The wheel is spinning.Can you step off?

One year. Twelve decisions. A promotion that eats your evenings, a bonus that wants to become a car, a coworker with a hot tip and a boss who emails at 9 p.m. on Saturday. Keep your savings, your energy and your freedom above zero, and see how far off the wheel you get.

5 minutes12 decisions3 ways to stay stuck

Three things to keep alive

Savings buy you options. Energy keeps you going. Freedom is how much of your week is actually yours. Each starts at 50. Run out of savings and you're broke, out of energy and you burn out, out of freedom and the job owns you. Escaping takes all three.

Free, but BrokeYou jumped off the wheel. Then looked down.

Running on EmptyThe numbers went up. You went down.

The Golden HandcuffsNice salary. Nice car. Can't leave.

The Smarter HamsterStill on the wheel. Now you can see the door.

The Part-Time RunnerYou run on your terms now. Mostly.

One Foot OutThe exit is right there. You've got the map.

Off the WheelSavings, energy and freedom. All three.

The Quiet SaverNo fuss. The exit just gets a little wider every month.

The Weekend GoalkeeperWork can come in. It just has to leave by Friday.

The After-Hours BuilderDays for the boss. Evenings for you.

The Full-Speed HamsterYou didn't fall off, because you never stopped running.

The LeaperYou saw the exit, and you actually walked through it.

The Third-Option NegotiatorOthers choose between A and B. You ask if there's a C.

Power-Saving ModeNo hustle, no sprint. Looking after yourself first.