system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
Is it too late for me to leave phd program?

I'm a PhD student that has realized (over the course of the last 2 years) that I do not want a career in research. I don't even want to do industry research and I certainly don't want to do academic research. 

My issue is that I'm ABD. I passed my Qualifying Exam last semester. But...I don't have a proposal in sight. I've completed 2 research projects, and I'm working on something now that I *think* will lead to a proposal to bring them all together. My advisor never wants to talk about a proposal. She just keeps telling me not to worry about a proposal, but how can I not? I'm in the middle of my 4th year and I can only stay 1.5 more years after this. I need to propose within the year to have a reasonable chance of graduating within 1.5 years. I can't stick around indefinitely like some phd students seem to do. 

If I stay, I *might* be able to graduate within 1.5 years, but nothing is guaranteed in research, and I haven't even started writing a proposal. Am I in too deep? Am I pot committed at this point? I dread meeting my with advisor, I constantly worry that I'm not working on something that will lead to a proposal, and I just feel all-around unhappy. The only things keeping me going are 1) I'm ABD with 2/3 of the work "done" and 2) I'd be interested in lecturing positions in the future and having a PhD would help with that.
gpt
I research doctoral attrition. It's never too late, I've known people who finished their proposal and then never completed and left their programs.  

I think you need to sit down with your advisor and have a blunt conversation about where you're at and what you're considering, as well as your timeline concerns.  That might help you to determine if you want to continue or not.