I want to quit my job to write full-time.

All the articles I’ve read and sound advice I’ve gotten has told me to keep my day job until my writing brings in some money. I understand that completely. But I want to be 100% committed and ‘all in’ to writing. I want to know if I devote all my time and energy into it, if I could really become a writer.

I honestly feel like a million thoughts are racing through my head trying to make this decision. Thoughts like:

Am I a coward for not quitting and just diving in?
Will this decision to quit ruin my life?
Do I really have what it takes to be a writer?
Why can’t I just write when I’m not at work?
Writing on my off hours is still not enough time.
Writing on the side is not 100% committing to the dream that scares you the most.
I can get a part-time job instead
People look down on me if I get a simple part-time job
I don’t want my new lower financial circumstances to affect my boyfriend and have him worry about our money
I can get a part-time job, but I can’t commit to a full-time job where the commute + work hours take up 10 hrs of my day.
I still write at least an hour everyday, but I don’t feel like it’s enough.
I’ve only been working at this new job for 4 months, it’s bad form to quit less than a year, so you have to stay at least a year
I haven’t learned how to write enough to justify quitting
I’m being an idiot and too risky
My gut tells me I need to quit and really try this for real
How do you know that’s your gut talking?
Even if I quit, will I just run to another job that pays money after a month because I’m too afraid to be poor?
I’m afraid to be poor.
The worst that can happen is that I’ll just have to get another job like this one if I run out of money.
If it’s that simple, why can’t I just make the decision?

I was avoiding asking this question here, because I was afraid I would be told not to quit my job. As if I want permission to feel and think the way I already do.

This indecision makes me feel like I’m just being pulled back and forth, not able to settle on one decision. There are pros and cons to both.

Brooke says that decisions are neutral. But I’m afraid to make a decision that I will not be able to bounce back from, or become better for. I am afraid my decision will cripple me in the future.