Fed up. Need to make a change
Discussion
I’ve been in sales for over 20 years. Turned 40 this year, and to be honest… I’m disillusioned with the whole thing.
The money’s been great, I’ve used it to clear all debts (except a small mortgage I could pay off from my ISA if I wanted) and build a nice little investment portfolio in index funds. But sitting at a laptop chasing targets, having the same conversations day after day, it’s starting to feel like I’m wasting some of the best years of my life.
I’ve done well financially. If I keep earning and investing at my current rate, I should be in a position to reach financial independence in 5 years. But those 5 years are starting to feel further and further away.
I’m now seriously considering a change. A few options:
Go part time. My current employer might be open to me moving into a part-time consultant role (2–3 days/week) for £30–50k plus bonus. Still some pressure, but more time back.
Go solo – I could start a consultancy doing sales training. Pretty confident I could bring my current employer and another client with me. Likely to generate £25k+ right out the gate, and build from there.
Do something completely different. This feels like the most appealing option. Become a postman or delivery driver. No targets. Just driving around listening to music and podcasts. It might only bring in £30k/year, but that’s enough with my wife working two days a week. Our £500/month nursery bill is ending soon too, so that helps.
We’ve got two young kids, and the idea of more time with them and my wife is a big draw.
Not jumping yet, could just be a rough patch at work, and I’m aware this might be a knee-jerk reaction. But motivation is low, and I’m tired.
Has anyone made a change like this? Did it work out? Would love to hear from others who've been through similar.
The money’s been great, I’ve used it to clear all debts (except a small mortgage I could pay off from my ISA if I wanted) and build a nice little investment portfolio in index funds. But sitting at a laptop chasing targets, having the same conversations day after day, it’s starting to feel like I’m wasting some of the best years of my life.
I’ve done well financially. If I keep earning and investing at my current rate, I should be in a position to reach financial independence in 5 years. But those 5 years are starting to feel further and further away.
I’m now seriously considering a change. A few options:
Go part time. My current employer might be open to me moving into a part-time consultant role (2–3 days/week) for £30–50k plus bonus. Still some pressure, but more time back.
Go solo – I could start a consultancy doing sales training. Pretty confident I could bring my current employer and another client with me. Likely to generate £25k+ right out the gate, and build from there.
Do something completely different. This feels like the most appealing option. Become a postman or delivery driver. No targets. Just driving around listening to music and podcasts. It might only bring in £30k/year, but that’s enough with my wife working two days a week. Our £500/month nursery bill is ending soon too, so that helps.
We’ve got two young kids, and the idea of more time with them and my wife is a big draw.
Not jumping yet, could just be a rough patch at work, and I’m aware this might be a knee-jerk reaction. But motivation is low, and I’m tired.
Has anyone made a change like this? Did it work out? Would love to hear from others who've been through similar.
Stu-nph26 said:
Do something completely different. This feels like the most appealing option. Become a postman or delivery driver. No targets. Just driving around listening to music and podcasts. It might only bring in £30k/year, but that’s enough with my wife working two days a week. Our £500/month nursery bill is ending soon too, so that helps.
There are targets for delivery drivers, that is why 99% of the couriers who come to our work are stressed.The UPS man has a meltdown once a week because he misses his target and gets some of his pay docked.
Stu-nph26 said:
Sheets Tabuer said:
Stay where you are with a goal of retiring at 55, that'll sharpen the mind.
My goal is to retire at 45 in another 5 years but it really isn't sharpening my mind. What is your level of education ? what could you move into ?
We have a friend who became a TA in a primary school and loves it, I have been in Engineering 42 years and loved it, another became a teacher in a Primary school as they had a degree and loves it too (though it would be a nightmare for me) so I get the Square peg / Square hole thing.
Wife completely changed career mid 40's (though forced) and it was hard work (she became a child protection social worker, so I wouldn't suggest that !) but worth it in the end.
We have a friend who became a TA in a primary school and loves it, I have been in Engineering 42 years and loved it, another became a teacher in a Primary school as they had a degree and loves it too (though it would be a nightmare for me) so I get the Square peg / Square hole thing.
Wife completely changed career mid 40's (though forced) and it was hard work (she became a child protection social worker, so I wouldn't suggest that !) but worth it in the end.
MattsCar said:
Surely that end goal is enough of an incentive to slug it out for another 5 years. It really is not a lot of time...basically if you think back to the start of Covid (remember that), that is roughly 5 years to put it in to perspective.
That is very true and is possibly what I do. The question I keep asking myself is but then what? I’d want to do something maybe I can just do that something now and take a small wage and escape the rat race. Stu-nph26 said:
My goal is to retire at 45 in another 5 years but it really isn't sharpening my mind.
If you can retire at 45 I'd be sticking with the money printing machine you currently have and possibly throw some other goals in there, 2nd home paid off or kids investments or perhaps enough money to buy a business.5 years is the blink of an eye, I really wouldn't be changing at this point.
Sheets Tabuer said:
If you can retire at 45 I'd be sticking with the money printing machine you currently have and possibly throw some other goals in there, 2nd home paid off or kids investments or perhaps enough money to buy a business.
5 years is the blink of an eye, I really wouldn't be changing at this point.
Haha not quite a money printing machine but I'm certainly in a very fortunate position to be in earning as I do. Small fry next to some of the fat cats on PH though but my lifestyle is relatively modest and investing a big percentage of my income has given me a lot of financial security. 5 years is the blink of an eye, I really wouldn't be changing at this point.
My financial goals are solid everything goes into my index funds through a stock and shares ISA. Buying a business does appeal but I think the thing I'm looking for is meaning in what I do. Working in the rat race selling software is just so unrewarding other than the financial rewards it brings.
Stu-nph26 said:
MattsCar said:
Surely that end goal is enough of an incentive to slug it out for another 5 years. It really is not a lot of time...basically if you think back to the start of Covid (remember that), that is roughly 5 years to put it in to perspective.
That is very true and is possibly what I do. The question I keep asking myself is but then what? I d want to do something maybe I can just do that something now and take a small wage and escape the rat race. Gary C said:
What is your level of education ? what could you move into ?
We have a friend who became a TA in a primary school and loves it, I have been in Engineering 42 years and loved it, another became a teacher in a Primary school as they had a degree and loves it too (though it would be a nightmare for me) so I get the Square peg / Square hole thing.
Wife completely changed career mid 40's (though forced) and it was hard work (she became a child protection social worker, so I wouldn't suggest that !) but worth it in the end.
I have A levels and that's it, no degree, hence working in sales and working my way up over the years. I've never known what I want to do and having fallen into sales I managed to grind it out and make a success of it. We have a friend who became a TA in a primary school and loves it, I have been in Engineering 42 years and loved it, another became a teacher in a Primary school as they had a degree and loves it too (though it would be a nightmare for me) so I get the Square peg / Square hole thing.
Wife completely changed career mid 40's (though forced) and it was hard work (she became a child protection social worker, so I wouldn't suggest that !) but worth it in the end.
That's the kind of thing I'm thinking about though, as I said in a reply above, I think maybe the biggest thing I'm looking for is meaning in what I do.
hotchy said:
nickfrog said:
I think 5 years of unhappiness and/or stress is a very long time. Not good for your health.
Followed by 40 more of no work? I'd choose that. nickfrog said:
There might be a good middle ground there somewhere between the 2 options. I retired at 49 but wish I had done it a little earlier even without the last 5 years earnings even if that meant doing a little work on the side for 10 years.
That's why the easier less stressful job is appealing being able to go to work get it done and switch off at 5 or whenever my shift ends. Would you mind sharing more about your own experience Nick? hotchy said:
nickfrog said:
I think 5 years of unhappiness and/or stress is a very long time. Not good for your health.
Followed by 40 more of no work? I'd choose that. Depends how the OP views his current malaise on a scale from boredom to burnout. 5yrs of the latter just isn’t worth it no matter the reward.
This isn t a work thing it s a hobby and interests thing I think, OP. My wife and I both are in sales of technology, realistically it s the only jobs we have had and will have, nothing else will come close to matching the money even if we started with a fresh slate at 21.
The trick I think with sales is to be good enough at it that you can leave it as soon as possible and go and spend your time doing the things you love, for me that ll be European road trips, cycling, walking, all manner of things.
Work wise IMO, it s what you do now or basically charity work - all the manual labour stuff will be mind numbing and worth buttons, you ll also be surrounded by folk who aren t mentally capable of more which in the nicest possible way - will be quite detrimental I would have thought. I d invest more time in thinking about what you d like to do with your spare time, for you.
Alternatively you could buy a business, I’m half interested in buying a McDonalds but again i suspect it’ll not make me as much money and be multiples more work but such things are an idea.
The trick I think with sales is to be good enough at it that you can leave it as soon as possible and go and spend your time doing the things you love, for me that ll be European road trips, cycling, walking, all manner of things.
Work wise IMO, it s what you do now or basically charity work - all the manual labour stuff will be mind numbing and worth buttons, you ll also be surrounded by folk who aren t mentally capable of more which in the nicest possible way - will be quite detrimental I would have thought. I d invest more time in thinking about what you d like to do with your spare time, for you.
Alternatively you could buy a business, I’m half interested in buying a McDonalds but again i suspect it’ll not make me as much money and be multiples more work but such things are an idea.
Edited by okgo on Monday 2nd June 12:01
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