A Funny Thing Happened The Day After I Got Laid Off from Anthony Ferraro on Vimeo.

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“I didn’t see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life." – Steve Jobs, Stanford commencement address, 2005

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“And this is one of the reasons why I tell people that being laid off from AOL was one of the best things that ever happened to me — because as much as it knocked me for a loop, it made me ask myself who I wanted to be in control of my life — and it made me make a choice about how my life would be." – John Scalzi, on being laid off from AOL in 1998

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“I really think that was the best thing that ever happened to me. I was really lucky to get fired from that job because I never would have quit, it was too good a job to leave even if I was miserable. By losing it, that forced me to make a decision. I was just at a crossroads, and decided life is not a dress rehearsal, sometimes you have to go for it." – Kathleen Flinn, author of “The Sharper Your Knife, The Less You Cry” on being laid off from Microsoft

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“Sometimes it’s stressful, waiting for the checks to come in… For the most part I’m much happier,” he says. “Honestly, looking back, [getting laid off] was the best thing that ever happened to me." – Jay Westcott, laid off from Washington Examiner, now a freelancer with a steady stream of assignments.

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“And in an ironic twist of fate, getting fired in 1996 most likely saved my life since I was working on the 104th floor of One World Trade Center. At the time I was left go I had the kind of job that most other people held on to. Looking back at my life, I can point to this wake up call as a time in my life that I grew up. This was in many ways a life defining event that helped transform me a step closer to the person I am today." – Jeff Pulver, being paranoid is O.K.

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“Getting laid off is often the perfect opportunity to rediscover your passion and purpose." – Renee Lee Rosenberg, career coach and author of Achieving the Good Life After 50

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“The top entry reveals that I was laid off in January of 2005. That was a stressful New Year that turned out to be one of the best things that ever happened to me. I think many people get comfortable in situations that they don’t actually like, trapped by the ease of it, unwilling to face the uncertainty and fear of change even though they claim to desire it…" – John Watson, me, Coat pockets, contents of

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It ain’t the end of the world. Hang in there.

Comments

1. Sylvia on 2009-02-16 12:50:44 wrote: I’m always touched by your writing. Somedays you leave me in tears. Like today. But that’s not a bad thing.

2. Sylvia on 2009-02-16 12:56:49 wrote: And P.S., yes I know you didn’t write all of the above. But the one you did write took me back to the coat pocket one, and that’s the one that got me.

3. knwd on 2009-02-16 14:54:00 wrote: I lost my job with a Big Corporation three years ago. It was a terrible time for me. Now I work (from home) for a small software company. Because of the economy, we haven’t made payroll for the past few months, but I’m still happier than I ever was when I was making six-figures working for the Big Corporation. I wanted to let you know that one of your blog posts was (and still is) a major source of inspiration for me: What would it take… Seriously? I haven’t quite reached the day where I’m ready to say that losing my job was the best thing that ever happened to me, but I think I can see that day coming up on the horizon. Thanks so much for sharing your journey!

4. Marites on 2009-02-17 21:17:01 wrote: I agree with Sylvia. :) I’m a big fan of your writing style. My favorites of your blog posts are: “Coat pockets…”, “The sound of magic”, “I’m forever yours- faithfully”, and “One of those days”. Anything that has to do with simple moments made extraordinary touch me the most. Thanks for all the inspiration.