Am I Crazy Leaving a Perfectly Good Job?

[st_files]

I'm on the verge of handing in my notice on a perfectly stable, decent paying, long term (been here 14 years) job in order to travel for a month and then start a legal conversion course that may lead to me becoming a barrister.

A handful of friends have left over the years and gone to to become teachers (2), estate agents (1), full time stand up comedian (1), a handy man who's now about to be a full time house husband (1), go into signed sports memorabilia (1). None of them have regretted it and only one is now back doing what he'd tried to get away from.

Unemployment is on its way to 3million, people are struggling left right and centre. Am I being totally self indulgent by leaving the gravy train where I am now in order to do something I find fulfilling? I by no means hate my current job but I am so deep in a rut I think I may have hit the earths core in the next few years if I didnt make this move....

[Pothole]

only travelling for a month? why so short?

[st_files]

legal conversion course starts mid sept - need to keep working as long as possible to save up cash to cover a student lifestyle for 2 years...

Edited by st_files on Wednesday 21st April 12:39

[Rugbyman]

Take a month off the job .....go traveling .....get back and then you will know what is best for you

[Adenauer]

If you have the funds to sustain yourself, then why not?

[soad]

You're bloody mad.

Nowt wrong with trying different things - it's what you make of it that counts !

[mikeveal]

Eh?
You want people that don't know you to tell you how you feel about your life priorities?

You won't starve in the UK it things go breasts uppermost, worst case you lose all the material stuff.

Up to you to work out how much that means to you. We can't help.

[Pothole]

DO IT!

[Chilli]

Rugbyman said:

Take a month off the job .....go traveling .....get back and then you will know what is best for you

Absolutely. Or ask for redundancy, get a bit more cash behind you.

[st_files]

Chilli said:

Rugbyman said:

Take a month off the job .....go traveling .....get back and then you will know what is best for you

Absolutely. Or ask for redundancy, get a bit more cash behind you.

I'd LOVE redundancy and am planning on asking even though its the longest of long shots.

[perdu]

you're NOT bloody mad!



here am I at the other end of a life, happy enough but still wishing i'd...

well, done just what you are thinking about

(cliché alert) you dont know the colour of the grass unless you look

go for it and enjoy the change

[st_files]

perdu said:

you're NOT bloody mad!



here am I at the other end of a life, happy enough but still wishing i'd...

well, done just what you are thinking about

(cliché alert) you dont know the colour of the grass unless you look

go for it and enjoy the change

Cheers Perdu...I keep thinking that when I'm on my deathbed I'm not going to be thinking "I wish I'd kept that 9-5 office job"!

[koolchris99]

Go for it..

but there will be no student lifestyle at law school! its a long path to the bar

[st_files]

koolchris99 said:

Go for it..

but there will be no student lifestyle at law school! its a long path to the bar

I know, its hard work but I figure if I wanted to sit on my arse and have an easy (if unfulfilling) life I'd stay put here.

[Dino D]

Do it, plan and hope for the best but also have a plan for the worst so if it does go awry you know what to expect and you have your eyes wide open.

[Chilli]

st_files said:

Chilli said:

Rugbyman said:

Take a month off the job .....go traveling .....get back and then you will know what is best for you

Absolutely. Or ask for redundancy, get a bit more cash behind you.

I'd LOVE redundancy and am planning on asking even though its the longest of long shots.

Well, start by being really sh!t at work. Not so bad to get any warnings you understand...perhaps be more inconvenient!

[bonsai]

st_files said:

perdu said:

you're NOT bloody mad!



here am I at the other end of a life, happy enough but still wishing i'd...

well, done just what you are thinking about

(cliché alert) you dont know the colour of the grass unless you look

go for it and enjoy the change

Cheers Perdu...I keep thinking that when I'm on my deathbed I'm not going to be thinking "I wish I'd kept that 9-5 office job"!

But are you going to be thinking "I wish I'd kept that 8-8 job". As thats what your law job (at least in the early years) will be like.

[zac510]

Why don't you ask if they'll give you a month off and take you back on part time while you're studying? If you've been there 14 years you must be of some value to the company.

[st_files]

bonsai said:

st_files said:

perdu said:

you're NOT bloody mad!



here am I at the other end of a life, happy enough but still wishing i'd...

well, done just what you are thinking about

(cliché alert) you dont know the colour of the grass unless you look

go for it and enjoy the change

Cheers Perdu...I keep thinking that when I'm on my deathbed I'm not going to be thinking "I wish I'd kept that 9-5 office job"!

But are you going to be thinking "I wish I'd kept that 8-8 job". As thats what your law job (at least in the early years) will be like.

I realise its going to be hard work for a few years at the very least but I'd rather 8-8 of hard rewarding work as opposed to 9-5 of stab-me-in-the-face dullness in a feckless industry (advertising).

[perdu]

look at me now

I'm not dead yet and I'm seriously thinking of a change of lifestyle

go for it


Bloody good luck to you