JOLTED

Released March 17th 2026

Pre-order

●

Pre-order ●

About the book

Most of us are just one event away from leaving our job. Conventional wisdom and lists of the “top reasons people quit their jobs” would have us believe that people quit when the toxic elements of their jobs grow too big or when they spot a better professional opportunity. But that’s only half the story. In reality, quitting is often triggered by a single event, inside or outside our jobs, that stops us in our tracks and causes us to rethink our relationship with work.

These events are what organizational psychologist Anthony Klotz calls “jolts,” and they are the most underacknowledged realities in our work lives today. Jolts represent pivotal moments in our careers, and yet all too often, we respond to them in ways that harm our well-being and success. In Jolted, Klotz breaks down the different types of jolts we will encounter and provides a roadmap to help us navigate them in ways that improve, rather than derail, our pursuit of the good life through our work.

PRE-ORDER book

Released March 17th 2026

US outlets 🇺🇸

amazon
BARNES & NOBLE
BOOKS A MILLION
bookshop.org
HUDSON BOOKSELLERS
POWELL'S
TARGET
WALMART

UK outlets 🇬🇧

amazon
blackwell's
BOOKSHOP.ORG
foyles
hive
waterstones

  • The ultimate guide to deciding whether to stay or go.

    As one of the world’s leading experts on quitting, Anthony Klotz predicted and coined The Great Resignation, and his book is an engaging, evidence-based, and exceedingly useful resource. If you’ve ever been torn about leaving, this is the master class you’ve been waiting for.

    Adam Grant, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Think Again and Hidden Potential, and host of the podcast Re:Thinking

  • Behind almost every decision to quit is a jolt, and too often, we either don’t recognize these moments or respond to them poorly.

    In Jolted, Klotz offers a smarter path. With evidence-based insights and practical tools, he shows how to navigate these turning points. This book is an essential guide to crafting a career and a life that will enable you to thrive in a world of constant change.

    Annie Duke, bestselling author of Thinking in Bets and Quit

  • Hands down the best career advice I ever got was 'Don't forget to quit.'

    But how do you know it's time? Jolted will help you know when and how to get out of a bad job and into a better one. 

    Kim Scott, New York Times bestselling author of Radical Candor and Radical Respect

  • In his masterfully written book, Klotz illuminates the scientific forces that drive us to dramatically alter the course of our lives and offers insight into how we can intervene when these impulses lead us astray.

    Expertly researched and compellingly argued, Jolted is more than a guide to navigating challenging work scenarios; it’s a science-based blueprint for how to navigate life itself.

    Ethan Kross, national bestselling author of Chatter and Shift

Organizational psychologist Klotz debuts with an enlightening exploration of “jolts,” events that trigger people to stop and reflect on their relationship with work, sometimes quitting as a result.

He contends that “most of us are one event away from leaving our job,” describing a variety of jolts and their impact on one’s personal and professional life. Overt harassment and ostracism are “direct jolts” that affect one’s sense of well-being, while “collateral jolts” are a sort of quitting contagion; he shares the story of attending an educational conference where he learned several colleagues were thinking of leaving the university where they all worked.

While none of the three actually changed jobs, Klotz did: “The jolt of my coworkers’ job searches changed my feelings about my relationship with work in a way that led me to dabble in the job market.” Practical and thoughtful sections offer tips like “Seven Ways to Leave Your Employer,” which includes the “grateful goodbye,” in which an employee provides more notice than is expected or required and communicates the decision in person, while expressing gratitude and appreciation for the organization. It’s an informative toolkit for navigating the ups and downs of one’s career.