“Now I am free!”: Bengaluru techie quits Google to explore life beyond work

A Bengaluru-based tech professional has gone viral after revealing that he quit his job at Google to take a year-long break and explore life. Harshit Sharma, who worked at the company for two years, shared a detailed post on LinkedIn explaining his decision.



A ‘Bittersweet’ Goodbye

Describing his decision as “bittersweet,” Sharma spoke about leaving behind not just a job but meaningful relationships and experiences. “Bitter because: I will miss my people. The table tennis, the card games, the fun fridays. The (frequent) coffee breaks. The shenanigans in the office space. The post-6PM hangouts. Some of the kindest and most fun humans I've ever known,” Sharma wrote.

Choosing Freedom Over Routine
At the same time, he expressed a sense of freedom and relief. “Sweet because: Now I am free!” he wrote, reflecting on how he had followed a conventional path for most of his life. “All my life I've been following the script: Do the Math. Study Engineering. Get that Tech job. Make money. Earn validation. And like a robot following a line, I played my part to perfection. But every good story needs a twist. And this bot is taking a detour,” Sharma said.

A Planned Break with Purpose
Sharma revealed that he had been saving money, enabling him to take this break without financial stress. After discussions with his parents, he decided on a “1 year of experimentation”. “That is, if in 1 year I can't turn one of my curiosities into a vocation, I must go back to a tech job,” he explained.

Internet Reacts
His decision received widespread appreciation online. One user commented, “It takes lot of courage to take this step so hats off to you. Wishing you all the luck in journey ahead.” Another wrote, “That takes courage—walking away from something secure to explore the unknown isn’t easy. Really respect the clarity and the way you’ve structured this as an experiment. Curious to see where this journey leads.”

Disclaimer: This article is based on a user-generated post on LinkedIn. ET.com has not independently verified the claims made in the post and does not vouch for their accuracy. The views expressed are those of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of ET.com. Reader discretion is advised.