Leaving the golden handcuffs of a job

We often stay in jobs because of money.

Image created via Midjourney

Tech is often associated with its "golden handcuffs." Tech companies typically pay well, so it's hard to leave a job — or leave tech altogether.

I've worked in tech for the vast majority of my career. And I feel this, a lot.

When I first considered leaving my executive role at a tech company, I thought about the financial implications for my family. I'd be walking away from a nice salary, regular bonuses, and a lot of flexibility. I would have probably become the company's COO when the CEO retired. I thought I should just suck it up — at least until my kids were older (my youngest was three at the time).

But then I thought about my days. Constant stress. Dreading meetings with my boss and the CEO. Thinking about work at all hours of the day. The golden handcuffs were strangling me.

To some extent, I'm still tied to tech. Most of my clients are tech companies. But I can write an article and stay at arm's length. I'm still tied to client work, but the weight is gone from my days.