3 Reasons Why You Need To Get Out Of The Rat Race

I am often amazed at how people who complain about their dead-end jobs that take away all their passion and freedom, do absolutely nothing to get out of their predicament.

The result is usually a double dose of disappointment; the pain of working for peanuts all their lives, only to retire poor.

This is the reality for very many people and the source of the problem is usually failing to choose between the conflicting objectives of freedom and job security.

In this article we are going to cover three reasons why you need to get out of the rat race, especially when you realize that what you are doing now will certainly not give you the freedom to enjoy life on your own terms today or in the foreseeable future.

1.  Job security is an outdated misconception

When it comes to securing your financial future, you’re pretty much on your own, so get used to it. Long gone are the days when you had a job for life and your income was guaranteed by either your employer or the government even after employment.

Even if you are a star performer, the stability of your job depends on the strength of the company, and how relevant you are to the company based on your skills.

Unfortunately, no company is too big to fail.

Irrespective of how relevant your skills are to the defunct company, you will still become redundant, and you may not be able to find another company that pays competitively for your particular set of skills and experience.

2.  A steady paycheck is addictive and often destroys initiative

One of the worst things you can get used to is a steady paycheck from an employer.

For most people, the need for a steady paycheck alone negates all the other reasons why they should have quit their jobs a long time ago.

The moment a regular paycheck becomes something you feel you can’t live without, even if you despise your job, you will find yourself wasting time at work with people you can’t stand instead of being with the people you value most like your family and close friends.

For as long as you hold the belief at the back of your mind that if all else fails, you have a paycheck as a fallback position, you will not try as hard to succeed when embarking on a business venture.

3.  The ability to live your life without the fear of losing your job

Most people don’t realize they are corporate slaves until they find themselves having to beg for time off, a pay raise or risk getting into trouble when they call in sick or when they can’t make it to work because they have to deal with a family emergency.

I am not advocating for laziness and other unproductive behaviour, but I believe you should always have something positive to look forward to, instead of enduring a gruesome career and intolerable bosses for the promise of enjoying life later.

To enjoy the wonderful feeling that comes with being able to do what you want to do, when you want to do it, you need to create the financial security that will allow you to live life on your own terms.

No employer will do that for you.

Even though you love your job, chances are you will outgrow it at some point, especially when you make a deliberate effort and succeed at acquiring more skills.

When this happens, it’s time to move on to something else, and this in itself is an opportunity for you to get out of the rat race.