So, I hate my well-paying corporate job - the company, industry and work itself. If the company closed tomorrow and made me redundant I would be so relieved.
At school I was good at both STEM and creative subjects, and my parents are STEM-based corporate career high flyers. I did a very employable sensible STEM subject at uni (they basically told me that every other subject was unemployable and would have me working in Starbucks....), which I really enjoyed learning, but I suspected beforehand that I would not enjoy any of the jobs based on that degree. I just saw my parents enjoying their jobs and naively thought I could be the same. Learning something in class is very different from working in the field, especially with theoretical subjects. The self-directed style of academia really didn't appeal either. I'm mid-twenties now and have hated every job I've had since uni - I'm on my 3rd role now and having a bit of a mental health crisis, seeing 2 counsellors and taking medication. I browse the internet for half the day and clock-watch, have zero passion or engagement and don't care about any of my projects. A lot of the work feels pointless & regimented and there is no creativity. I can't see myself doing this for the rest of my life. I thought, maybe just stay until I get pregnant for the maternity pay, but I can't see myself staying more than about 6 months longer - not in this job but just in my entire career. And I picked my industry because it was the one I hated the sound of the least!
I have a passion/hobby (design-based) that I do outside of work, and sort of had an epiphany that it wasn't "normal" to hate your job and think there's no choice but to scrabble up the corporate career ladder. I would love to make that hobby my career, through my own business, but I have a lot of technical & creative skills to learn first to get to a professional standard. My local college has a 2 year course that sounds perfect. I have quite a lot of savings from my jobs, so I could pay for the course and living.
Would it be mad to quit and try and follow this passion? I just don't know what else to do, other than quit and become a SAHM (which I can't do forever), or be stuck staring at crap on a screen until 65. I hear people say "Life's too short! Follow your dream!" but on the other hand, I feel like a special snowflake, hating a lucrative career that would have me well-off and comfortable for the rest of my life...
Any similar stories would be welcome.