Finding the Courage to Quit Your 9-5 and Thrive | Bren Russell

Our Podcast producer Bren Russell (http://podlad.com) shares the deeply personal story of walking away from what most would call the safest job in Ireland — one week after becoming a father — all because of a gut feeling he couldn’t ignore.

What followed wasn’t chaos. It was living!

From trusted state employee to thriving entrepreneur, Bren now earns 2x more, lives better, and wakes up excited for the week ahead. But this isn’t a story about chasing money — it’s about redefining success on your own terms, taking small bold steps, and trusting that inner whisper when logic screams “stay put.”

If you’ve ever said, “I’d leave my job if I won the lottery” — this is the episode that gently calls your bluff… and invites you to imagine a life you don’t need to escape from.

🔥 Topics We Explore:

• The power of following intuition, even when it makes no sense on paper

• Why dreading Monday might be your body asking you to make a change

• How to “fire bullets before the cannonball” and build momentum safely

• The real meaning of hard work — and why it still matters

• Why you’re allowed to change your mind (as many times as it takes)

• A practical, low-risk experiment to start living on your terms

💭 Reflective Prompt:

What would you do if you won the lottery — and what’s one tiny step you could take toward that today, without waiting?

🧪 How You Can Experiment:

Next time you feel stuck, don’t aim to fix everything. Just start smaller. Reach out to someone doing what you’d love to do. Ask a question. Book a call. Say it out loud. Small moves compound — and might just change everything.

Referenced:

School of Greatness Podcast

Why Investing Is the BIGGEST Life Hack & Everyone Should Start Today!:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kjP7_BfGk0&t=261s

Book a FREE call with Bren for a chat about podcasting, freelancing or following your passion:

https://tidycal.com/podlad/20min-intro

00:00 - Monday fear is optional, I'm proof

01:12 - Introduction to Bren Russell from http://podlad.com

02:30 - Leaving the 'safest job in Ireland' on a gut feeling (and with a 1 week old baby)

07:45 - Understanding intuition, inner wisdom or gut feelings

10:39 - Why do so many get stuck in a job they hate?

13:57 - What would you do if you won the lottery? (and what the answer reveals)

16:25 - How to make the brave choice when your mind finds excuses

24:20 - Nothing comes easy but knowing that will make things happen

30:28 - Why you should embrace changing your mind!

37:15 - There's no silver bullet, the only option is action

39:40 - How patterns of the stock market mirror patterns of personal growth

43:33 - Following life's unwritten rules is guaranteed to make you unhappy

48:27 - Advice for kids: If you do your best, that's enough

51:00 - Advice for people who feel stuck in a job

53:45 - Real life example: How Bilos's daughter took action and saw results she never expected

1:00:023 - I LOVE Mondays: Bren's bumper sticker for life

1:04:20 - Contact Bren if you want help podcasting or freelancing

1:09:29 - Final Thought: Speak your desire out loud!

Learn more about Bren and the professional podcast production services he offers:

http://www.podlad.com