I Quit Working Full-Time. These 5 Steps Helped Me (You Can Apply Them Too!)

Not that being self-employed is the ultimate goal. But if it’s yours, my story might spark some ideas.

I’m writing this article at 12:03 AM on a Monday morning. 

Or should I say, Sunday night?

Some might say working so late on a Sunday is toxic hustle culture. 

But I’ve opened my laptop after a delicious dinner of Chicken Biryani and a one-hour drive to Kokapet Lake. I was feeling a bit low on energy, so I decided to take myself out on a drive. I sat by the lakeside, relished the beautiful view of Hyderabad city lights, and counted my stars that a place like this exists where I can sit by myself at 11 PM and still feel safe.

Listening to the sounds of crickets and the occasional car passing by, I enjoyed the stillness amid the city’s bustle, and talked to myself for quite a bit. 

You see, earlier today I was caught up in a fierce debate with myself: what’s the value of plans?

A few days ago, a close friend told me in the middle of an argument, “Anangsha, you’re not a teenager anymore. You’ve got to think ahead and act accordingly.”

That caught me off-guard because I’ve always been a “Let’s go where our heart takes us; we’ll figure it out as we go” kind of person. Curiosity has fueled my life, and so far, it’s been pretty good.

The one thing that’s never been good (for me) is making plans. I used to make elaborate 5-year-plans as a high school student and young adult. None of those have come true.

Forget 5-year plans. My life’s so different today than it was a year ago, I could never have predicted or planned for the plot twists that came my way.

If you’d told me in October 2023 that I’d travel to 4 countries, take a vacation every month, make about double of what I made in 2022, and get so strong that I can get upside down in a heartbeat — I’d be sure you’re joking.

But that’s how life’s always worked for me. Plans sound tempting, but long-term plans are meaningless.

And that’s an epiphany I had while sitting by the lake a few hours back. 

Sorry, I digressed.

I didn’t want to start the article on a philosophical note. But this is an epiphany I had while sitting by the lake tonight: I’m not someone to make and stick to plans. My life doesn’t have to make sense to others, and I’m fine with that.

But yes, that’s not the point of this article.

The point is that I’m flying in another day for a 12-day trip to Vietnam. I’m traveling with my college roommate. It’s her first international trip, and my birthday trip, so I’m sure it’s going to be amazing.

I’m writing this today so I can schedule this article to go live somewhere in mid-October. And that’s a perk the self-employed life has given me: work on my own terms and take vacations as I wish.

But those aren’t all. The self-employed life has also given me:

• Freedom to live by myself.
• Enough financial stability to afford a life in Hyderabad.
• Time to try out new hobbies and gift myself unique experiences.

I could go on, but you get the gist.

I don’t know what’s in store for me in the next five years, but I do know one thing: none of these beautiful experiences would have been possible had I stuck to my old 9-to-5. 

And that brings us to the goal of this article. I want to create a guide to follow if you want to achieve financial freedom and quit your job. Read on, and let me know your thoughts in the comments.