My husband has been home for about a month now, and he has been planning to write a blog post and share a video with everyone during that time about why he quit his job. Yesterday we finished our “must do” list to prepare for winter. It was just in time, because the weather changed, and its bitter cold with blowing snow. While there is still a lot to be done on the farm, the extra time inside allowed him to get this accomplished. Cory has a wealth of knowledge and wisdom to share, and I look forward to hearing more from him in the future on this blog and our You Tube channel!
By Cory Mentink
There has been a lot of talk lately about the “Great Resignation.” This is a trend in which employees are voluntarily resigning from their jobs by the boat load. In October alone, 4.2 million Americans quit their jobs. There are many opinions out there as to why this is happening, perhaps they are sick of their boss, they hate what they are doing, or maybe they are just lazy. I’m not going to begin to try to figure out what’s motivating other people, but I’ll explain a bit about why I made the decision to quit.
First off, I want to point out that my decision was not about running away from something bad, but about running toward something that is much better. The job I was doing was interesting and challenging (although I am not sure if I was really helping anyone at times) and the people I worked with were a good bunch of guys, I’ll miss them. But now, I get to work on an even better team (my family) and the work is fun, interesting, challenging AND has meaning and purpose for myself and others.
Victor Kiam once said, “Procrastination is opportunity’s natural assassin,” there are always reasons to put off making a decision like this. We’ll often say to ourselves things like, I’ll strike out on my own when: I have a larger nest egg or when the world isn’t going crazy or I’m just waiting for the right time. Well, sorry to break it to you folks, but you’re always going to need more money, the world shows no signs of becoming sane anytime soon, and there is never a perfect time for anything. If you’re going to keep putting off for tomorrow what you can do today, it’ll never get done (ask me how I know).
I believe that time is probably the most precious and valuable thing that we have that we take the most for granted. I worked with a man once that told me, “There are 24 hours in a day and you can always work a few more.” This man lived by that motto, he passed away of a heart attack in his mid-50’s. I decided I wanted to be able to invest my time into things I love, things that make a difference, like my wife, my kids, the farm, helping others, and growing food that is exceptional in taste and quality. I could have waited a few more years to make the leap, but is a few years actually worth a few dollars in the bank? Or is it more important to have invested that time in family and a business that serves others and can be passed on to the next generation?
So, while there is always uncertainty when we try something new, I’m looking forward to the adventure and challenges that God has in store for me and my family. He provided yesterday and He provided today, so I have no reason to not believe that He will provide tomorrow too. Don’t let uncertainty and procrastination keep you from exploring and following your dreams. Make a plan and take the fist step to make it happen.
Stay Free
Cory