If I were to describe the past few months for me, it would sound like this: “I’m exhausted, I need to write, but don’t have time. I have way too much to do.” At this point, my frustration is one vivid feeling scarring my soul.

I guess when I wrote the post about procrastination last week, it was my way to find a solution to get more done with little time. But, let’s not kid ourselves, procrastination is fun, but, without a doubt, it’s also counter-productive. At the end of the day, I wrote the bare minimum, and the rest was added to my frustration list.

I don’t know about you, but I get very anxious when I don’t write. I love my job, but writing is vital to me. So when I start having a lot of work requiring overtime, I end up writing less and, ultimately, I get frustrated.

So, I did something brutal. Did I mention I was frustrated? lol

This week, I did something completely crazy, something I would have never thought possible, as the very rational and pragmatic person that I am. It’s not something I just thought about last week and said: “Oh, well, why not?!” I’ve actually been thinking about this for a while now, but, most importantly, I’ve been planning it for a long time.

So what did I do?

I quit my job.

I said it. Am I insane? Absolutely!

My brain keeps telling me this is insane, but my heart says I should follow my dreams. After a long and heated conversation with both of them, we finally reached a compromise. I’ll give myself until the end of the year and evaluate how things have progressed to know if I should stop or continue.

What does that mean for me?

Have discipline!

I need it. I’ve been working from home for the past two years, so I know how to wake up every morning and work all day long without interruption. As far as I’m concerned, nothing will change. Writing is now my full-time job (or will be soon in 2 weeks to be more accurate). No procrastination for me! 6 months will fly by, so no time to waste.

Know what you’re getting yourself into.

I’m 200% committed to making this work. Before taking this leap, I researched what I needed, took a few courses, so I knew what I was getting myself into and that this won’t be easy. But, I also know I want this badly! I love writing and fully intend to finish my book in the next few months.

Find the courage to take a leap.

Making this type of decision must be carefully thought before. The leap is something you must want beyond anything else because you don’t need to write full time to be successful. Many authors wrote best sellers maintaining a day job. Writing full time doesn’t guarantee success, it’ll just increase your chances. You could also have a part time job.

They were options, but quitting my job was my choice. I really wanted to do this. I want to grow old and have no regrets, no “what if” pounding in the back of my mind. Life is too short to be wasted.

How did I plan?

Set up goals

Know what you want to accomplish. I have a plan, goals to achieve to stay on track. I don’t see all that commitment and long hours of writing as a burden, but a way to make my dream come true, a pleasure in other words. With that said, it’s easy to get sidetracked, and the last thing I want is to get to the end of the year thinking I did not accomplish half of what I planned. So, having goals is a good way to keep you focused and accountable.

Plan ahead financially

It’s needless to say that I’ve already cut down on my expenses and I try to do the responsible thing when I can. You need some sort of financial stability. I saved money as much as I could. While I’ll be doing this, I would not want my husband to carry the burden of my choice (even if we’re married) and I won’t ask a dime from him. But, I need his support.

I’ve always been independent, and it won’t change. I come from a family of entrepreneurs, and I know what it takes to start a venture with nothing and worry it won’t work. I’ve seen my parents doing it at different times growing up. They worked very hard for it, and I will do just that. Starting something new is always a bet, but the goal is to make it as safe as possible. So, have a safety net before making any leap.

Have a plan B

Chances are I’m not going to make any money or very little in the next few months, and it’ll take a long time to make things happen. That’s a risk to be considered. The likelihood to make a living is thin, but if you don’t try, you’ll never know. Having a plan B is crucial. I have a stable work history, lots of recommendation, and did everything I could the right way when I quit.

Why?
1) Because I do love my company and team.
2) Because I want a chance to have good recommendations or to come back if things don’t work out.
3) Because it’s the right thing to do.

Do I have any guarantees? No, I don’t. But I will go back to work if it goes South, with no regrets.

Get support from your family

Ease your family into it. One thing I’m certain about is that I would not have done it without the backing of my family. Have a plan, present it to them, and show them you are serious about it and you can do it. If it doesn’t work, have a deadline with a plan B. I have my whole family’s and close friends’ support and that means the world to me. I know deep down, they have concerns, but they are kind enough not to voice them. They are supportive, and right now, this is what I need.

Quitting my job was a hard decision to make. I’m a rational person despite everything, and I always try to do the right thing without shying away from hard work. I want to make this work. Ok, I won’t lie! I felt nauseous when I quit my job feeling overwhelmed by doubts and fear of being judged. But then, I remembered why I was doing it. I’m writing my heart out and will get that book done.

I love writing beyond words, and I am damn serious about it.

[mc4wp_form id=”5745″]