Why I Quit My $300k Google Job and Stopped Chasing Early Retirement

This as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Jim Tang, 27, about quitting his software engineering job at Google. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

I always wanted to be a good son. I thought getting into a Big Tech company would make my parents proud and provide a high salary.

I started working at Google in December 2021 as a software engineer, based in New York. I spent three and a half years there and earned up to $326,000 in total compensation before taxes, but I became disillusioned with corporate life and, at age 27, I quit and became a creator and entrepreneur, traveling as a digital nomad. It’s made me feel more fulfilled.

At first, I thought I’d stay at Google for life

After working for American Express for a year, I thought joining Google would make my parents proud and do good things for my career, because of its brand name.

I worked on the front end of products within Google’s ads org. The job was quite laid-back. On a typical day, I’d badge in around 10 a.m. Sometimes, there was a meeting or two a day, but I was usually working autonomously on projects. At times when I was grinding for a promotion, I’d badge out at 7 p.m., but some days, I’d leave early at 4 p.m.

Google had great perks, such as free food from office cafés, and free snacks from micro-kitchens.

The first few months were a total honeymoon phase. I thought I’d stay for life.

I remember bringing my parents to the office and feeling like we’d achieved the American dream.

I started to grow disillusioned

Even though there were a lot of perks and I was working with brilliant people, I was never a big fan of corporate work. I found it hard to be authentic in those environments. While working on B2B products in ads for Google, I was probably helping them make a boatload of money, but it didn’t feel particularly meaningful.

One of the reasons I stayed so long is because I was chasing FIRE — financial independence, retire early. I hoped that by saving and investing aggressively with my high salary, I could retire early and have the freedom I desired. I felt it would be insane to give the job up.

I even pushed myself to get a promotion, which I received roughly two years into my time there, to pursue this path. I wanted to be able to retire with $5 million saved by 40.

I resigned from Google after I became more and more depressed

In May 2024, I broke up with my girlfriend of a year and a half. It brought a lot of things to the surface about my life. I realized I’d been doing what I felt I was supposed to do to make my parents happy and win in society, but I felt fake.

I kept feeling more and more depressed, and one day, I decided to take a leave of absence, which was approved for 12 weeks and started in February 2025.

Although a small part of me wanted to hang onto the safety net, I decided to commit to quitting after the leave ended. I handed in my resignation in May.

Google wasn’t at fault for what happened to me. I’m not made for corporate, and regardless of the company I was at, this was going to happen.

In May 2025, I traveled to Tokyo. I’d visited Japan before and enjoyed it, and I wanted to experience the digital nomad lifestyle. I’ve spent the past few months bouncing around different countries in Asia.

I’ve been investing my time in building an audience on social media. I’ve been documenting my journey out of corporate and trying to build the beginnings of a business behind it. I build digital products and have a coaching offer.

My income is variable, but because of my financial cushion, I won’t run out of money anytime soon.

I prefer having a less-structured routine now that I’m not on the clock. I put more hours into work now than I did at Google, but I expected to have to sacrifice lots of time when I made this transition.

I’m more fulfilled now

Initially, after I told my parents that I was leaving Google, they tried to convince me to stay, but now, they say they support me no matter what. At one point, my dad told me he and my mom noticed that my eyes had life in them again.

I used to see success as based on externals and accolades. But now, I think if you feel fulfilled in your daily life, that’s success. I used to wake up with no energy and think I was a lazy person, but now I have energy in the mornings, and I want to work on things.

I still want to make money, so I can take care of family and friends and have a freer lifestyle, but I don’t subscribe to FIRE anymore. At Google, I was sacrificing today for a promise tomorrow or 10 years from now.

I did it to bail myself out of a life I didn’t enjoy. Now, I feel more fulfilled.

Do you have a story to share about quitting a Big Tech job? Contact this reporter at ccheong@businessinsider.com.