Hi there Mustachians!
I'd be very grateful for some thoughts on my situation. I'm 34 years old, no kids and currently have a decent paying engineering job. The only problem is that I've come to loathe this job and it's getting worse every day. Through various circumstances, the work I'm supposed to do makes me feel dishonest and at conflict with my moral compass. I've raised the issue with my boss, but he didn't take it very well and basically told me to get a more positive attitude.
Last October I saw the Mustachian light and since then me and my girlfriend have gone from financially illiterate clowns to a 60% savings rate.
This makes matters a bit complicated and the dilemma is basically: Should I stay put and continue building the stash while browsing for a new engineering job, or should I just assume outrageous optimism, quit right now and feel confident I'll be able to create something awesome before money trouble hits?
Our situation at the moment:
*We have two years of living expenses saved up (43 000 USD)
*Our only debt is our student loans (also at a rough total of 43 000 USD). The interest rate is at 0,15% and the monthly payment totals 300 USD. It's all government run and the interest rate will always stay just a fraction above the central bank rate.
*We live in an amazing, rent controlled apartment within walking distance of everything, so no car ownership and muscle over motor reigns supreme.
*We live in Sweden, meaning free health care and an unemployment insurance that'll easily cover our living expenses for one year -even if I'm the one who quits
*My girlfriend has her own buiness and her earnings can currently pay our living expenses without problem
If I'm honest with myself I don't think I ever wanted to be an engineer, but chose it out of fear of the poverty I grew up in. If I could dream freely I'd just quit my job right now and get certified within personal training and nutrition. Then I'd start a consultancy business helping people who are successful professionally but have no clue about how to take care of themselves. If I don't see any signs of it taking off after a year I guess I could just resume my engineering career, continue the stash building and reach FI a bit later.
So, to summarize, I guess my question is: Should I shut up & toughen up, keep engineering until FI, or use our current pretty robust situation as a launchpad into something more fulfilling and maybe just as lucrative as the engineering job?
Once again, I would be eternally grateful for your thoughts, o wise Mustachians!