Student Question: Hello Master, I’m 32 years old. I have a journalism degree and work in real estate copywriting. Eight years in, my salary has grown from 3,000 to 15,000 RMB. But I’m unhappy at work, and the overtime is relentless.
I want to quit and go freelance — no more nine-to-five. My time would be entirely my own.
But I’m a little worried about what life will look like after that. I’d appreciate your guidance, Master.
Master Chi’s Response: Let me walk you through what typically happens after someone quits and stops working a regular job.
You grit your teeth, take the leap, and quit. The first few months are almost certainly going to feel wonderful.
You sleep until you wake up naturally. You stroll through the park, take in the blue sky and white clouds, the birdsong and blossoms. You eat street food. You explore the city center to your heart’s content. Maybe you venture out to the suburbs. Then you travel.
Along the way you spend a fair amount of money. Life feels almost too good to be true.
Then the money starts running out, and you begin thinking seriously about how to earn more.
Some people turn to family and friends for help. But you’ll find that what once felt like priceless relationships — when there’s no longer any value being exchanged — often turn out to be hollow. There might be one or two genuinely enthusiastic friends, but even they can’t do much.
After that comes an internal shift. You begin to grasp that making money is not as simple as you imagined.
People in this situation often find surprising reserves of strength. You start thinking about things you hadn’t considered before. You look upward — maybe finding a business partner. Or you look downward — starting a side hustle, beginning with small things within your reach. There’s always a way to get by.
And then, slowly, you adapt to this new life.
Here’s what I can say with confidence: people who dare to quit and choose their own way of living tend to be fairly sharp. They’ve already thought through what the worst-case scenario actually looks like. In about a year, you’ll be fully adapted — and you won’t be afraid anymore.
If you do decide to quit, do not pin your hopes on friends. It won’t help.
Think of it this way: if you had absolutely no outside support and had to rely entirely on your own abilities — could you survive in a market economy? If the answer is yes, then walk away without hesitation.