How do I know if I should quit my job?

What Gurudev says

You know the moment when you wake up wondering if the job is still right — but "satisfaction" feels like the wrong yardstick? Gurudev challenges the concept itself.

There is nothing called Job-Satisfaction. This word should be removed from the dictionary. Satisfaction comes only through service.

From the official Art of Living website — "The Right Thing Will Come At The Right Time"

So if the question isn't "Am I satisfied?", what should you be asking instead? Gurudev gives a clear guideline for when a commitment can be let go.

Sometimes when you are committed without a vision, you feel stifled when your vision expands. Such commitments made with shortsightedness can be given up. A smaller less important commitment can be given up for a greater commitment. Commitment to the means can be given up for the sake of the commitment to the goals. When your commitment brings misery to many in the long run it can be given up.

From Gurudev's wisdom archive — "That which is convenient, you do not call commitment" (2016-07-18)

With that, Gurudev gives four clear checkpoints: Was the commitment made short-sightedly? Is it standing in the way of a bigger commitment? Does it only serve a means, no longer the actual goal? And does it bring misery to many people over time? If the answer to any of these is yes, the commitment — and with it, a job — is allowed to be let go.

What you can do

1. Don't ask about satisfaction — ask about service. For Gurudev, real satisfaction doesn't come from a perfect job but from how you show up. Check whether you can still serve in your current role.
2. Check whether the commitment was made short-sightedly. Some decisions get made before you can see your own vision clearly. If that vision grows later, Gurudev says such a commitment is allowed to be let go.
3. Weigh the smaller commitment against the bigger one. If your current job stands in the way of a bigger goal, Gurudev allows letting go of the smaller commitment for the sake of the bigger one.
4. See whether the job has become only a means to an end. If you're holding on to the means while the actual goal has long since moved elsewhere, Gurudev says you're allowed to release the means.
5. Ask who the commitment is harming over time. If holding on to the job brings misery to you or others in the long run, that's reason enough for Gurudev to end the commitment.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know whether I should stay in a relationship or leave? Gurudev answers the question of why love is so hard with a reversal: a relationship might feel difficult, but a life without love is even harder. At the same time, the same principle applies here too — if a commitment was made short-sightedly and brings misery over time, it's allowed to be let go for the sake of a greater commitment.

How do I learn to let outside circumstances rattle me less? Gurudev compares a mind that keeps circling around small praise, small criticism, or other people's insults to someone chewing gum: the jaw stays busy, but there's no nutrition — you just end up exhausted, with nothing gained. That's exactly what he describes happening when we keep chewing over other people's small words in our heads.

Is acceptance the key to more resilience? Gurudev teaches that inner and emotional states come and go on their own. It's only the unwillingness to let them go that turns them into a bond. He uses the image of a fly trying to escape a room while we hold the door shut: we're the ones binding the passing state, not the other way around.

Why does emotional stress drain more energy from me than physical work? Gurudev describes the feeling of stress as a burning, all-consuming "storm." The paradox: the harder you try to force it to calm down, the more restless and agitated it gets — unlike physical tiredness, which simply eases once you stop.

Related questions

• How do I handle criticism from my boss without taking it personally?
• How do I deal with difficult coworkers?
• How do I deal with unfair treatment at work?
• How do I stay honest when a business partner is dishonest?
• How do I resolve a conflict with my boss?
• Work, Conflict & Business Partners — overview

Sources

The quotes on this page come from:

• Official Art of Living website — "The Right Thing Will Come At The Right Time"
• Gurudev's wisdom archive — "That which is convenient, you do not call commitment" (2016-07-18)