Friday, October 7, 2011

Six years since I quit my desk job - never looked back.


These days, it is six years since my training- and business partner called me at work and told me, that we got the full time rental contract for our gym. I was sitting at my desk by the computers, programming some software interface, as he called. I had probably just spend an hour and a half having lunch and playing table football to kill time. I was frustrated with my life and the outlook of my future. I was well underway to get sucked slowly down into the quicksand of spending the rest of it doing something, I didn't really want to.

I hung up the phone and leaned back in my chair for a second. I took a few slow breaths and looked out the window. The weather seemed to always be gray and boring in the suburban industrial area, where I was imprisoned by my lack of initiative and courage to do something drastic about it. I knew, that very moment would change and define the rest of my life. I got up, walked steadily to the desk of my boss.

"Hey how are you today, I would like to quit my job as soon as possible", I said.

Cleverly, I had made sure to finish all my current projects and not taking up any new ones, while waiting for the call about the rental contract. I was allowed to leave with one weeks notice, and the day after I stopped, I went on a five week training trip around Canada and the United States.

Getting out of that office and straight into adventures in the nature of Canada, bustling city of New York and tropics of Florida left me with no doubt. It was the most important decision of my life and I have never since looked back for a second.


(more about this story is in the works for my upcoming BJJ globetrotter book :))

5 comments:

Anton Emery said...

Congrats Christian. Six years away from a desk is a long time. I always admire people that pursue what they love and can make it work.

I have really enjoyed your writing and videos.

Brad West said...

When is the book due for release? Have you finished writing it yet?

Christian Graugart said...

Writing every day, but it is a looooong way to go. Biggest task I have ever taken upon me in life, so far :)

ushirojime said...

It is cool story, Christian. May be it is the coolest staff I've read from you. My respect!

Liam H Wandi said...

Awesomeness! Many congrats dude!

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