
Why I Quit My Engineering Job To Travel The World in 2019
At the beginning of 2019, I left my high paying job as an automation engineer in the pharmaceuticals industry, sold or donated over 90% of my belongings and set off to travel the world with just a backpack and a hand-drum. This is the story of why I quit my engineering job to travel the world.
The Backstory
Prior to my life of travel, I had been working for over a decade in the engineering industry. I have always loved to travel – be it to a faraway lighthouse in Muroran, Japan or to the bustling back alleys of Bangkok in search of street food, I find excitement and freedom in visiting places I’ve never been to before. When I was a child, my father would take us on long road trips in India every time there was a holiday. We would often visit the vast and beautiful state of Rajasthan and eat amazing food on the roadside dhabas. It was magical! Who wouldn’t want to travel after growing up with a taste of that?
But due to the nature of my job, I could never travel for more than a few weeks at a stretch. Every vacation started with a deadline and ended with a feeling of despair as I showed up to work on Monday.
Quitting my job to travel the world was just a pipe-dream I had.
“Some day, I’ll quit my job to travel the world”, I would often say, along with, “some day, I’ll learn how to swim” and “some day, I’ll write my own novel”.
Some day.
I like to call them my “some day… dreams”.
The Turning Point
In 2017, I was going through a bit of midlife crisis. I had just changed jobs and was working in one of the best pharmaceutical companies in the world with some of the best people I’ve ever worked with in my career. The pay was good and I had rented myself a nice condominium in Singapore. I was dating a beautiful artist and was saving up money to eventually start a family. In other words, I was living the Singaporean dream. But despite these things, my life felt empty and pointless. What was I doing all this for?
My girlfriend at that time (who is an amazing person) had done an intensive life-coaching course a few years ago and suggested that I try it too. After some initial hesitation, I signed up for it.
The course lasted 3 full days and by the end of it, my entire life had unraveled right in front of me. All my victories, all my failures, all my joy and all my sorrow; I had been responsible for them all along. Whether I wanted to live a shallow life or a deep one, had always been my choice alone. I could blame life, societal expectations, my job, my parents, my teachers, my friends and failed relationships all I wanted, but ultimately, I was responsible for my own life. It was a deep realization that shook me to the very core of who I was, who I am and who I choose to be.
The great author, Henry David Thoreau, had once lived alone inside a cabin in the woods to truly experience what life was. Here’s what he wrote on the subject in his book, On Walden Pond–
Something stirred inside me. All my “some day…dreams” stared me straight in the face, and they asked me- what have you been waiting for all this time?
Who’s going to make your dreams come true, if not you?
4 weeks later, I finished writing and editing my first novel- Aoirei.
I had signed up for swimming classes to overcome my crippling fear of water (because of several traumatic experiences between the age of 8 and 9) and practiced by myself every day, even when it rained (which is almost all the time in Singapore).
And in between all of that, every single day, I wrote a minimum of 1000 words for my novel (20,000 words during the weekend). Without fail. Even if it meant eating just an apple for lunch to use the rest of my lunch break to write. Even if it meant writing my novel on my phone as I rode the bus to work and back. Even if it meant sleeping an hour less every night to spend that time writing. That was the commitment I had made to myself and to my dream.
And the funny thing is this- the more I wrote, the more alive I felt. Sure, I was physically exhausted, but mentally, spiritually and emotionally, I was flying!
2 months after finishing my novel, I swam the breast stroke for a 100 meters without stopping. After 22 years of living in fear of swimming pools, I had learnt how to swim.
That year, I learnt some very important lessons:
- I am responsible for my own life.
- Only I can realize my dreams, nobody else can realize them for me.
- The best time to start is right now!
The Journey Since Then
Since 2017, I have learnt how to drive and now have an international driving license. I learnt how to cook. I sang in front of a live audience. I paid off all my college loans. I learnt the ways of the Shaman and have been practicing Shamanic drum healing since 2018.
And in mid-2018, I took a huge step when I told my boss about my plans to leave my job to travel the world. We spent the next 6 months finding a suitable candidate to replace me and made sure that everything would continue to function smoothly even after I had left. I don’t think anyone gives 6 month notices any more but I’m a responsible person like that :P.
“I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life”
Don’t get me wrong, I have my share of bad days too. I’ve been traveling for 5 months now and it’s been both amazing and challenging. I got hit by a nasty bout of eczema right at the beginning of my journey and I still haven’t recovered from it. I had to sell my backpack and buy a suitcase to carry all my medication with me. I’ve had bouts of food-poisoning in India, Indonesia and Thailand. I developed a chronic eye infection in my left eye that flares up in dry weather. My eczema spread to my lips and they swell up every time I eat spicy food (I love spicy food!).
And I’ve come to realize, that’s what the road is like. Not every day is an adventure. Some days are just staying inside, slathered in steroid cream and moisturizer. But the journey continues. Step by step, I walk this winding road, never knowing what’s around the corner. Sometimes life is mean and sometimes it’s sublime.
Is it easy to follow your dreams?
Hell no!
Is it worth it?
Absolutely yes!
It’s one of the most rewarding, frustrating, exhausting, exhilarating, gritty and magical things I’ve ever done.
I don’t know if I was able to sufficiently answer the question of why I quit my job to travel the world. I’m still searching for that answer myself. Perhaps you were expecting a “top 10 reasons” list. Perhaps you’re leaving with more questions than answers; and that’s good. So let me leave you with 2 more questions:
- What’s your “some day…dream”?
- If there’s one thing you can do today, no matter how big or small, to work towards that dream, what would that be?
Leave a comment below.
And see you on the road!
Looking For Space
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Share This Story:
I think i’ll follow you….get a swimming lesson too.
God bless on your new found love.
– dennis yap
Thanks Dennis! The best time to start is right now :). Let me know if you need the contact of my swimming coach, he’s really good!
I can relate to you having pivotal moments of stark relevations and then embarking on major changes… and of course the trials and tribulations of experiencing all these changes! Thus major changes will have epic discomfort and agony… However keep up this amazing journey!
Thanks, April 🙂
Hey Jay nicely written about your journey towards your passion. I have seen your affections for your hobby while working with you. And I see you mentioned us in above article indirectly 🙂
Best luck for your future journey and keep posting…
Thanks Praful! I’m really lucky to have worked with some of the best people :). Please keep writing too and following your passion!
That’s quite a story, Jojo. It’s been a while but I do remember you very vividly from our school days when you were an intelligent, angry little kid who laughed crazy and idolized my big brother haha. It’s hard to imagine you now being all introspective, and philosophical about life. And doing something about it. Most people talk. It’s good to see that some take action too. Good luck in this search. Hope you find your answers “some day” 🙂
Hahahahaha!! I’m less angry now I think but managed to retain the crazy laugh :D! I still remember Ashu dada’s huge comic collection and our bus rides back home from IPS :). Happy days!
Thank you so much for your well wishes! Where are you staying now?
Absolute stunner Jojo……. Am so happy for you 🙂
Thanks so much Sujan!
Awesome! So happy for you!
Keep us posted
Hey Jay, Wonderful reading this. It’s a Brave move to quit your job and travel for your dreams. This must be the exciting phase of your life. Not everybody would attempt to. Keep going and exploring more of your dreams. And i shall keep following you until i attempt to take at-least 1 month break from my regular routine to travel around the world 🙂 🙂
Thanks so much Karthik! Where would you go on your month long break?
Awesome!
Happy for you and look forward to reading more of your posts.
Thanks so much Leaf!! I’ll post more on this blog, soon 😀
Hey Jay….
Nice written your World travel journey beginning story….. Keep post more stories….
And best wishes for your Journey.
Thanks Sanjay! So nice to hear from you again. Hope you are doing well :).
Hey Jay it was absolutely nice to hear from you and it need lots of courage to follow your dreams. Explore, Enjoy and i am sure this world journey will educate you with more practical things in life which will make you a unique person. Good luck in this journey and happy to hear about your new found love.
Hi Malai! Thank you so much for your wishes and encouragement!
It’s so nice to hear from you again :). I have lots of fond memories of working on Saudi Kayan project with you in the really far away Tampines office. I hope you and your family are doing well.