Quietly Quitting vs. Boldly Growing

This isn’t the time to fade away! Make a positive change and love your work life again

Despite what you may have read, “quiet quitting” is not new. In previous generations, it was called “going through the motions” or “burning out.” 

Whatever you want to call it, it points to the problem of a person who is so unmotivated and disinterested in their job that they just give up. They do enough to get by and collect a paycheck but not one iota more. What a sad situation – not only for the employer who puts up with lackluster performance so they can avoid hiring and training someone new in a tough job market, but also for the employee who is profoundly unhappy. 

It doesn’t have to be that way. Those in the “quiet quitting” camp can take control of their futures and turn things around by creating a more fulfilling career for themselves. Franchising may be one solution to helping people rediscover what motivates them. 

At Kumon North America, we have seen an incredible influx of former teachers, IT professionals and engineers who, frustrated with legislative mandates or bored with doing the same thing every day, decided to take charge of their lives and open their own businesses. In doing so, they have been able to find joy in their work again. 

How do they do that? Kumon Instructors cite a number of factors that contribute to both their success as a business owner and personal fulfillment:

They enjoy working with kids. Bonneva Ezekiel, a Kumon Center owner and former childcare director, said, “I’ve worked with children my entire life. The rewards outweigh the challenges. As my program grows, I learn from the children as much as they learn from me.”

They love learning and value education. Kumon Instructor Trung Tran was asked why he left a lucrative job as an aerospace engineer to open a Kumon Center. He replied, “Helping students improve their grades is more meaningful to me than being an engineer.” 

They embrace the challenge of building their own business and working for themselves. Christina Mitchell, a former teacher who owns a Kumon Center in Montreal, said she explored opening a Kumon Center because she wanted to be an entrepreneur but still work in an industry she knew, and the comprehensive training program made that possible. “I definitely knew how to deal with kids and parents, but I had zero business experience,” she said.

They are proud to make a difference in their communities by creating jobs and bolstering education. Lydia Chan, who worked for the New York City Department of Education before opening her Kumon Center, said, “The policy side gave me the opportunity to work at a macro level, but Kumon gives me the chance to make a difference at a micro level.” 

To people who are on the verge of quietly quitting – giving up, checking out or whatever you want to call it – I say: Seek joy instead. 

Discover what motivates you and make a bold move. Start your own business in a field you love. Franchising gives you the opportunity to own your own business but get the training and support you need to be successful. 

There’s never been a better time to choose to be happy. 

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John Collins is Kumon North America’s vice president of Center Network Development.