Totally agree, especially about the savings cushion—it's a lifesaver. I'd add:
- Set clear checkpoints upfront (like 6 months, 1 year...) to reassess objectively.
- Trust your gut, but back it up with numbers. Emotions can cloud judgment, especially when bills loom large.
"Trust your gut, but back it up with numbers. Emotions can cloud judgment, especially when bills loom large."
This hits home for me. A few years ago, I was itching to leave my steady job for a startup gig—dreamy on paper, risky in reality. I crunched the numbers obsessively, but still felt torn. Eventually, I set myself a 6-month checkpoint like you mentioned. By month five, the startup folded unexpectedly... dodged a bullet there. Numbers helped ground my gut feeling, but life's curveballs taught me there's always more to consider than just spreadsheets.
"Numbers helped ground my gut feeling, but life's curveballs taught me there's always more to consider than just spreadsheets."
Couldn't agree more. Reminds me of when I almost jumped ship for a flashy new brokerage that promised the moon. The numbers looked decent, but something felt off... couldn't quite put my finger on it. Decided to wait it out, and sure enough, they got hit with compliance issues a few months later. Sometimes your gut picks up on stuff the spreadsheets just can't show you.
That's a solid catch. Sometimes the flashy stuff looks great on paper, but there's usually a hidden price tag somewhere... Glad your gut steered you clear—dodged a bullet there for sure.
Been there myself—flashy deals can blindside you fast. Learned the hard way to always peek behind the curtain first. Trusting your gut usually beats chasing shiny promises... at least in my experience.
