Is It Self Doubt—or Is It Time to Leave?

Photo by charlesdeluvio on Unsplash

In 2021 I jacked it all in. Walked away from a 15+ year career in engineering.

Just like that. Done.

I was utterly fed up. Burnt out to a crisp. Unfulfilled. And I had no idea—zero inspiration—what might come next.

So I went down a completely different path: retraining, relaunch, repair.

I don’t regret it. But I won’t sugarcoat it either. It’s been a really, REALLY difficult road to walk.

In the last couple of years, I’ve spoken to a number of people who’ve been let go, made redundant, or fired. And every time I hear the words, “I should just jack it all in—I mean, what’s the point?” I feel it. Deeply.

It always comes from a real place. And usually, that place is tangled up in self doubt.

Four years later, here’s the advice I give to others—knowing what I do now.

1. Do you really want to leave… or are you just pissed off?

When something hits your core values—or your pride—it’s natural to want to walk. To scream into a pillow. To burn it all down.

But self doubt often disguises itself as anger. Or as hopelessness. Or as “maybe I’m just not cut out for this.”

So before you make any big decisions, pause. Ask yourself what’s actually going on underneath the emotion. Are there patterns in how you react when things go wrong? This might be a turning point—not in your job, but in how you respond to challenge.

2. Pause and reflect

If you’re seriously thinking of walking away, get clear on what you’re walking from—and what you actually want to walk toward.

What’s happening now isn’t the full story. And if you’ve poured years into this career, it’s worth taking stock. What have you learned? What have you enjoyed? What do you still want to try?

Even if you’re struggling to find something you liked about your current job, think more broadly. What do you enjoy doing in general? Where do you feel most alive?

3. It's probably not you

I wrote a whole post about this: Do I just suck at my job?  Spoiler: probably not.

When people reach the edge, it’s often because they’ve been overlooked, undervalued, or boxed in—not because they lack talent.

It might not be you. It might be the culture, the leadership, the environment. Try testing the waters somewhere else. Ask better questions in interviews. Reach out to people already working there. Culture fit matters more than we often realise.

4. If you need a change, what would a step-change look like?

Sometimes it’s not the whole career that’s wrong—it’s just the bit you’re in.

Maybe the industry’s moving away from your skillset. Maybe your values have shifted. But that doesn’t always mean you have to start again from scratch.

Could you try a secondment? A new team? A different kind of project? Sometimes the next step isn’t dramatic—it’s just different enough to light you up again.

Ask yourself: what would you regret not trying?

5. If you’re done—and I mean really done—then hustle with heart

If you’re sure this isn’t your space anymore, and you’re feeling that pull toward something completely different, go for it. But build slowly.

Start telling your network what you’re exploring. Build evidence. Write, share, test ideas. Make sure you have a financial buffer and a clear sense of what you’re offering.

I won’t lie—starting something from scratch is hard. I’ve done it.

It’s much better if you can start small, practice your craft in the margins, and let momentum build quietly.

Conclusion: Self Doubt Doesn’t Mean You’re Wrong. It Means You’re Paying Attention.

If you’re wondering whether to walk away, that’s not weakness. It’s awareness.

And awareness is the beginning of change—whether it’s in your job, your approach, or your whole career path.

Self doubt is loud. But so is clarity, once you give it space to speak.

Have you ever felt like jacking it all in? How did you know whether it was self doubt—or the start of something new? I’d love to hear your story in the comments.