'I'll not continue here': Engineer's last message to boss goes viral; when should you quit a job?

It began with a message, not an argument, not a meeting, but a string of late-night texts from a manager seeking forgiveness. A recent post by an engineer on X has captured widespread attention, resonating deeply with professionals across industries. The user shared a WhatsApp chat between an employee and his manager, a series of messages that began with apology and ended in silence. The manager, seemingly remorseful about an earlier altercation, reached out with words of regret and concern, even attempting a video call later that evening. But there was no response. What followed wasn’t confrontation, it was closure.

The reply came swiftly and without hesitation: “I am done, sir. Resignation mail bhej raha hu. I will not continue here.” The manager attempted one last time, “Can we talk?” only to be met with finality: “No, I don’t want to.”

The conversation, brief yet piercing, spread rapidly because it distilled what many employees have felt but few have said aloud. It was not a story of rebellion but of release, of a professional choosing dignity over dialogue, peace over persistence. That single line, “I am done,” carried the weight of countless unsaid sentences, marking the end of endurance and the beginning of self-respect.


The emotional drift before departure



Leaving a workplace rarely begins with a resignation email. It starts with small fractures, the growing discomfort before logging in, the hollow reassurance after every apology the fatigue that lingers even after rest. Over time, these moments accumulate until the breaking point feels inevitable.

The viral chat wasn’t just about conflict; it was about emotional exhaustion . The manager’s tone was conciliatory, perhaps even sincere, but sincerity comes too late when trust has already worn thin. In many offices, such scenes unfold quietly, the kind where one party still wants to mend things while the other has already emotionally left.

Apologies, however heartfelt, can’t rebuild what neglect has eroded. Once respect begins to slip away, even the kindest words sound like echoes in an empty room.


Knowing when it’s time to leave

There’s no perfect moment to quit, only the moment when staying begins to feel like self-betrayal. For some, it’s triggered by a single incident; for others, it’s the culmination of many small disappointments that finally converge into clarity.

The signs are unmistakable:

• When communication feels like performance. Every exchange becomes a transaction, not a conversation.

• When apologies replace accountability. Regret without change is just repetition.

• When your silence becomes your safeguard. You stop explaining because you’ve realized it no longer matters.

• When you can’t find yourself in your work anymore. What once gave purpose now only gives pressure.

To walk away is to acknowledge that growth sometimes demands departure. It’s not an act of defeat but a declaration that your worth cannot be defined by a pay slip or a position.