The Best Career Move I Made in 2025 (I quit a great job)
READING TIME - 4 MINUTES
I quit my job.
Not because I wanted to.
But because I had to.
After four great years at Fanatics, I was asked to relocate.
But my life, my wife Sandra, my kids, our home, is in Jacksonville, Florida.
And I wasn’t willing to trade family for anything.
So, I made the hardest decision of my career.
I left.
It was the first time I quit a job without having another one lined up.
No safety net.
No backup plan.
Just faith.
It was risky.
It was frightening.
And yet, it was freeing.
Fanatics and I parted on good terms.
It’s a great company with incredible people.
Leaving wasn’t about them.
It was about me, finally making a decision that aligned with my life, not just my career.
For the first time in 20 years, I wasn’t an employee.
I wasn’t a leader.
I wasn’t my title.
I was just… me.
And that’s when everything changed.
The Blessings That Followed
I thought I was losing everything.
Instead, I found myself again.
I finally made a decision that scared everyone, and it wasn’t as bad as I thought.
For 26 years, I avoided risks that didn’t come with guarantees.
But this time, there were none.
And I realized something powerful. Fear only controls you until you act.
The moment you move, it shrinks.
I finally listened to my body.
For years, it had been whispering that I was burned out.
That whisper turned into a scream I kept ignoring.
When I finally stopped, I felt the exhaustion, the kind you can’t fix with a vacation.
I learned that rest isn’t weakness. It’s repair.
I separated my identity from my job.
For most of my life, my title defined me.
My worth lived inside my performance.
When that title disappeared, I learned who I was without it. A husband, a father, a builder, a creator.
I didn’t lose my identity. I found it.
I reconnected with my family.
For the first time, I saw what my kids’ days looked like.
School mornings. After-school stories. Dinner without rushing.
The little things I used to miss while being productive.
This was the real win.
I built side hustles that will give me freedom in the very near future.
I finally poured time into the projects I’ve dreamed about for years, creating work that depends on me, not a company.
Each project became a seed for future freedom.
And I can see those seeds starting to grow already.
I found a new job that aligns with my family, my lifestyle, and my growth.
I didn’t have to sacrifice what matters most to keep building my career.
This new role fits my life, not the other way around.
It challenges me, pushes me, and allows me to keep growing while staying true to my priorities.
I got clarity on what I want, and what I’ll never accept again.
Sometimes you can’t see clearly until you step away.
Now, I know the kind of culture, leadership, and balance I want in the next chapter.
I won’t settle for less again.
The Reflection
Leaving wasn’t about running away.
It was about stepping toward alignment.
I didn’t leave when it was comfortable.
I left when it hurt.
Because comfort can quietly kill your potential.
Would I do it again?
Yes.
Every single time.
Because betting on yourself never leads you backward.
It just leads you somewhere new.
Closing Thought
I’m not telling anyone to quit their job.
I’m telling you to listen to yourself.
If you feel that pull, that quiet voice inside that says, “There’s more for you than this”,
don’t ignore it.
You don’t have to jump today.
But start planning your leap.
I’m sharing this because someone reading this is right where I was, scared, stuck, and wondering what happens if they let go.
Here’s the truth. Letting go doesn’t break you.
It reveals who you’ve been all along.
If you’re in a season of uncertainty, wondering what’s next or how to rebuild your career,
my Midlife Career Reset System is for you.
It’s not about quitting.
It’s about finding clarity, confidence, and direction, even when the future feels unclear.