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Work. Better.

Career Pivots

Your "freedom number" might be smaller than you think

How much money do you need to pursue the career you want?

Anna Burgess Yang's avatar
Anna Burgess Yang
Oct 19, 2025
∙ Paid
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You dream of quitting a toxic job, pivoting to a new career, or starting your own business. But there’s a financial reality to such a move: can you afford to earn less?

In 2021, I quit a job as an executive at a tech company. I pivoted into content marketing and journalism, and, initially, I was earning about one-third of my previous salary. But I had spent months looking at our household budget, and was prepared to earn even less.

When you’re determined to make a change, you’ll look at your finances differently. You should calculate your “freedom number” and understand the changes you need to make in your budget.

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