Will you take a leap of faith and pivot your career from an iron rice bowl job?

You may have read this article which broaches this subject, but if you haven't it'll offer you some perspective.

Also, it depends on whether your iron rice bowl comes with a bond... some people want to leap to another career from their iron rice bowl, but the bowl is so steady and so big, they can't even climb out.​​​

I always encourage my juniors to take a leap of faith if you have a strong urge to venture out. The longer you take to deliberate, the higher the opportunity cost and you may hesitate more about changing track. It will be a risk as there is no guaranteed success. But would you regret in future for not trying or for venturing out? Take time to ponder over before making a decision. My view is based on the assumption that you can manage your financial liabilities, which your post suggested so. All the best!

Hi anon,

Great question! Based on what you've shared, you've got ~$130k liquid cash in savings which should easily tide you over while you make the switch.

Assuming you've got no liabilities (e.g. a home mortgage to service, a car loan, outstanding debt and etc.) I'd say that's a good amount to work with if you're living a fiscally responsible life.

It looks like you're working in government, public or civil service too since you mentioned "iron rice bowl" and considering that you've amassed quite a huge amount of savings, I'm also gonna assume that you've been there for a while.

If so, have you considered taking a sabbatical or applying for no-pay leave (if your job, team, or department allows you to?).

It could be a month or two where you go out into the world to figure out if your change in interest is a fleeting one, or are you legitimately tired of whatever it is you're doing and really want to change. This way, you've still got some kind of job security while you explore your options.

Alternatively, you could talk to your superiors about exploring other roles in the organisation if possible. Perhaps a tour of duty elsewhere might change your mind.

If you're absolutely sure that you wish to do something else, meaning you want to start your own business or walk dogs for a living... Then go for it. There's never a good time to leave, there'll always be another recession, another economic crisis, or something else wrong with the world. As long as you have your bases covered, and you're still relatively young, the best time to leave is now.

Trust me, it gets harder to leave the longer you stay because you'll probably incur more liabilities later in life - I was a regular in the air force, so I know what it's like!

Apart from monetary considerations, there're other aspects such as interest and opportunities for personal growth that are underappreciated.

It's good that you noticed that your interest has changed, not many reflect on it until it is too late. With a long runway ahead of you, it's not what you did in the past that matters, it's what you decide to do with your next 30 over years of productive working life.​​​