IIM alum quits 60 LPA job to escape rat race, felt free initially, now says he’s “trapped inside his own thoughts”

A Reddit post from a mid-30s professional is striking a chord online after he shared what life looks like after voluntarily stepping out of a high-paying corporate career and realizing that freedom isn’t always as fulfilling as expected.

The post explores a rarely spoken reality of quitting a well-paying job without another offer in hand, no startup and business idea in mind and the emotional rollercoaster that follows.

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“I quit my job without another one in hand”

The user begins with a straightforward confession: “I quit my job without another one in hand. Today, a few months later, I'm not sure how I feel about it.”

He explains that he is in his mid-30s, married, with a young child, and had spent over a decade climbing the corporate ladder across multiple firms, including a strong academic background and a high salary package.

“For context I am a graduate from one of the 3 older IIMs and was drawing a package of 60 LPA when I quit.”

Despite professional success, he says he felt a growing sense of dissatisfaction. “Somewhere along the way, I became increasingly frustrated with the meaninglessness of it all.”

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The decision to quit: no backup, no plan

Around four months ago, he made a sudden decision: “No grand plan. No startup idea. No offer waiting. Just a strong urge to get off the treadmill.”

After serving notice, he finally stepped away from corporate life completely. First few months: freedom finally felt real

Initially, the break felt refreshing and liberating.

He describes a period of travel, rest, and reconnection with family:

Solo trip to Manali
Better sleep
No work calendars or meetings
More time with family

“For the first time in years, I wasn't constantly thinking about quarterly targets or office politics.” “I felt free.”

When freedom slowly turned into emptiness

But the post takes a different turn as time passes. “But then something unexpected happened. The freedom I craved slowly started turning into emptiness.”

Without work structure, he says life started feeling unanchored. Routine disappeared, physical activity reduced, and personal momentum slowed down.

He also notes changes in lifestyle and mindset:

Weight gain
Less structure in daily routine
Increased overthinking
Mixed emotional state at home

“I sometimes feel trapped inside my own thoughts.”

Work wasn’t just stress — it was identity too

One of the most reflective parts of the post comes when he reassesses his relationship with work: “It's strange. For years I believed work was the source of my stress. Now I'm realizing it was also a source of structure, identity, momentum and social interaction.”



This realization seems to sit at the core of his current struggle — not regret, but uncertainty.

“I don't regret quitting… but I’m in-between.” Despite the emotional turbulence, he makes it clear he doesn’t regret the decision:

“I don't regret quitting. I needed the break. I needed the distance.” Still, he describes himself as being in a transitional phase — no longer tied to his old identity, but not yet clear on the next one.

“I'm now in this weird in-between phase where I'm no longer the person I was in my old job, and I'm not yet the person I'll become next.”

Searching for answers: many can relate

He ends the post by asking others if they’ve gone through similar experiences — leaving jobs without a backup and later struggling with direction, clarity, or a return to structured work.

The post has resonated widely because it captures a reality often hidden behind “quit and be free” narratives: freedom can feel liberating at first, but without structure, it can also feel unexpectedly heavy.

For many readers, it raises a deeper question — not just about quitting jobs, but about what actually gives life direction once the routine disappears. A user commented, "1.5 yr back when my company operations stopped suddenly, i was free for 2.5 months, for initial 1 month it was stress free life, but then responsibility started coming, i also became unstructured for 2.5 months." When asked what helped him during these times, the user replied, "I engage in sports activities, was preparing for interviews and time spend with family."

"Hustling is romanticised so much so that slowing down makes your nervous system feel guilty and increases your cortisol because your body is not used to just relaxing and be w yourself. See a therapist maybe, get comfortable w your reality. Life is truly not about a 9-5 and living Monday to Friday to look forward to weekends. Travel more, get into something creative, channel your energy into your family but I would strongly not suggest going back to corporate. You just have to train your mind that this what you want and this is what you have," another comment read.

"It's okay, anyway, inflation-adjusted salaries are not as much these days even for IIM abc grads. Better to start and run your own business or become a content creator," read another.