27-year-old quits ₹1.9 crore Microsoft job to make videos online, now says: 'Dumbest thing I've ever done'

A high-paying job, financial security and a promising corporate career were not enough to keep Christian Harms at Microsoft. The former employee, who was earning around ₹1.9 crore annually in Switzerland, resigned at the age of 26 and moved to Australia to pursue entrepreneurship and content creation.

A year after making the life-changing decision, Harms has spoken candidly about the challenges of starting over, admitting that the journey has been far tougher than he had anticipated.

In a video titled My Museum of Failures as a 27-year-old who quit his dream job, he reflected on the uncertainty, setbacks and emotional struggles that followed his exit from the tech giant.

'The dumbest thing' he has ever done

Looking back on his decision, Harms said there are times when quitting Microsoft feels like "the dumbest thing" he has ever done.

"Because the salary, the stability, the identity, you don't just quit a job, you quit the version of yourself that everyone respects," he said.

He added that corporate careers often make leaving feel like an irrational choice because of the comfort and recognition they provide.

Despite those feelings, Harms insisted he does not regret taking the risk.

"I know I'm doing the right thing. But some days the self-doubt is suffocating," he admitted.

Leaving behind more than a salary

Harms said the hardest part of resigning was not the money but the identity and sense of security that came with his role.

"I left a $200,000 job at Microsoft at 26 to make videos for brands on the internet. None of it went according to plan," he said.

After leaving the company, he relocated to Australia without a detailed roadmap, giving himself five months to build a new career. During that period, he focused on producing content, approaching brands and exploring different online business opportunities.

However, despite months of effort, the results he had hoped for failed to materialise.

First online income came just before deadline

Harms revealed that he earned his first dollar online only a week before he was scheduled to return home.

"The deadline achieved what months of planning couldn't," he said.

"Apparently, I only act when my back is against the wall. I hate that about myself."

Reflecting on the experience, he said he also realised he had spent too much time planning instead of questioning whether his business idea was worth pursuing in the first place.

"I spent months building a business before asking whether I should build it at all. I called it due diligence. It was really fear with a to-do list," he said.

According to Harms, the experience resulted in months of unfocused work with little tangible progress.

Sharing the reality of entrepreneurship

Harms now documents his entrepreneurial journey on Instagram, where he aims to present an honest picture of life after leaving a stable corporate job rather than showcasing only success stories.

(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. Livemint has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)