She Said/He Said Edition: Quit Corporate Job to Travel

Matt worked on Wall Street and in finance for almost 20 years. As he moved up the corporate ladder, his time away from home increased. Soon we found ourselves with just the 48 hours on the weekend to spend time together as a family. He loved his work. He didn’t like the time away. And the grind left him with little brain space to consider anything different. Until, he realized what he was missing.

She Said/He Said Edition: Quit Corporate Job to Travel

Jessica Klasnick- She Said:

I could tell it was time. Matt had been working in the finance industry for 20 years and at his company for 7. I could feel the toll it was taking on him. The stress, the endless hours, the change. He was often on edge, cranky when he was home on the weekend. Always preoccupied with his next meeting or presentation. Just drained. He didn’t have the bandwidth for much more. But, we were secure. Things were comfortable. We had three young kids. This is what we were suppose to be doing! After traveling with Matt for the past 6 months, I didn't want to admit it but time was what we needed more of. Time together as a family. And Matt is an all or nothing kind of guy. He easily could have worked less and instead of being the Top Performer could have been in the Top 10 with a whole lot less work but that is not his style. So, I mentioned to him the idea of leaving. It didn’t go over well. He said we should be grateful and appreciate it. I did but I knew there was more to it than that. He was scared. And I was too. So, I started feeling into what it would be like. Him calling his boss. Us not having that steady pay check every month. The pit in my stomach. But after awhile that pit started to turn into a pit with some excitement. The fear still there. But wanting to work through the fear too. So, I brought it up again and again and again. Turns out he had been thinking about it too. He told me if he could get past the fear that it was a good idea. We hashed it out. He could leave on good terms, come back if it was something he really regretted doing. He was smart. We were smart. We could do something different. And then there was the guilt- do you really leave something that is financially secure in hopes of being happier? That was one we had to grapple with but eventually happiness won.

Matt Klasnick- He Said:

When I walked off stage for the last time in May 2017,  I was sure that I’d be back. For nearly 20 years, I traveled the country presenting ideas about how to strategize for wealth in retirement. When it was all over, I presented to almost half a million financial advisors, pensioners and recipients of government benefits. 

I loved helping others in the field of finance.  It felt just as amazing to represent one of the most innovative and progressive financial firms in the world.  It becomes part of you. I was known as Mr. BlackRock among my peers and clients. I was given instant credibility by those who had just met me - assuming that I was smart, successful and important. Eventually, when I realized that my life was badly out of balance at home and in need of a course-correct,  I had to consider giving up the coveted traveling job and keep what was most important to me.

The one piece of advice I would give to others who think that they cant give up a coveted, comfortable job to change course and move in a different direction is that we are not our jobs. We are not important because other people tell us that we are.  We are not important because we make a certain amount of money or have a job title. The hardest thing was changing my own mind about how I felt about myself. 

Did I really love and appreciate myself for what I was doing?  Not at all. I had become the Dad, in my own mind, who missed the baseball games and piano recitals, not the corporate superstar. The paradox is that the more successful you get, the harder it is to leave something on your own terms when it’s going well, even if you are unhappy. If I had gotten fired, I could have created a narrative that supported my needing to leave anyway.  But leaving on your own, when things are good,  is an underrated move in life. It gives you the confidence that you are doing something proactive for yourself, not just waiting until life throws you for a loop with something terrible to adapt to. Listen to your heart. Prioritize the important things. It may be just the thing that saves your life and your soul.