Dear Someone Else’s Dad,
My girlfriend is about to quit her job and wants me to do the same so we can buy an RV to explore anywhere we want for about a year. She feels she has saved enough, and I guess I have too. The problem is that I am up for a big promotion in about a year. If I quit now, I’ll lose an opportunity that I don’t think I’ll ever get again. Should I just give it up?
Thanks,
Not So Free-Spirited
Dear NSF-S,
The best I can do is help you set up a framework for your decision without making it sound like an either/or between your girlfriend and your job. The answers to these questions may help you figure out what means most to you and how much risk you’re willing to take. Good luck!
The RV adventure. Sounds like a lot of fun. What is the advantage of doing it now versus later? Does the trip need to be for a year? Will you be completely relaxed with your life if you just quit now and go?
Your relationship. Will it survive if you don’t take the trip at all? ...if you take another type of trip? …if you take the trip as planned?
Your job. What’s the likelihood of the promotion? What would your work/life be like once you are promoted? Would quitting after you’re promoted make sense for your reputation?
Quitting now. Do you feel you could get a similar job with a chance of promotion at another firm if you took a year off? Are you committed to starting a brand new career at a lower level a year from now?
Shoot me another email from an RV park or from your desk. I'd love to know what you decide. Best, SED