An X user has sparked a debate online by sharing his gutsy move of quitting a well-paying job without having another job in the bag. Varun Hasija shared that quitting his product management job, which fetched him more than ₹1 crore per year, was one of the “hardest decisions” he has ever made. “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 said in his post.
In a follow-up tweet, Hasija explained that this was not a whimsical move but rather an outcome of a framework he has followed through his career. He listed three things he considers before taking up any role: happiness, impact, and wealth creation.
Happiness comes first. “If your workplace doesn’t bring you bliss, excitement, or joy, is it even worth it?” he asked, adding that, on a personal level, happiness at work is non-negotiable. “Without it, nothing else works.”
The second ingredient, according to Hasija, is impact. “The work I do must create value-for customers, the business, or both. I’m willing to invest time in solving a client’s issue to unlock significant revenue or lead a team to launch a potentially lucrative feature. Impact keeps me going,” he said.
Finally, he spoke of wealth creation. “If I’m helping a company generate profit, there should be opportunities for me to create wealth too. Whether it’s ESOPs in a promising startup or bonuses in a cash-rich company, I’m open to either-as long as it’s fair,” he noted.
Hasija highlighted the challenge of finding all three elements—happiness, impact, and wealth creation—within one position. “It’s rare to find all three in one place, so prioritization becomes essential. For me, it has been in that order for quite some time,” he said.
Despite the good pay, the job in Bengaluru was neither bringing in happiness nor creating an impact,” Hasija said, elaborating on how things were getting worse in the EdTech space and the changing internal dynamics of the company. “The writing on the wall was clear: the goals slowly shifted from service to survival. Internal dynamics changed, with often maintaining appearances taking precedence over meaningful work. I then knew, ‘Well, that’s how it works in corporate life.’ But I wasn’t ready to play that game,” he explained.
He finally decided to quit. “Sending that resignation email wasn’t easy. Walking away from stability is hard. But sometimes, moving on is necessary,” Hasija said.
He said, “Stop for a moment and think about your life. Stop and appreciate what you have built. Be proud of the ten-year-old you. But nobody teaches us to do that; that’s something we have to figure out for ourselves, in order to start living the life that we’ve always wanted to live.”.
His journey has since resonated with many after he posted it on X, with over 218,000 views and numerous likes. Many users praised the courageous decision he made. Comments ranged from “Nicely written! Envy the carefreeness and exploration you’re able to do with the break,” and “Best decision you can ever take. You will never regret it.” Another reflected, “I read your post twice to make sure I caught the undercurrent that finally made you decide to make this move.and I think it is an absolute sensible one. You are going on to make your journey your own.
