Citizens of Shawshank

And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.

Anaïs Nin

So this is what freedom tastes like,” I whispered.

That day the sun seemed brighter. The sky looked bigger. The world felt warmer.

My senses of sight, sound, and smell were immediately heightened.

I knew peace, no longer hypocrisy or pretension.

Wonder and curiosity tapped me on the shoulder, two friends I thought I’d lost somewhere along the way.

I felt free.

No stress.

No anxiety.

No fear.

Something woke me up from an uninvited slumber. I was more aware and more alive than I ever remember feeling in my adulthood.

With one choice I exchanged captivity for creativity. Routine for risk.

At thirty-five years old I was reborn.

I escaped my day job and entered my dream job.

I knew my life would never be the same again.

I was right.

Meet the Dream Jobbers

I’m not alone. All over this world brave souls are making a bold move. The funny thing is very soon this choice may no longer seem so bold. Exchanging your day job for your dream job may soon seem like the most logical choice available. As normal as breathing air and eating food.

I call this tribe the Dream Jobbers (from here on out the DJs). I’m one of them (that story later) and I hope you become one too.

At this moment, the majority of people are seriously considering leaving their day jobs. According to a recent poll, “Eighty-six percent of the employees polled said they planned to actively look for a new position in the upcoming year. Another 8 percent said they may do so and are already networking. Only 5 percent intend to stay in their current position.”[1]

This number, 86 percent, is drastically increased from just four years earlier, when only 60 percent said they planned on actively looking for a new position.[2]

What’s with the increasing trend of people exchanging their day jobs for their dream jobs? For starters, the benefits are unbeatable.

Benefits of Joining the Dream Jobbers

	1. Freedom—Go as you please.
	2. Finances—Earn as you wish.
	3. Fulfillment—Live as you like.

We’ll take a deep dive into each of these benefits. Along the way, I’ll weave in a variety of DJ stories and insert my own when appropriate. I think it will give you encouragement and perspective while planning your own day job jailbreak.