★ Happy leaders are all alike; miserable workers each have their own unique way of “going crazy.”
Uncle Xiao Chuan, a 40-year-old veteran office worker with five years of professional experience, found himself in a dire situation when the pandemic hit, plunging his industry into a deep freeze and pushing his health to the brink. At the seemingly catastrophic start of his 40s, he made the bold decision to quit his job without a safety net.
★ Let’s take a look at how middle-aged people facing crises around every corner can save themselves. It’s brutally honest, deeply relatable, and packed with authenticity!
The author openly shares their emotional journey since quitting their job, using a light and humorous tone to talk about their struggles, fears, and inner conflicts. Through their story, we see that freedom isn’t handed to you—it needs to be actively cultivated—and there’s no doubt that each of us has the power to create that kind of freedom for ourselves.
★ A bit of attitude advice for those still working: It’s just a job—don’t wear yourself out by overthinking or second-guessing. A bit of mindset guidance for those not working: Embrace self-acceptance on all fronts and find what you truly love doing.

Vague instructions, grand promises;
Not a single word about pay, yet every line is about self-sacrifice;
A budget of just a few hundred yuan leverages tens of millions in influence;
A salary of around 3,000 yuan paired with a work experience that feels like a death sentence;
…………
How can you go to work without going “crazy”? You’re just gritting your teeth and hanging on!

Since I started working, my desire to share has faded, my temper has flared, and my health has deteriorated. My hair, energy, looks, and overall well-being—all the things that once made life beautiful—seem to be slipping away bit by bit. And what about the money? It feels like… well, it’s hard to say for sure…

Sometimes I can’t help but ask myself: Why do I work? What has work actually brought me? Could I live a better life if I didn’t work?

The author of this book, Uncle Xiao Chuan, is a seasoned worker with 25 years of professional experience—and he, too, once wrestled with the same doubts and struggles. From a lowly “text-based indentured servant” to a manager leading a team worth millions, he reached countless moments at work where he felt driven to the brink of madness. In the depths of an industry downturn, with his health in critical condition and at an age when he was both the family’s financial pillar and a key figure in society, he resolutely handed in his resignation letter and embarked on a “naked resignation” at the age of 40.

In this book, Uncle Xiao Chuan openly shares his journey since quitting his job, offering candid insights from the perspective of someone who’s been there. For those of us in the “rebellious phase” of our careers, he presents a powerful remedy for all forms of workplace unhappiness: It’s just a job—why wear yourself out by internalizing so much stress?

If you find yourself at a crossroads in your career—or being battered by life’s relentless storms—this book may hold the answers you’ve been searching for. By the time you finish reading it, you might just discover how to bring more joy back into your life!

Uncle Xiao Chuan

Past forty, still full of questions.
A chubby guy who finally doesn’t have to go to work anymore—and has made freedom his profession, studying it as a lifelong pursuit.
He’s diving deep into a wide range of hobbies and passions: writing, public speaking, painting, journaling, and flower arranging.
He’s committed to being a true experientialist in life.

A nationally influential writer for two consecutive years,
a cover interview subject for a leading fashion magazine for eleven years,
a career consultant with 300 hours of professional coaching experience,
and an internationally certified ACC coach.
Published works include:
“Only Those Who Can Withstand the World Own It”
“A Gentle Slap in the Face from This Cruel World Just for You”
“You Deserve a Future Only Through Hard Work”
“Being ‘Poorly Busy’ Means You Haven’t Learned How to Organize Your Life”
“People Who Get Things Done Are Also People Who Can Handle Tough Situations”

Chapter 1: Time to Lay My Cards on the Table—I’m Quitting My Job
1. At 40, I Quit My Job · 002
2. Not Going to Work Is Really Awesome · 007
3. Maybe… Should I Go Back to Work After All? · 011
4. The More I Prepare, the More Afraid I Become · 017
5. Is Working from Home Really Suitable? · 022
6. I Don’t Dare Mention Money · 029
7. Waiting for Opportunities to Come · 034
8. Unexpected Events Arrive Sooner Than Tomorrow · 042
9. The Difference Between Going to Work and Actually Working · 047
10. Always Believe That Something Wonderful Is About to Happen · 05

Chapter 2: Becoming Your Own Life Coach
1. Spend Some Time Alone with Yourself · 062
2. Record and Experiment · 069
3. A Single Sheet of Paper Cured My Live-Streaming Shopping Addiction · 074
4. How I Found My Second Career · 080
5. A Simple Change in Perspective Cured My Insomnia · 086
6. Start Each Day with a Game-Like Mindset · 091
7. Are You Still Reading the Wrong Way? · 094
8. Three Questions to Develop the Habit of Independent Thinking · 102
9. Why Not Look Up? · 108
10. Let’s Talk About the Flow State · 115

Chapter 3: What Kind of Job Do I Really Want?
1. How to Choose the Right Job · 128
2. Delivering a Speech in the Unknown · 136
3. Should You Do What You’re Good At or What You Love? · 144
4. How to Build Your Product · 148
5. Choosing the Right People Is Crucial · 154
6. “Thank You for Lighting Up My Life at One Point” · 159
7. Work Is Just an Experience · 166
8. No Need to Prepare 101 Different Solutions · 172
9. What Will Be My Lifelong Work? · 177
10. If Work Is a Form of Spiritual Cultivation · 180

Chapter 4: Focus on Being Yourself
1. Is It Necessary to Spend Over 200,000 Yuan on Personal Growth? · 192
2. What Am I Really Afraid Of? · 200
3. The Person Behind the Anger · 207
4. I Feel Quite Anxious in Beijing · 214
5. A Ten-Minute Mindfulness Experience · 218
6. A Magical Coaching Conversation · 223
7. Healing the “Not-Good-Enough” Self Through Hypnosis · 233
8. Letting Go of Others Is Also Letting Go of Yourself · 242
9. Learn to Make Peace with Yourself in Love · 246
10. Let’s Start a New Life Effortlessly! · 256

Afterword: We After 40 · 265