An X user has sparked a discussion online after sharing his journey of leaving a high-paying job without any job offer in hand. Varun Hasija revealed that he made the “hardest decision” of his life by quitting his product management job that had him earning over Rs 1 crore a year. “No plan. No backup. Just the decision that I needed a break-a real one-for the first time in my decade-long career,” he wrote in his post.
In the following tweet, Mr Hasija said that the move wasn’t impulsive but a result of a structured framework he has followed throughout his career. He said that he looks at three points before choosing where to work and what roles to take on. First is happiness. “If your workplace doesn’t bring you bliss, excitement, or joy, is it even worth it?” he wrote, adding, “For me, happiness at work is non-negotiable. Without it, nothing else works.”
A couple of months ago, I made one of the hardest decisions of my life: I left my cushy, high-paying (₹1 Cr+) job without another offer in hand.
No plan. No backup. Just the decision that I needed a break—a real one—for the first time in my decade-long career.
— Varun Hasija (@warunhasija) December 5, 2024
Second, Mr Hasija said that he looks at the “impact”. “The work I do must create value-for customers, the business, or both. I’ll happily spend hours solving a business client’s issue to unlock $MM in revenue myself and/or lead a team of PMs/Devs to launch a potential cash-cow feature. Impact keeps me going,” he explained.
In the third point, Mr Hasija wrote “wealth creation”. “If I’m helping a company make money, there should be opportunities for me to create wealth too. ESOPs in a promising startup? Great. Bonuses in a cash-rich company? Also great. I’m okay with either-so long as it’s fair,” he said.
“It’s rare to find all three-Happiness, Impact, and Wealth Creation-in one place. So, you prioritize. For me, its been in the above order since quite some time now,” the X user wrote.
Mr Hasija said that the first two points – happiness and impact – were missing from his high-paying job in Bengaluru. In the following posts, he explained that the EdTech industry had already been struggling and he started feeling pressure within the company.
“The signs were clear: The focus gradually shifted from service to survival. Internal dynamics started to change, and maintaining appearances often took precedence over meaningful work. I was reminded, ‘This is how corporate life works.’ But I wasn’t ready to master that game,” he wrote.
“So, long story short, I left. Sending that resignation email wasn’t easy. Walking away from stability is hard. But sometimes, moving on is necessary,” Ms Hasija said.
“Its important to take a break. Pause and reflect on the life that you’ve built. Be proud of the 10 year old you. And somehow, no one taught us how to do that. Its something that we need to figure out on our own and start living the life we had always hoped to live,” he concluded.
Also Read | Woman Turned Down Job To Pursue Her Dreams, Built A Rs 10,000 Crore Empire
Me Hasija shared his journey on X on Thursday. Since then, his posts have accumulated more than 218,000 views and several likes. In the comments section, users praised Mr Hasija for taking such a bold decision.
“Nicely written! Envy the carefreeness and exploration you’re able to do with the break,” wrote one user. “Best decision you can ever take. You will never regret it,” commented another.
“I read your post twice to make sure i understand the undercurrent which drove you to the decision…and well looks to be an absolute wise one. You are on your way to make the cocktail of your P1-3 on your terms..its not when one retires but what do you retire in to that matters,” expressed a third user.
