A senior manager at Google has left her role, despite a very high salary, in pursuit of greater clarity, life balance, and personal fulfillment.
Florence Poirel, aged 37 and formerly a Senior Program Manager at Google’s Zurich office, was earning about USD 390,000 a year approximately ₹3.40 crore. She left the job in April 2024, not because she was unhappy or burnt out, but because she realized that she wanted more purpose and time with loved ones.
Why She Decided to Quit
- She said that while her work and team were “pleasant,” she felt a growing lack of clarity about what she wanted long term in life.
- Time with her partner, who is 17 years older and also works at Google, became important to her. She didn’t want to wait until retirement to enjoy life.
- She had been inspired by the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement, which advocates for gaining financial freedom and having more control over life’s priorities.
Financial Situation & What She Did After Quitting
- By January 2024, Poirel had saved around USD 1.5 million (roughly ₹12.6 crore) enough to support what she termed a “mini retirement.”
- In April 2024, she and her partner both resigned from their roles to enjoy at least eighteen months off. They traveled, spent quality time, and focused on wellbeing.
- Since leaving, she has been swimming in Lake Zurich, travelling, and doing career coaching for women. She says she doesn’t miss her former routine.
Her Reflections
- She admitted that saying “no” to such a lucrative job was daunting. It’s not easy to give up financial security.
- But she also said that life is too short to spend most of it working, instead of enjoying moments with people and doing experiences that fulfil you.
- Interestingly, even after quitting, she hasn’t felt bored she says it’s been over a year and a half, and she still feels excited by her days.
Key Takeaways
- Money and status alone don’t always lead to happiness and fulfilment.
- Many people are rethinking what success means: work life balance, purpose, clarity, relationships.
- Financial freedom (through savings or investments) can empower people to make life decisions aligned with their true priorities.
