“I time boxed this app business experiment to exactly 12 months it seemed reasonable to me to have this backup plan if it doesn't work out and I said to myself okay if this doesn't work out I will go back to my old job”

Time-box your indie experiment with a named exit

Sebastian set a strict 12-month deadline before quitting his job and defined success upfront as ramen profitability. The hard deadline removed the fear of open-ended commitment — it turned a terrifying leap into a bounded experiment. He hit the end of 12 months without hitting the goal, returned to his employer, and came back with more confidence and a higher salary. The experiment still paid off.