How watching One Piece encouraged me to quit the job that I hate
I decided to quit my job because I re-watched the very first episode of One Piece (the anime version)
I had always wanted to quit my job all this time but I never had a gut to do that. The thing that made me worry most that my boss was also my supervisor when I was a student in grad school. So, I worried if I quit my job, I won’t get a recommendation letter from him. I also had a fear of how if he didn’t accept my resignation again (I tried to do that 9 months ago and he didn’t accept it since we just started a new project). But I know it was just needless anxiety.
I finally decided to really quit after I watched One Piece.
If you don’t know about One Piece, it is an anime about the adventure of a boy who wants to be a pirate king. Monkey D. Luffy, the main character, is my most favorite character. He is passionate, straightforward, pure, reckless, simple, but also can be a cool person at the same time.
At that time, I saw the very first episode when Luffy was introduced. He came up from a barrel found by some pirates. He locked himself in the barrel because his ship was sucked by a whirlpool. He is hungry so he asked Coby, a janitor of that pirate group if he knows where he can find some food. However, the other pirates were upset because the barrel is not beer. So, they try to beat Luffy. However, Luffy resists and beat them easily with one punch. Coby is so fascinated because Luffy is really a strong person and can beat them easily. He guides Luffy into the kitchen. Then, he explains that he actually didn’t want to be a pirate. He explains that he intended to fishing at the beach and then the pirates came and kidnapped him. That’s how he started to work as a slave in that pirate ship for two years. Luffy asks Coby why he doesn’t run. Coby said that it’s impossible to run because when he thinks about it his legs shake and he gets really scared. Then Luffy said something that made me felt so ashamed.
“Ohh, you are a coward. I don’t like you, ha ha ha.”
He said that while laughing.
It has a huge impact on me. It felt like Luffy said that not to Coby, but said it to me instead. I was like a coward too, I was overthinking what the worst case would be if I quit. Thinking about my future would scare me out. At that moment, I realized that I was actually Coby myself. I was not a person that was even liked by Luffy. Before this, I liked using D. Luffy as my online name but at that moment, I felt I didn’t good enough to use that. I came to the realization when I started to be a coward person like this. I didn’t aware of my change at all. And it’s not cool at all.
After this scene, Luffy tells Coby that he wants to be a Pirate King, the one who has the most freedom to do anything. Coby said that it’s impossible to do that and tells Luffy how to risk it will be. Then Luffy said something good too after he hits Coby because he can’t stop talking.
“It’s not if it’s possible or not. I do it because I want to. I decided to become the Pirate King. I don’t care if I die fighting for it.”
It’s simple as it is. We can do it because we want it, not because other people tell you it’s possible or not, not because it’s hard or not, it’s because you either want it or not. If you want it, you can do it. At that moment, I decided to quit my job and pursue my dream not halfway, but in full power.
After I watched it, I stick a message for myself on the wall:
Live the life that you want.
It’s my life, why should I live for the job I hate? What’s the point of living if I don’t use my time for doing the things that make me in peace? Every morning I was reminded of those letters whenever I woke up.
However, it’s not as easy as it is to quit for me. I asked for help many times from my close people to gather some powers to do that. I wanted to be careful to tell to my boss so he won’t be upset with me and accepted my decision. I finally could tell it when I was at the edge. Every holiday was not like a holiday, I felt depressed instead. I didn’t like to turn on my phone on holiday because I was afraid if it’s about my work or not. Whenever I read or heard something related to the sector of my work, I didn’t want to hear that. I felt anxious whenever I thought about my work. I felt a burn sensation in my heart often too. I have had enough to feel what I felt. I love my health more. So, I finally said it this week. And it was one of the best decisions that I took.
