Think Before You Leap

Making Meaningful Change - Without the Freefall

Author

Sean Sirianni
June 12, 2025

Welcome

“You can’t just tell people to quit their job!”

Ok, so last week I very bombastically declared Corporate America broken, and I not-so-subtly suggested that maybe it’s time to quit your job in pursuit of something more. All true, but that’s really only part of the message.

Let’s face it; “just quitting” is not always that simple. Hell, even in the time between the inception of this idea and writing the first issue, the job market, economy, and prospects for a brighter future all have changed dramatically.

We all have bills to pay and mouths to feed and loved ones to support and emergencies and uncertainty to save for.

Not everyone can just walk away from their job. And the shouldn’t have to!

This week, we’re digging into how to make purpose-driven progress without blowing up your life.

What’s inside:

  • A few paths forward that don’t require quitting

  • What the data say about real quitters

  • A mindset shift to calm the urgency

  • Tools to explore what’s next

  • A reflection prompt and challenge to chart your next step

Main Idea

You might fantasize about storming out of your office, telling off your idiot co-workers, quitting in dramatic fashion, and finally building the life you want.

But truth is, most of us can’t afford a leap without a landing.

That doesn’t mean you’re stuck. It means your path might look different. Slower. More intentional. And maybe even more sustainable.

Before you make a jump, you reflect. Pack a parachute. Have a plan. Inaction breeds inaction, true. But action alone without any mindfulness to it may lead to something worse.

The system might be broken, but your response doesn’t need to be impulsive. Getting off the ladder isn’t black and white. The choice isn’t between staying at an unsatisfying job you hate and simply quitting. The choice is between doing nothing, and taking that first action; that first small step that says, “I’m ready for something more.”

You can:

  • Start a side project with purpose

  • Redesign aspects of your current role to feel more aligned

  • Experiment on the edges of your 9-to-5

  • Build a financial runway for something new

Reflect on if any of these options, or another unmentioned one, is right for you. Maybe your current situation is so bad, you are so disconnected from meaning and purpose and what truly matters, that quitting is the only path forward. Many times, when you truly stop to think about what is most important to you, what drives you, what gets your heart pumping, and what brings you back into alignment, you’ll uncover there is another way.

You don’t need to quit to reclaim your power. You just need to make a move. Move slowly, steadily, and intentionally in the direction of meaning.

Off the Ladder isn’t about reckless rebellion. It’s about strategic freedom.

This is your reminder that small steps are real steps, and the leap doesn’t need to happen overnight.

Ditch the Metrics

Burn the business scorecard – focus on what matters!

A Metric:

According to this Forbes article and a recent survey they cited, 41% of Americans have either considered quitting (or have already quit) their corporate job in pursuit of their own side hustle. Working on their own projects, being their own boss, and with the full autonomy to support themselves and their loved ones doing something they are passionate about.

A Counter-metric:

Based on results of a survey conducted on some of the nearly 50 million Americans who quit their jobs in 2021 as part of the “Great Resignation”, Statista concluded that 25% regret their decision to quit. The most common reason for regret? Many workers “quit without having a new job lined up and [found] it harder than expected to find one.”

Ditch it: A lot of people want to quit their job, and a lot of people regret it when they actually do. Quitting on a whim is quick, but not necessarily smart. Real freedom comes from building before you step off, not from burning the bridge behind you.

Reframe This

 A quick thought-flip to help shift how you see your work, your worth, or your path.

Old Belief: If I don’t leave this job now, I’m just settling.

New Perspective: Staying is a strategy — and so is slowly building something better.

Rung Breaks

A curated mix of tools, links, books, and ideas to help you step off the ladder and into your own path.

📚 Book: Company of One by Paul Jarvis — why staying small can be powerful.

🎧 Podcast: Smart Passive Income by Pat Flynn — practical, strategic ideas for income on the side.

🛠️ Tool: Side Hustle Stack — a database of platforms to help you monetize your skills.

Your Move

A reflection and challenge to help you break out of autopilot and make real change.

Reflection Prompt:

What small shift can you make this month that would bring you more meaning — without burning it all down?

Challenge:

Commit to one next action that moves you toward freedom (a conversation, a 1-hour block for a side project, a list of values, etc.). Put it on your calendar.

Until Next Time…

Remember, your first step off the ladder doesn’t need to be a freefall. It just needs to be a first step. One, mindful action in the right direction is all it takes. Are you ready to take yours?

See you off the ladder.

— Sean Sirianni
Founder, Off the Ladder

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