Leaving Tech: Prioritizing Mental Health Over Money

They say money can't buy happiness. I always thought that was a cliché, something people said to console themselves when they didn't have much of it. Then I landed a job that doubled my salary, and I learned the hard way that clichés exist for a reason.

Picture this: me, a recruiter, stepping into the high-octane world of a tech company I’d never even heard of. The interview was a whirlwind of promises and eye-watering figures. I was hooked. Finally, financial freedom! No more budgeting every penny, no more saying "no" to little luxuries. For a while, it was glorious.

But the honeymoon phase didn't last. The reality of the job began to sink in. I was a cog in a machine I didn't understand, recruiting for roles I couldn't fully grasp, dealing with hiring managers who seemed to operate on a different planet. Every day was a battle against frustration. The job that was supposed to liberate me became a gilded cage.

I started to feel lost. There was no direction, no sense of purpose. I was good at my job, but I didn't love it. And I realized, slowly, that doing something you're good at for a company you don't care about is a recipe for burnout. The money was great, but it couldn't buy me peace of mind. It couldn't buy me passion. It couldn't buy me a reason to wake up excited about my day.

The truth is, I was miserable. I was spending my hard-earned money trying to soothe a soul that was slowly being eaten away by a job that didn't fit. The constant frustration, the feeling of being directionless, it was taking its toll. My mental health was suffering.

So, I did something terrifying. I quit.

People looked at me like I was crazy. "Double your salary? Are you insane?" Maybe I am. But I'm also sane enough to know that a life lived in constant frustration isn't a life worth living. I'm sane enough to know that I deserve to find a workplace where my skills are valued, my contributions are appreciated, and my spirit is nurtured.

The future is uncertain. I don't know what's next. But I do know that I'm finally free. Free from the golden handcuffs of a job that was slowly killing me. Free to pursue something that ignites my passion, something that makes me feel alive.

This isn’t a story about hating money. It’s about understanding that chasing a paycheck at the expense of your well-being is a fool’s errand. It’s about recognizing that true wealth is more than just a number in your bank account. It’s about the courage to say “enough,” even when it’s scary.

And maybe, just maybe, it’s about finding a job that makes you excited to get out of bed in the morning, even if it doesn’t double your salary. Because in the long run, that’s worth more than all the money in the world.