I wish I knew more about these stories. How OLD were you? That's key to me. It's one thing to quit your job when you are 23; another entirely if you are 51.

I wish I knew more about these stories. How OLD were you? That's key to me. It's one thing to quit your job when you are 23; another entirely if you are 51. I'm assuming the average age of the commenters below is 28. There should be a formula that includes terms for age, likely earning potential on re-entry to job market, savings, debt, assets (like a paid-off house), % completion of the start-up project you're leaving for, monthly influx from startup project when you quit, etc., etc. The formula would pop out a single number, the Gutsy Factor.