1587.Why I Quit My $100K Union Path (And Why You Should Stop Caring What People Think)

Nine months ago, I started grinding through a union electrical apprenticeship.

In about 5 years, this will lead to a six-figure income, excellent benefits, and the kind of job security that makes parents beam with pride.

And I quit.

Not because I’m lazy or entitled. 

Not because I’m stupid. 

But because I finally learned the difference between what I *should* want and what I *actually* want. 

Here’s what nobody tells you about “good” careers (or “good” anything): 

they can slowly poison you IF they’re not aligned with who you are

• just how medical is a great field to get into, but you got me fucked up if you think that I’ll pick that career because it looks good on paper. 
• Just how the trades are a great field to get into, and I did, but it turns out I can’t stand the environment, how I felt, and the lifestyle that brings about. 

The Symptoms of Misalignment

My body started giving me signals. 

• Digestive issues that appeared out of nowhere. 
• Getting sick more often
• Energy drained all day 
• 10 extra pounds 
• Skin rashes

This never happened before to me either, I’d consider myself one of the healthiest people I know. Shit, I’m 29 years old and felt like I was aging in dog years.

And even though we still made it a priority, I could slowly feel my relationship changing, and – IMO- not for the better. 

The 4am wake-ups meant my wife and I were on completely different schedules. We went from being collaborative partners to ships passing in the night.

But the worst part? I knew something was wrong and kept pushing through anyway because that’s what “responsible” people do. 

• They finish what they start. 
• They don’t quit good jobs. 
• They appreciate opportunities.

The problem wasn’t the trade, it was with me.  And the fucked up part is I just didn’t want to see the truth because it conflicted with what “smart career moves” are supposed to look like.

And I’m realizing now, it’s all bullshit. 

At least, it is for me anyway. 

The Culture of Finishing

We have a weird obsession with completion

But it completely ignores the cost of persistence in the wrong direction, towards the wrong thing.

“Winners never quit” 

Really? 

What about when you’re winning the wrong game?

You win the money game but you’re divorced and your kids hate you. Better luck next time? 

That’s why knowing what you want is so important, and what you want – can change, it’s not set in stone. 

I thought I wanted this career, the job, the security, the benefits, the pension, the camaraderie, and it turns out – I don’t. My body literally revolted against me. And it had me falling short in other areas that are more important to me like my health, my relationships, and my overall happiness. 

Some people see the 9 months and figure, well let me just get through these next 5 years or so and get my license 

For what though? 

To me, nine months of this new line of work doesn’t justify 5 more years of misalignment. 

And that’s just to get through the apprenticeship. Once you finish that, the pay will be great, yeah, but could you do another 5, 10, 20 , 30 years of something that you’re not aligned with? 

9 months and learning it’s not for me? I’m grateful. 

Maybe I learned to like it, it grew on me – or maybe I just accepted my new reality… 

But some of the smartest people I know have quit things they were good at to find things they were great at. 

The difference isn’t just performance—it’s sustainability.

Life is a marathon, not a sprint. 

The Permission You’re Looking For

If you’re reading this and thinking about your own misaligned situation, here’s what I wish someone had told me months ago:

You don’t need anyone’s permission to quit something that’s slowly killing your spirit. 

You don’t need credentials to change directions.

You don’t need to justify authentic choices to people living inauthentic lives.

The people who matter will support decisions that make you healthier and happier, and the people who don’t support those decisions probably don’t matter as much as you think they do.

And you need to make the decision, no one else can do it for you – that’s a personal flaw I’m working to overcome.

The Bottom Line

The apprenticeship wasn’t a failure—it was  market research. 

Now I know what drains me and what energizes me, and how much that’s worth. 

I know that I value freedom and autonomy over security. 

Financial independence isn’t about having enough money to retire. It’s about having enough money to make decisions based on fit rather than fear.

If you have that luxury like I do, and you’re still optimizing for other people’s approval, you’re wasting the most valuable resource you have: the freedom to be authentically yourself.

Stop finishing things that aren’t worth finishing. Start optimizing for alignment over approval.

Your future self will thank you.

And if people think less of you for choosing health over hustle, connection over convention, or values over validation?

That says more about their limitations than yours.