I know this seems unlikely advice, especially coming from someone who’s made a clear intention to leave the office job in the (hopefully) forseeable future. While I am certainly not suggesting that you settle for an office job if it’s not what you want, I do think that marching into your boss’ office quitting is equally inadvisable. There is plenty of advice out there from self employed entrepeneurs and other free spirited creative types that says there is no better time than now to quit; that if you’re not following your heart, you should start doing so today. But sometimes a little prudence may be called for.

That said, what you should start doing today is thinking about what you want and where you would like to get to.

But for the time being, if you still have your day job, don’t despair. Not every unhappy employee out there is young and single and willing to sleep on couches while building his internet empire. Some people have obligations and responsibilities, some are paying back the debt of their younger and more foolish years, some have families, spouses or kids, some are fearful and want reassurance, and some are just building up the courage and confidence to take the plunge. Are these all compromises? Of course. But you never know what situation people are in or where they are coming from.

The ultimate freedom that most of us are looking for can come at a cost, and it’s up to everyone to decide how much they are willing to pay (or give up) for that freedom.

Recently I’ve begun following Tyler Tervooren over at Advanced Riskology, and in his guide called “Take This Job and Shove It” he offers up some great advice. Most of it is self explanatory and fairly straight forward, and you can get it right here for free if you’re interested. But the one thing he talks about that really stuck with me is about building an FYF (F*** You Fund) and setting goals for when you want to quit and how much cushion you want when you’re ready. It resonated with me because it’s a little bit more safe and it’s a bit more rational way of sticking it to the man. I mean, if that’s your style.

As you’re reading this, you may be thinking to yourself what I will admit is a fair question. Are these all excuses to keep working a job you don’t like because you’re afraid of failure? And the answer to that is equally fair. Perhaps they are.

The point is that you even if you’re not ready to quit today, you should at least be working towards where you want to be. Quitting now may not be the answer, but each day you spend without working towards your own goal is a day lost.

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Originally posted on Friday, June 24th, 2011 at 6:43 AM .