Should you quit your job based on “a gut feeling”?
I had an email I wrote brewing in my drafts for the last three months.
I was revisiting the draft every week or so, and eventually, it became a mix of some formal text, emotions of stress, optimism, pessimism, relief, and some “I told you so.”
My gut was telling me I should have done it a while back. Yet my logical and analytical mind, along with my 20+ years of experience in the enterprise of crisis management, risk analysis, and mitigation, kept finding ways to work around the feeling at the bottom of my stomach.
Weeks of insomnia came to an end once I pressed “Send” on that email — my resignation letter.
Engineers like me tend to be creatures of habit. Probably this is the reason why I became an engineer in the first place, or perhaps this is something I acquired during my studies in the Technion, or maybe from my managers at General Electric?
I call it my ‘habitual frame’; I intentionally program myself and condition my mind and body to specific “optimized” workflows so I can have more time to be idle, creative, adventurous, or mostly lazy (My philosophy on the positive points of being lazy is for another article)
One of the habits I nurtured is to be analytical and to always act as the devil’s advocate to my thoughts. I was trying to convince myself it’s not a good thing to make this move, probably as a defensive instinct.
You see, what is interesting about the practical tools of risk and failure probability analysis is that they are not 100% objective. Most of the time, you inject them with your (or the team’s) common-sense. You lace them with what you were conditioned to accept as success criteria.
I found myself clouding my gut feeling by finding excuses to plow forward, trying not to leave my “habitual frame,” my latte, colleagues, and the “right thing to do.” In the end, I followed my gut feeling, as I did a few times in my life. I pressed the “Send” button on the resignation email.
To be able to “trust my gut,” I had to have enough self-awareness and experience to be able to trust that tiny voice. Trusting my gut feeling is not my only instrument. I will use it only after I had all the due diligence that I feel is adequate. Jumping into a busy intersection because I “trust my gut” that my car is fast enough is a good example when NOT to trust your gut.
I’ve written some questions which may ease your decision making. Ask yourself these questions and see if it makes sense to follow your gut feeling.
Question 1: “Do I have a gut feeling, to begin with?”
It sounds like a stupid question but bear with me.
Everybody has the basic instinct of that tiny voice inside, yet the intuitive gut feeling is not what you want to rely on when making huge decisions in life (e.g., career, marriage, house)
When I was younger, emotions and ego affected a lot of what I considered “a gut feeling.” It took me many years to grow the trust I have in myself. A gut feeling is what it is — a feeling. Your higher brain does not solely lead it, so it’s subjective.
Try to think of examples when you followed your gut. If you did not regret most of them, most probably, you have a good gut feeling.
Question 2: “Did I go through all the due diligence that was needed?”
I was thinking of leaving my last job for more than two years. I had discussed my feelings with people close to me, with my manager and my manager’s manager. I had even made a few quantitative analysis tables of pros/cons. I also tried to reinvent myself at work by taking different responsibilities.
When you’ve invested so long in a relationship, you should never throw it away at a whim. Take your time to think things through, but don’t forget you are not only a brain. You will also need to involve your instincts and feelings.
Question 3: “What is the worst thing that can happen if you leap?”
I left my job without having another alternative. Even though I did not look for a job before and was fully aware that I will sit at home, at least for a while, I knew I had savings and that my family and I would be ok.
Can you afford to change jobs now? If the answer is “No,” work on it — look for a job, save money, or start your own thing while you still have your job. Make sure your decision is not entirely emotional, and the worst-case scenario will be something you can handle, at least for the short-term.
Finally: “Do I sing ‘take this job and shove it’ to my manager?”
Probably you shouldn’t, even if you have the urge.
To conclude, life is too short to waste, feeling you are not where you should be. Everyone has gone through difficulties in their personal lives and know that time is an asset. It is vital to be able to look at yourself in the mirror in the morning, knowing that you are trying to realize what you think your potential is.
Good luck!
I would love hearing some of your stories or questions, feel free to write to me or to comment.
