Know when to walk away

A good friend of mine just broke up with her one-foot-in-the-door boyfriend. One foot just wasn't enough. Someone else close to me just left a job without having another one. I've been musing about the similarities and differences between relationships and jobs. No one says "be sure you have a relationship to go to before you leave." In fact, that is considered bad form. People don't usually call you a "quitter" if you leave a relationship that isn't working. Why is it different with a job? Because of money? Is settling for a job that isn't right for you until you can find something else noble? Why is staying in something you're not fully invested in more respectable than leaving? We're encouraged by our teachers and loved ones to "go for the best in life" and "reach for the stars." When you know you're in the pit, why would you stay there? There aren't any stars in the pit. You can't soar with the eagles when you're hanging out with turkeys. I wonder if more people left their jobs, especially due to bad managers, if it would help weed out the turkeys and improve companies. I really think so. Every time I have left a company after realizing it was not right for me, I've never regretted it. It hurts for awhile and adjustment can be difficult. But it just requires creativity. You don't earn respect by accepting disrespectful treatment. And you don't learn to fly by hanging out with turkeys. Likewise, you won't find your prince if you're afraid to leave a frog. Kenny Rogers had it right. "Know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away and know when to run." Sometimes you just have to take a gamble. I wish you a full house and no more snake eyes!