Why I quit my job to travel

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It's 7:30 AM. I'm sitting in my office at work. It's my last day here. This job's been good to me. I've made more money here than any other I've ever had, and I've been endowed with full day-to-day control of every aspect of this furniture store's operations. Being the boss is good.

But this is not my purpose.

I'm quitting the best job I've ever had so that I can travel through South America for 4 months. About a year ago I stepped back and took a look at my life. I had recently gotten promoted to Store Manager younger than anybody else in the company. I considered most of the other managers and was a little frightened of what I might become. Boring, stagnant, repetitive, and old. I was not ready to resign myself to that just yet. Sure, someday I hope to be old, but I never want to be boring.

I've always been one to follow my dreams. When I was in High School and College, I wanted to be a rockstar. A few years later I was one (at least in my head!) I was the drummer for a fairly successful band, Sterling Y, and we went on tour. Those were some of the best times of my life. After a few years, the band moved to Nashville and I stayed in Carolina to pursue other interests (namely, the guitarists sister...what a dumb move). They're still rocking out in Nashville. Check 'em out if you get a chance. They're badass. www.sterlingy.com.

That day about a year ago when I looked at my life, I realized that I wasn't chasing any dream. I was trudging along every day, hoping to make more money than yesterday. Was that really my dream? So I asked myself, "If you could do anything, what would you do?" It didn't take long for the answer: TRAVEL.

I'd always said that someday I wanted to get dropped into Latin America so that I could learn Spanish by immersion, but I never really thought it would happen. Kinda like when I was in High School and wanted to be a rockstar. I realized that day that I was in a position to make long-term travel a reality for myself. So in June of last year, I started planning. I was chasing a dream again.

And that brings me to today. I have plenty of dough saved up, I'm vaccinated, gear is purchased, packed, and insured, airfare is paid for, and a loose itinerary has been set. I'm going to miss my girl and my dog like crazy, but they'll take good care of each other. (Thank you for being so supportive of my dreams, Emily. I can't wait to see you in Lima! I love you.) While I'm travelling, I hope to improve my Spanish immensely, see things I never thought I'd get to see (Macchu Picchu, anyone?), and volunteer some time to those who have been less fortunate. I'm going to work on an organic farm in Ecuador for at least 2 weeks, and volunteer at the mission in Cochabamba, Bolivia that my father worked at briefly in the 90's. I'll keep you all posted on this blog. If you'd like to get an e-mail every time I post a new entry, click the subscribe button to the left. I'll post pics and stories from the road about once a week (hopefully). If you have any comments for me feel free to drop comment or send me a PM.

You only get one life. Do what makes you happy.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” - Mark Twain

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Comments

[Alexis]

Great for you Buddy!!! You'll have a great time!!! Be safe out there! Can't wait to see all the pic's!

[Josh]

An excellent decision
Bro I dont care what anyone says, this is an excellent decision. Many of the same thoughts you have are also going through my mind. It is madness to leave an excellent, responsible, well paying profession behind. Yet it is criminal to watch yourself fall into despondency, stagnation and despair. "What Shall It Profit A Man To Gain The Whole World And Lose His Soul"? We are not meant to grind our way through life, ever reaching for more. More toys, more wealth, more distractions. That is not life, that is a prison. The american dream is dead, if there ever was such a thing. This mindless automaton existance that we are programmed for, this endless consumer society that itself consumes us as we offer our hearts and lives on the alter of economy. I have also forgotten to dream, forgotten to look to the future with anything other then a vague hope to "retire" one day. I have played the game, I have bought into the lies we are told about contentment and happiness. And I have found them to leave me aching like a man dying of thirst. Man does not need contentment and the distraction of mechanical contrivances, they are siren songs that lull you into submission and bring you down in defeat. When the whole of your existance is reduced to moving from one distraction to another, vainly seeking a way to forget the misery that is consuming your soul and atrophying our will. But we are "secure" were "safe" were "stable". As if such things can be guaranteed. It can be surmised in one word though, Fear. It is fear that gnaws upon us, the "what if's" of life that keep us cowered in our corners and unable to venture into risk. It is fear that paralizes us. "Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind" You have conquered that fear bro, you have screamed defiance and rushed headlong into the unknown. And I believe you have felt the truth of things deeply enough that you had to take action. Many people will go there whole lives without ever taking such a risk, content with their lot in life so long as they are not robbed of their so called comfort. Lose a job, regain your dreams and your soul. I think it is safe to say you have made the right decision. Ramble on, brother.

[Buddy in SA]

TY
You understand. Muchas gracias. ¡Viva la buena vida! You only get one.

[matt]

be safe
hey bro, i just got back to work and checked my email. i dont have internet access so im checking out your blog on my phone (hence the reason for the kindergarden-like typing...lol). i really enjoyed reading the entries and i look forward to being able to follow you along on your journey. have fun, be safe, and keep in touch. i love you and i have always missed you.

[Andrew Wright]

Me, Bob & Surly
My brother quit his job to travel as well. I though you might like his blog, he is traveling by bicycle. http://mebobandsurly.wordpress.com/

[Shawn Martell]

I love you!
I just found out today when I talked to your father. I have never been more proud or more envious of anyone in my life, you are truly a rockstar and I love you very much, I am so happy that you are following your dreams, you are an incredible person, when your father told me about this, I said he is so much like you, you have his free spirit, and that is a grat attribute to have. please take good care of your self and enjoy this immensely, I know you will, I will definetely be following along from now on. I love you , and you ROCK!