Quit big tech while spouse kept working — what was the hardest part for you?
I'm a software engineer at a big tech. 10 years in. I just came back from a vocation and I'm seriously considering resigning.
Numbers:
Net worth ~$9M: $2M house (no mortgage) + ~$7M in stocks and cash
My spouse works at the big tech with a high salary that fully covers our living expenses. 1 young kid.
Annual spending: 120k
Why I want to leave: I don't enjoy the work anymore, especially since AI changed it, and it gives me little sense of accomplishment. I'd like to spend my time managing our family's investments and learning to trade(with a small portion only). The trading P&L is small relative to our net worth, so money isn't the reason. What I want to do is manage our portfolio, which is concentrated in tech, and prepare for a possible AI correction. Trading is the part I enjoy. Point taken on the social side, though. I need to plan for that.
What's holding me back: The salary is good, and work keeps me busy. During my leave I also had some rough moments trading (missed a big move on a stock I'd watched for months), which made me doubt myself a bit.
Is there any good reason to keep working given our situation? For those who quit while a spouse kept working, any regrets?
PS: I've managed our family portfolio for a few years, mostly long-term, averaging ~20% a year. This year I also traded $500k short-term while working full-time and I'm up ~30% YTD.
I want to trade full-time with the same $500k. Will that make my results worse, e.g. by overtrading? Anyone who made this switch, how did it go?