Confessions Of A Serial Quitter
Jun

This is a guest submission by Sally from unbravegirl.com
I don’t mean to brag or anything (okay, maybe I do – just a teensy bit), but this whole ending-the-grind thing? I’m, like, an expert at it. You see, I haven’t held down a single job longer than three years since I was eighteen. (Which was some time ago, so stop asking, okay?) Yep, I go through jobs like some girls go through boyfriends or shoes or cupcakes. (Okay, so I have been known to go through a few cupcakes in my day, too.)
It’s totally not what you’re thinking. It’s not that I can’t hold down a job because I keep on getting fired or arrested or something. It’s just that… well… quitting is kind of my thing.
Of course, quitting jobs every year or so was not exactly in my life plan when I first graduated from college. (Which was also a little while ago. Sheez, some people are so nosy!)
Nope, I was going to have a career — as a writer. Yep, I’d get paid to put words down on paper and stuff. I wasn’t exactly sure how I would go about becoming a writer or how I’d get paid or even what I would write about, but I wasn’t worried. I had just spent four years slogging through creative writing workshops to earn my bachelor’s degree in English. That had to be worth something, right? (Stop laughing. I was twenty-two years old at the time and prone to writing melodramatic poetry about dead flowers. What the heck did I know?)
A Slight Detour…
But, before embarking on my career as a fabulously overpaid writer (I said, stop laughing!), I was just going to take a little detour – to Asia. In college, I had spent my summers working in pubs in the UK and Ireland while on student work visas and had fallen in love with traveling.
Well, not quite with traveling, per se. I mean, don’t get me wrong or anything, traveling is fine and dandy. But I wasn’t particularly crazy about sleeping in hostel dorm rooms with strangers or showering in my flip-flops or living out of a backpack. Heck, I didn’t even own a backpack – all my luggage had wheels. (Yes, I am that princess.)
But I did love living abroad, and I wanted another chance to give it a go — this time in a country that would be a bit more of a challenge.
Prior to graduation, I applied to the JET Program, a program for recent college grads to teach English in Japan, and got a gig at a high school in a tiny fishing village on the coast of the Japan Sea. It would only be a year. I figured my career could wait for a measly twelve months, right?
It’s been thirteen years since then (yeah, yeah, you do the math), and my career is still waiting.
Sure, I’ve had lots of jobs. After my year in Japan, I returned to the States to work in an office in DC. After less than two years of that, I went abroad again – this time, to teach in Brazil. After Brazil, I moved back to my hometown of Buffalo, NY, and got another office job.
That stuck for almost three years until I returned to school to get my degree in education and went back to Japan again – this time to work at a university in Kobe.
My job in Kobe was probably the closest thing I’d ever had to a “real job” – I was well-paid and had excellent benefits, professional development opportunities, and a pension plan (the only hitch – I’d have to retire in Japan). I was well on my way to that career-thing everyone was talking about.
And Then I Quit
Yep. Again.
After three years, I was tired and burnt out. I needed a break.
I spent the following year traveling and volunteering throughout Southeast Asia. By the time my year was up, so were my savings.
So in February, I got a job in China, teaching at a university in Wuxi, an industrial city about an hour away from Shanghai. My job isn’t bad as far as jobs go – I only teach sixteen hours a week, I have Fridays off, and I get two months off between semesters. I don’t get paid much, but I make more than enough to get by in China where the living is cheap.
It’s the perfect job, really.
Except for the fact that it’s still, well, a job.
When my contract came up for renewal this past month, I was tempted to quit — like, really, really tempted. I told all my family and friends that I was leaving. I mentally started packing my bags. (Okay, so maybe I did drag my suitcase out of the closet and start packing it. Hey, packing takes time! It’s important to get a jumpstart – like, a two-month jumpstart.) I almost emailed the administrative office at work to tell them I wouldn’t be renewing my contract.
And Then I Changed My Mind
I decided to stay.
Why didn’t I quit? After all, I am pretty good at this quitting thing. (Not to brag, of course.)
Well, I realized that for the past thirteen years, I haven’t just been quitting jobs, I’ve been quitting my dream. (Okay, okay, I know that sounds, like, way hokey, but just bear with me here.) By going through jobs like they were cupcakes, I hadn’t been giving myself a chance to focus on what I really want to do with my life — writing. Instead, I’d been too busy planning my exit, packing my luggage and stuffing office supplies into my purse. (To any of my former supervisors who may be reading this, I’m totally kidding, and, uh, I don’t know what happened to that case of Post-it notes, I swear.)
When I signed the contract to stay another semester, I made a pact with myself. I promised to use the next eight months that I have in China and all the free time that my job gives me to focus on my writing and myself and not just on my escape route.
And then after my eight months are up, I’ll quit.
After all, it’s kind of my thing.
Sally is a writer, teacher, traveler, performer and all-around scaredy cat. She has been working, living and traveling in Asia since 2007. She currently lives in China, where she teaches English, blogs about cookies and dreams of quitting… again. You can check out her blog and follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

Graham Lutz
I’m awesome at quitting things. Man…If I could get paid to start things and then quit, I’d be loaded!
Sally
If only there were prizes for quitting, I’m sure we’d be winning! 🙂
Sarah
I like quitting things. Commitment makes me nervous (typical, I know). If I don’t see the end in sight, I get really anxious and then create the end (by quitting) just so you know, it’s in sight.
But I don’t like ending things with a cupcake. That just makes me sad.
Sally
Cupcakes make you sad? Does that mean I can have your cupcakes?
Sarah
I s’pose I should have rephrased that. Cupcakes do not make me sad. But when I end things with a cupcake (as in I have finished devouring it) then I am ultimately upset.
Justin
Hi Sally,
I think it is pretty cool that you were able to do so much traveling in your life. You are a brave soul.
I agree that you should take the free time that you will be having in China to work on your writing.
Sometimes if we ask, the space needed to do something will appear.
Sally
Thanks, Justin. Agreed — you just have to be able to recognize that you’re getting what you asked for. (Sometimes it’s hard to tell!)
Richard
Great guest post, Sally! I too am a serial killer. [Queue ‘Dexter’ theme] Opps! I mean “quitter”. Your post inspired me to quit quittin’, too! 😉
Sally
Wahoo! It’s a hard thing this quitting quitting, but I’m sure you can do it.
Therese Schwenkler
Congrats for focusing on your passion instead of on your escape route. Even if you quit your job, don’t quit your writing… it sounds like it’s what you really want to do 🙂
When I first graduated college, I also jumped around from job to job for quite awhile… it’s hard to find your path in life! Along the way, I’ve learned that sometimes it’s ok to be lost and confused…. check it out 🙂
Why It’s OK To Be Lost and Confused: http://www.theunlost.com/?portfolio=what-to-do-when-youre-lost-and-confused
Thanks Sally!
Sally
Thanks for passing on the link. I think I definitely have lost and confused down!
Sally
Well, not quite, Brad. I’m still not the writer I always wanted to be. But hopefully that will be the way the story ends eventually!
Sasha
Sally, yet another great piece that I can totally relate too! I’m only a few years out of school but I can feel that there is a lot of quitting in my future to! I can’t really bare the idea of sticking to one job in one country for more than a couple of years, after all there’s a whole world out there to explore!:) (and sitting in a office for me feels like time wasted doing brain dead tasks! So I end up eating a lot of chocolate cake which leads o me enlarging!)
Sally
Thanks, Sasha! Yes, all my quitting has definitely led to an interesting life and lots of travels. I highly recommend it! Although, I can’t say it’s kept me away from the chocolate cake. 🙂
Laura Finger
After I read Seth Godin’s The Dip, I finally got the message that it’s okay to walk away from something that’s not working. That helped lesson the guilt I felt when I gave up things that I’d invested time and money in. Like a job that bored me to death. And a running program that gave me Runner’s Knees.
Sally
I think my problem is that I’ve always been okay with walking away — maybe too okay! In fact, I’ve never felt guilt about leaving a job; I’ve only felt guilt about not writing more than I do. But I’m hoping to change that soon!
Mirella
I think we should start a club for people who love quitting. There is a sort of a thrill that goes with it, a feeling that we are in charge and can pick and choose what we do and when we do it. The anticipation of the quit and the euphoria after the quit, it’s all good times!
But I also know what you mean about needing to move your focus. I have just quit, yet again, and will be finishing work in 13 more working days! Instead of doing my usual routine where I look for another position, only to quit again in another year, I’m taking at least these next 6 months, maybe 18, to concentrate on my writing and my dream of not having a “job”.
Each to their own, and thanks for sharing 🙂
Sally
Thanks, Mirella. I totally get what you’re saying. Quitting is totally addicting. Maybe we need a Quitters Anonymous to get us to quit quitting. 🙂
Best of luck with your writing & commitment to not quitting. We can do it!
Benny
Glad to hear you’re giving your dream at writing a chance! You’re doing something out of your comfort zone and you’ll grow for sure.
Have you picked up the Chinese language living there?
Sally
Benny,
Unfortunately my language skills aren’t nearly as good as my quitting skills. I haven’t learned that much Mandarin, but I guess I still have time!
Michi
I love your posts, your writing never fails to make me laugh along the way. 🙂 I’m glad you’ve decided to make a pact with yourself and dedicate more time to your writing, because I think you’re a fantastic writer!! Best of luck, and I can’t wait to read more. 😉
Sally
Thanks, Michi! Always happy to get your support!