, as our new CIO wanted his leadership team to infuse a culture more like a customer oriented corporation than a bureaucracy. Stirring the pot was fun!

I was able to retire a bit early and have been enjoying the fruits of my years since.

Oh yea. Those folks I mentored who became successful? Though I've been gone for a number of years, they still call wanting to go to lunch or breakfast. Usually to discuss a work or life issue. I'm not really bragging here. Just pointing out that often I think folks have the wrong focus on exactly what a 'career' involves. There is usually much more to it.

If you're still busting gut to go on your own, get a subscription to Money magazine. Or go to the library and read it each month. They have a running series I think called 'second act', about folks doing just what you dream about. Tells individual stories of preparation, sacrifice, success or failure. You can learn a lot by learning about others. Which is what you asked for here.