If you’re unhappy in your job, you’ve probably already pictured leaving dozens of times. Maybe the thought shows up every Sunday night after a lovely weekend, or every time you sit down at your desk and find yourself answering another annoying email. Wanting out is the easy part. But knowing where to start is another thing entirely.
As the old adage goes, if you fail to plan, then you plan to fail. Leaving a draining job is no different. Over the next four weeks, I’ll share a series I built to help you create your blueprint to leave—so you can start moving toward the life you want.
Your blueprint begins by getting real with your finances.
Most people never sit down and calculate what they actually need to live. Instead, they carry around a number in their head that feels right. This number keeps them stuck because it’s often based on their current lifestyle, not their actual requirements. But what if a few months of cutting back is all that stands between you and the life you’ve been imagining?
When you don’t know the actual amount you need to cover the basics, everything feels riskier. Leaving feels more irresponsible. And the idea of making a change feels bigger than it actually is, or even impossible. But when you get clear on what you truly need, leaving becomes more than just a pipe dream.
Your Survival Number
Your survival number is the minimum you need to cover essential costs each month. It’s not your ideal or comfortable living expenses. And it’s not what you’re spending now. It’s just the essentials. It’s also only temporary. This is the amount you could live on during a transition if necessary.
Once you know your survival number, everything changes. You’re no longer guessing. You’re working with real information. And real information is what makes planning to leave possible.
Knowing your survival number gives you clarity and options. It tells you:
What you actually need to cover your bare bones monthly expenses
How long your savings could last if you had to live on the minimum
How much breathing room you have if you take a lower-paying job temporarily
What it would actually take to leave, not what fear tells you it would take
Ready to take your first step?
Knowing your survival number is the foundation. If you want to build a life that finally fits, it starts with a single step. I put together a worksheet to make this part simple. It walks you through your fixed and flexible expenses so you finish with a clear survival number—and the breathing room that comes with knowing it.
This first guide is free for everyone. The remaining three guides are available to paid subscribers, where we’ll continue building your personalized career exit blueprint—your buffer goal, your exit conditions, and the timeline itself.
Next week—Part 2: turning your number into a buffer goal, and the gap to close.
As a thank-you to early readers, paid subscriptions are 30% off through July 4.