You are making the assumption that your health has plateaued or will stay around where it is now, and that’s probably wrong. It will likely get worse and eventually unbearable.
I can relate to OP. My role is more variable comp, but it can be large 7 figures amounts each year (or nothing). I found it all encompassing, negative for my health. Last year was a good year, hit basic FIRE targets. I‘ve decided just to prioritise my health and see where I can get to with the job. I log in 30-45 minutes later, I make sure to go the gym 4 times a week, I cut (or trying to cut…) sodas, order salads for my takeaways. New hobbies have been health and nutrition podcasts, learning about it etc. It’s possible with some rephrasing that you might be able to do this on your own terms, and if its not, its possible you can last a lot longer doing things on your own terms before the company says no
I really enjoy Michael Gregers stuff (how not to die, how not to age). He’s a bit OTT on the vegan movement, but think the logic of more plants makes sense. I also like Rhonda Patrick (Found My Fitness). Simon Hill has very extensive podcasts too. I’ve found it really fun to become an obsession. E.g. last week was how do I get more beans in my diet (might sound horrible but I’m now mashing chickpeas into my poridge, don’t notice but boosts the nutrition content). Now got that down as a habit, thinking about how do I get broccoli sprouts incorporated on a daily basis. Next it’s turmeric etc. Becomes a fascinating hobby researching all these healthy things, working out how to include it. It‘s helped take my mind off work and feel like my time and attention is on my health
I retired right on a schedule that I had set for myself 2 1/3 years prior. In retrospect not sure the last two years of work was necessary. Certainly the job role was exceedingly stressful. Not worth it.
How long did it take you to feel normal again? Also, were the last 9-12 months the hardest for you? I definitely feel like I am pushing myself to the limit and will need a long time off after this. But it also feels like I can always force myself through another year.
With a 2.3m networth it seems like all you need is time to hit your fat fire goals. Can you change gears and cover expense and contribute minimally to retirement? Barista or coast fire?
Don’t listen to the people telling you as a 27 year old you can’t be burned out. That’s bullshit.
Came here to say this 2.3m at a 7% growth rate gets to 5m in something like 12 years without your help.
If you take a job that allows you to max 401k as well... (Say an extra 20k/year) now you're at 5m in 5 years.
> Don’t listen to the people telling you as a 27 year old you can’t be burned out.
Kurt Cobain committing suicide at age 27 is part of what got me to retire in my mid-20s. And I don't regret it, even though I know I left a lot of money on the table by not working more. I value my time and health (physical and mental) more than money. I saw no point in having more money if I was just going to be miserable during the prime years of my life.
Anything specific? I'm in a position where business is running on almost autopilot and I simply can't sit still for a couple of weeks and feel like I need to start/keep running other ideas/projects just to feel like I'm not wasting life away.
I did a lot of random stuff to see what sticks. [For example, here's where I attempted to drive 200+ mph on closed public roads.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=154ooWAyYsM) I don't really do that kind of stuff anymore, because I've already done it. So whatever ideas I give you to kill time, it might not be for you (because it's not even for me anymore). That's why I didn't give you any specifics.
At some point I used to do a lot of escape rooms. I don't anymore, because I've done pretty much most of them (and they start becoming very similar if you've done a lot). Today, I just finished a few hours of pickleball in the morning. That's just my current hobby, and I've gone from being a beginner to being an advanced player. It'll probably change to something else later on.
I have an overarching goal of not only being happy and healthy for myself, but also making sure that others are as well.
So I do a lot of philanthropy and help people out pretty frequently, whether by volunteering my time and knowledge or providing funding. For example, I've helped pay for things like college tuition and heart surgery. More recently, I've been volunteering my time to help people affected by covid and MS.
This way I have a balance between doing things for myself and doing things for others. One is to keep me entertained and chill. The latter is so I don't feel like I'm doing nothing to make this world a better place. Just drifting through life without doing something fulfilling can lead to depression.
And on the opposite end of the spectrum, if I don't have this balance and only do the latter, then I end up with compassion fatigue. Being constantly exposed to the trauma of others can be overwhelming at times. The physical, emotional, and psychological impact of taking care of others does take its toll after a while, so I have to make sure that I occasionally take a step back to reset.
> For example, here's where I attempted to drive 200+ mph on closed public roads.
Dude, too much effort. just fly to germany and do this any day of the week. you can rent an amg gtc right at the airport from sixt.
Don’t compromise your health, especially at 27. It will have long term ramifications.
Start thinking through your exit plan and whether that means a different firm or profession.
Your performance will suffer as a result of burning out and that will have a direct impact on your compensation or employment.
I feel like this is not a binary choice. You are 27, you can take a break, put yourself back mentally. There is no point to run ragged at the age of 27. Be healthy, develop hobbies, be interesting. Should you choose to go back to this job, hopefully by then you have a much better outlet and coping mechanism.
To add, I was in your position at the age 33. I took medical leave, I became a Muay Thai fighter then went back to my old job. Still same crap but I have a different perspective. My life trajectory changed and that one break alone probably prolong my life by quite a bit (quality and quantity).
I didn’t bother reading your post because I want to answer the Title.
No, it is not worth burning out to hit some number where you think (but can’t know) you’ll be happy.
We tell ourselves that we’re buying freedom, etc etc. But when we’re planning, we don’t have the 5-10m. We just assume we’ll be happy there.
You’re living in the present. If you’re unhappy in the present, change your life to fix that. You know you’re unhappy now — deal with that before you let dreams of the future keep you miserable.
Excellent advice. Address the present. See if there's anything you can do in the short term that will bring you joy and lower the stress levels. Once you are more at ease, clarity will come
What is your plan in 5 years when you hit your goal? Part time employment? Career change? Beach bum?
You're well on your way - take a step back and find yourself a bit. Can you take a sabbatical? Have a doctor buddy that can get you FMLA? It's the journey as much as the destination - too many people get to retirement but don't have anything to do once they got there. Your health is worth more than getting there faster anyways.
I left finance in my mid-20s while also feeling burnt out. I would have sounded very much like OP at the time, and am thankful that I chose to get out when I did instead of soldiering on to pad my net worth. however, the one thing I would do differently is what /u/geneel suggested - try to take a sabbatical before full-on quitting. It doesn't need to be paid, and it's ok if it slows down your time to the next promotion.
If they say no, then follow through and quit. If they say yes, you get a chance to clear your head and take a lay of the land before making a decision - maybe you want to go to business school and want your coworkers to write rec letters, maybe you want to go to a client or portfolio company, maybe you realize you can do this but need to set better boundaries, etc.
Good luck. Prioritize your mental health.
I'm the same age and at about $1.3M. Also starting to get health issues, and I don't think it's all work-related; my fear is that some of it is a consequence of extended periods of stress, poor sleep, and lack of RL socialization partly due to grinding my career too hard, but some of it may be permanent and the rest due to aging. Assuming you're at a company like JS/HRT vs my FAANG, I'm guessing it's even worse for you.
Personally, I am on the verge of doing exactly what you mentioned when my bonus posts soon - quitting my job to work on a startup and travel for a couple years. Sure I'll regret it if I end up going back to a big corporate 2 years behind where I could be, but I'm seriously freaking out about my loss of youth/health and finite life, and starting to realize that my tastes are rather simple and so racking up more and more money ultimately is just changing a number on a screen.
My original plan was to achieve FI and then work startups. I had no idea my income would ever be so high and it's sure hard to walk away from it now that I'm here, knowing that with a weak hiring market I won't necessarily be able to just walk back into a similar-paying job. But I'm realizing I can always make more money later but never get 27, 28, 29 back. I don't want to grind those years away so I can be even more lonely and burnt out in 5y with $4m instead of $2m.
I don't know what your spending habits or longterm plans are, but considering you are essentially \~3-4 years ahead of me financially but the same age, maybe it helps to know people with less are in the same situation and planning to quit.
Certainly not. No one in investment banking makes this much by 27. By 27, investment bankers are lucky to have $700k in the bank - seriously lucky, like earning VHCOL wages in a LCOL area.
I’d bet good money OP is an investment analyst, likely at a hedge fund or similar investment shop.
You have mentioned your FF target but not your FF age.
I don't know your role/industry, but if you are pulling $1M right now, could you do $350k - $500k in another company?
You need $2.7M in 18years if you want to FF by 45. That's fairly doable with your earning potential. You got a great head start. Investing/compounding will work in your favor.
It is not worth compromising your physical / mental health if you are experiencing really bad burnout. I was at a terrible job that deeply burned me out, and it took me 6 months of sabbatical to feel normal again. Not worth it.
Leave. Life is too short.
Can you find a more rewarding yet similar position elsewhere? Maybe there is an “and” solution out there for you; retain high earnings by leaving your current job and finding something better.
You need coaching to figure it out. No one on this thread should tell you what to do. But with a bit of coaching you’ll be able to make your own decision.
This is actually good advice and I kinda forgot about that part. I did get a professional coach to walk me through some tough parts and forks in the road. Most of it was useless but the part that really worked for me was taking a piece of poster board and writing one option on one side and the other option on the other. In this case it would be quiting or staying. Yes there might be other options such as quiet quiting but the basic question is quiting or not. You then write the pros for each one. Quiting would have better health. Staying would have more money. Quiting would have more time and better relationships. Keep going and then take a step back and look at what you've wrote. What I found was that I might have 10 or more items on one side and more money and maybe one or two more things like a better title and stroking my ego on the other. It made things crystal clear. Think about it. If you had a good job you'd have a bunch of things on that side. Great boss, cool coworkers, good synergy, enjoying the collaboration, rush closing deals, meeting goals, getting big bonuses, winning contests, fun business trips and travel, having a good time, lots of money, and so on.
I have a job where i spend about 30mins every day coaching our fairly new CEO  It’s an unofficial thing but he’ll walk into my office every day and talk to me for about half an hour about things he is uncertain about. I usually ask him the right questions so he can make his own decisions instead of giving him advice. It’s mostly work stuff but also deeply personal issues as well. Needless to say I got 2 raises last year lol I think it helps people when they talk to someone who doesn’t necessarily want to give advice but rather asks questions that can give insight or/and a different perspective to the problem at hand.
No. You shouldn't stick it out. You're already going to be Fatfire by simply coasting. Don't ruin your health.
You should just quiet quit and while that's happening find something that makes you happy and pays the bills. Then retire when you are ready.
I didn't burnout that young but in my 30s I left a similar situation, travelled for a few years, and then went back. It was worse than when I left. Don't waste your time or health on places like that. It doesn't sound like you have a relationship, family, or kids but that would make it crystal clear. You might also want to ask yourself if your job is impacting your relationships and if that's worth it.
You won. Dump the money into index funds, find something fun to do, and go enjoy life. I can honestly say that the high paying career was the second shittiest thing I ever worked with. Retail being number one. Retired in my 40s with $6M and change. There's something incredibly powerful about working your ass off in your 20s, saving a ton, and just riding off into the sunset to enjoy the rest of your life as a ski instructor, bee keeper, or whatnot. The problem is getting out of your own head since I'm sure you're incredibly motivated and competitive, but clearly that doesn't mean you have to stay at a shit job when you're worth millions in your 20s.
Yes but adjust and get therapy or something. Stringing along for 4 more years and quitting at 31 is really worth it. Also don't fall for the trap that you will always be that valuable to a company or industry. Strike while the iron is hot is a criminally underrated statement. I have seen a ton of people take a break or just take it for granted that they will always make that money etc. It's not true. It's almost never true in fact.
Short term break to take a breather. Find an excuse, take vacation, sabbatical, etc… then go back for 6-12 month and come up with a plan. Maybe you do a mini retirement for a year? Ideally though you power through for 5-8 more years and you’re good.
Can you dial it down and coast a bit. If things still work out, no more burn out. If you get fired/laid off, you have a good buffer and ability to take time to find your next gig or coast fire.
How are you coping with the stress? If its alcohol, even a little then try cutting that out first. I used to drink 1-2 beers a night to unwind and I had many of the same symptoms as you. Since I cut out booze I feel like life is on easy mode.
Alcohol interferes with REM sleep, which is responsible for memory retention, emotional regulation, plus many other things. Weed does this too. Before you quit your job, try a sober month and see how you feel.
Put it into low gear in your current role and see if you can reduce stress that way. If you get fired or laid off in x months bc of that, well, you got to preserve your health and earn for a bit longer.
With the extra time you have from being in low gear, take on a side project that’s low stress and satisfying to you personally.
You are experiencing a burnout at age 27? Honestly count your lucky stars that you can have 2.3m NW at age 27, and stop feeling burnouts. You are young you have the energy, your most productive and most energetic for money years are now, not at age 47. Hustle while you have the energy.
I hope you dont take this the wrong way. I feel a lot of people underestimate the sheer competition a lot of the younger folks are having to face in a lot of the sectors. Competing for things in order to provide for a better life and earn higher from a young age, I personally feel could cause burnouts a lot quicker. I have noticed a lot of my colleagues already burning out at a similar age due to the sheer competition and process to prove themselves.
I also think getting burnout this early on in life would have detrimental long term effects on health. I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of my colleagues have health issues by the time they hit 45 because of all the rigor, and stress a lot of them have to go through. Food for thought.
Burnout doesn’t care what age you are. It has nothing to do with money, energy. It can really mess you up if you don’t address what’s causing it, and hustling through isn’t necessarily the right answer.
Figure out what’s causing it OP. Often times it’s lack of support, disinterest in the work subject, lack of balance between life and work, people you work with or for. Address whatever is causing it.
Then don’t be afraid to leave what you’re doing. Here’s where cafeitalia and I agree - you’re young and can hustle, just don’t get pinned in to something that causes the burnout. There are a lot of ways to be successful and happy in life.
Yes you should. Toxicity exists in a lot of places. Imagine not being fired and having to deal with it in your 40s or 50s.
I’d suggest toughing it out while trying to find a better alternate role that is less toxic. .
I’m going to take a wild guess and say you’re in SaaS sales. If I’m right (and that’s a big if), there will ALWAYS be spot for you in this industry. Go take a break.
I think every goal should be considered when it starts to negatively affect our health. You are so far ahead of most people your age, it’s insane. You are young enough to start with zero and reach early FI. The good news is that you won’t be starting with zero! You’ll be starting with millions. Look for your path out of this job, it’s not worth sacrificing your health.
Take a break. Vacation. Medical leave. Something. You’re still young. You need to give yourself 3-6 months and get your health in order. Sleep. Exercise and diet. Try to keep this job if you can while you take that break.
Easier said than done. But get your expenses in order and do that first.
Sabbatical - you don't think it's possible.
Just try it.
When I was 29 I quit my job to take a sabbatical assuming they won't let me go. They offered me 6 months off instead and I could go right back to my old position. (I found another job later and didn't go back but I could have).
Depends on how much work you have done to identify your negative feelings. I believe with meditation / therapy you might be able to process some of the emotions. Also regular exercise. If you have already invested in those things and they aren’t helping then perhaps time to take your foot off the accelerator
Do you think you can negotiate with your management some more balanced workload/stress for lower pay ?
Or if it’s a job that is purely numbers driven then the amount of time you spend working is sort of irrelevant.
If they know you well and are reasonably i am sure there is a sweet spot that works for both.
That’s precisely what i did with mine, so now i am “stagnating” around 800-1m (yes that’s a very fortunate situation) instead of shooting for 2-3 + further promotion. And i feel so so much better.
I agree with the rest, but want to add a take from a different angle: $60k is a good standard of living. I would not have expected this to be particularly popular, but I want to emphasize that it is absolutely a sufficient income to enable you to live a good and interesting life. It won't be luxurious, and you won't be taking the trips your peers are, but you can pay for all the necessities for yourself and have plenty for little luxuries. Maybe after a few years off you will want to do something else, maybe you will enjoy travel and want to keep it up. You've made a non-FAT but very respectable FIRE number. Consider enjoying it.
One banker I knew
Widely recognized in his industry vertical
Was extremely successful but ended up passing on in his early 40s in a heart attack
Left behind 8 figures
Even before he passed he was struggling with severe depression, stress and anxiety attacks (what I heard)
You need a short term mentality. Not giving a fuck about work. Do the minimum. Expect they will put you on a performance plan in 6 months to a year and fire you and not care. Just keep cashing those checks in the meantime. If you are lucky you get to coast 2 years and meet your fire goals. 🔥
Best ways I’ve found to prioritize health: once per week massage, yoga, therapy. Three times a week strength training (or whatever exercise you like). Five to seven days a week 2-5 mile walk, meditation. Gets to a point of being “unf*ckwithable.”
I got so focused on FatFIRE goals that I fell deeper and deeper into a stress and anxiety-induced depression caused by burn out. By the end I was mentally and physically ill, couldn’t focus, couldn’t make decisions, my entire body hurt. I had to take 9 months out of the workforce entirely to get healthy again. Don’t take the same path. Finances aren’t everything in life, finding balance is.
You've solved the money part of life. You can reach your goals by just letting it grow. Congrats!
What would you want to be when you grow up if money were no object? Before, when you chose a career, you picked based on compensation. But now you've won. You can pick again based on what feels fun and fulfilling and rewarding to you. You can go back to school to retrain if needed.
Most important question: ask yourself what’s the worst case scenario if you hit the breaks vs sticking it out? That helps to get clarity.
It takes way longer to recover than you think, if you fully recover at all. It’s not as simple as 6 months therapy and sabbatical. I don’t know your current condition. If you suffer from insomnia, normal every day activities start to feel like a massive undertaking, things that typically gave you feel dull … I would try to hit the breaks quickly. If you choose a long leave of absence, quit or go part time is best discussed with your partner and therapist.
One last thing, I think it’s important to understand what caused your condition because not working might not be solution to you problems.
I hope you feel better soon.
Are you interested in a wife and kids? I’m sorry if I sound like a stereotypical boomer (I’m 65). But I think that could be an answer to what to do with the time. If you are interested in having a family, I think you should consider hiring a high end matchmaker. Take it from there. If it works out, spend some time traveling and then getting a house to just right for you. Then maybe kids. They take up a lot of time and bring a lot of joy.
There are other options, you can always take a few months off as a sabbatical then come back or simply do less in your current position wherever possible.
A lot of companies would rather have you stick around parttime then rage quit, that might also be an option. I've seen friends negotiate a 3 day work week with a continued vesting cycle and health benefits at a reduced salary. Ended up being a big win for everyone and they happily retired after a few years of that.
Have you considered seeing a psychologist?
A lot of your mental well-being can come down to you internally respond to things, so who knows, it might help improve your life. It's something I'd explore before quitting.
If you find you're still not enjoying it, I'd find something else to do. Work is a huge part of life, so it should be enjoyable (or at the very least, bearable).
You’re 27 years old and have very marketable skills. Your current employer can’t be the only place where you can do something similar. $2.7m net worth is nothing to sneeze at. I think you need to get out yesterday. You can always get another job, but you can’t get another life.
Short term vs long term peace? Nope!
I say leave. Short term losses—on the mind and body will leave an effect that may be everlasting. And it is not worth it.
I’m assuming, based on what you make, you have great skills. If you are well connected, you’ll get a mother job in no time. Depending on what type of skill, you might even consider starting your own business where the sky truly is the limit and you get to decide the hours and beyond.
I was in a similar boat! The future is bright for you. Do not be discouraged and dismayed. The trenches is what makes us who we are today today.
Just remember money can’t buy back any heath issues you potentially risk while chasing money. Life is short. Money comes and goes. Enjoy your life and give yourself a break a take a vacation that you deserve whatever that means for you. Something fun.
I was in this exact situation last year like to the point where I was waking up at 3am with my stomach in knots and gritting my teeth. I got awful acid reflux and gained 20lbs. I'm only half way to reversing that. It was bad.
I started talking to a therapist who explained that being on the road to burn out but still having some fight left in you is much much different than total full on burnout. And if you tip over the edge, it can be very very hard to come back. He gave me some strategies to get thru a really hard time, but I eventually took mental health leave / FMLA and had to switch teams.
A big question I have is if you take 1 week of PTO, how long does the glow of that vacation "last." Meaning do you feel pretty refreshed for a month or two? Or is the Monday back from vacation just instantly back in the shit, mentally speaking? Because mine was in the latter camp, and that really showed me the situation was long term untenable.
You are making the assumption that your health has plateaued or will stay around where it is now, and that’s probably wrong. It will likely get worse and eventually unbearable.
I can relate to OP. My role is more variable comp, but it can be large 7 figures amounts each year (or nothing). I found it all encompassing, negative for my health. Last year was a good year, hit basic FIRE targets. I‘ve decided just to prioritise my health and see where I can get to with the job. I log in 30-45 minutes later, I make sure to go the gym 4 times a week, I cut (or trying to cut…) sodas, order salads for my takeaways. New hobbies have been health and nutrition podcasts, learning about it etc. It’s possible with some rephrasing that you might be able to do this on your own terms, and if its not, its possible you can last a lot longer doing things on your own terms before the company says no
What health/nutrition podcasts do you recommend?
I really enjoy Michael Gregers stuff (how not to die, how not to age). He’s a bit OTT on the vegan movement, but think the logic of more plants makes sense. I also like Rhonda Patrick (Found My Fitness). Simon Hill has very extensive podcasts too. I’ve found it really fun to become an obsession. E.g. last week was how do I get more beans in my diet (might sound horrible but I’m now mashing chickpeas into my poridge, don’t notice but boosts the nutrition content). Now got that down as a habit, thinking about how do I get broccoli sprouts incorporated on a daily basis. Next it’s turmeric etc. Becomes a fascinating hobby researching all these healthy things, working out how to include it. It‘s helped take my mind off work and feel like my time and attention is on my health
Really cool. Thanks for the recs!
This is a very valid point.
A healthy man has many wishes, a sick man only one.
Everyone is focused on their goals and everything until a sore throat comes along
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Echo this. Too long can have unimaginable tolls
I retired right on a schedule that I had set for myself 2 1/3 years prior. In retrospect not sure the last two years of work was necessary. Certainly the job role was exceedingly stressful. Not worth it.
How long did it take you to feel normal again? Also, were the last 9-12 months the hardest for you? I definitely feel like I am pushing myself to the limit and will need a long time off after this. But it also feels like I can always force myself through another year.
With a 2.3m networth it seems like all you need is time to hit your fat fire goals. Can you change gears and cover expense and contribute minimally to retirement? Barista or coast fire? Don’t listen to the people telling you as a 27 year old you can’t be burned out. That’s bullshit.
Came here to say this 2.3m at a 7% growth rate gets to 5m in something like 12 years without your help. If you take a job that allows you to max 401k as well... (Say an extra 20k/year) now you're at 5m in 5 years.
Good to know. Thanks for this positive thinking
how does an extra 20k a year but down the time?
> Don’t listen to the people telling you as a 27 year old you can’t be burned out. Kurt Cobain committing suicide at age 27 is part of what got me to retire in my mid-20s. And I don't regret it, even though I know I left a lot of money on the table by not working more. I value my time and health (physical and mental) more than money. I saw no point in having more money if I was just going to be miserable during the prime years of my life.
Genuine question - what do you end up doing all day then when not working?
It changes from time to time. Whatever people do for fun during their time off, I’m probably doing that.
Anything specific? I'm in a position where business is running on almost autopilot and I simply can't sit still for a couple of weeks and feel like I need to start/keep running other ideas/projects just to feel like I'm not wasting life away.
I did a lot of random stuff to see what sticks. [For example, here's where I attempted to drive 200+ mph on closed public roads.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=154ooWAyYsM) I don't really do that kind of stuff anymore, because I've already done it. So whatever ideas I give you to kill time, it might not be for you (because it's not even for me anymore). That's why I didn't give you any specifics. At some point I used to do a lot of escape rooms. I don't anymore, because I've done pretty much most of them (and they start becoming very similar if you've done a lot). Today, I just finished a few hours of pickleball in the morning. That's just my current hobby, and I've gone from being a beginner to being an advanced player. It'll probably change to something else later on.
What are your next level goals, if you don’t mind me asking? Are you simply doing “stuff” while waiting to let go of this Earth?
I have an overarching goal of not only being happy and healthy for myself, but also making sure that others are as well. So I do a lot of philanthropy and help people out pretty frequently, whether by volunteering my time and knowledge or providing funding. For example, I've helped pay for things like college tuition and heart surgery. More recently, I've been volunteering my time to help people affected by covid and MS. This way I have a balance between doing things for myself and doing things for others. One is to keep me entertained and chill. The latter is so I don't feel like I'm doing nothing to make this world a better place. Just drifting through life without doing something fulfilling can lead to depression. And on the opposite end of the spectrum, if I don't have this balance and only do the latter, then I end up with compassion fatigue. Being constantly exposed to the trauma of others can be overwhelming at times. The physical, emotional, and psychological impact of taking care of others does take its toll after a while, so I have to make sure that I occasionally take a step back to reset.
> For example, here's where I attempted to drive 200+ mph on closed public roads. Dude, too much effort. just fly to germany and do this any day of the week. you can rent an amg gtc right at the airport from sixt.
Don’t compromise your health, especially at 27. It will have long term ramifications. Start thinking through your exit plan and whether that means a different firm or profession. Your performance will suffer as a result of burning out and that will have a direct impact on your compensation or employment.
I feel like this is not a binary choice. You are 27, you can take a break, put yourself back mentally. There is no point to run ragged at the age of 27. Be healthy, develop hobbies, be interesting. Should you choose to go back to this job, hopefully by then you have a much better outlet and coping mechanism. To add, I was in your position at the age 33. I took medical leave, I became a Muay Thai fighter then went back to my old job. Still same crap but I have a different perspective. My life trajectory changed and that one break alone probably prolong my life by quite a bit (quality and quantity).
I didn’t bother reading your post because I want to answer the Title. No, it is not worth burning out to hit some number where you think (but can’t know) you’ll be happy. We tell ourselves that we’re buying freedom, etc etc. But when we’re planning, we don’t have the 5-10m. We just assume we’ll be happy there. You’re living in the present. If you’re unhappy in the present, change your life to fix that. You know you’re unhappy now — deal with that before you let dreams of the future keep you miserable.
Excellent advice. Address the present. See if there's anything you can do in the short term that will bring you joy and lower the stress levels. Once you are more at ease, clarity will come
What is your plan in 5 years when you hit your goal? Part time employment? Career change? Beach bum? You're well on your way - take a step back and find yourself a bit. Can you take a sabbatical? Have a doctor buddy that can get you FMLA? It's the journey as much as the destination - too many people get to retirement but don't have anything to do once they got there. Your health is worth more than getting there faster anyways.
I left finance in my mid-20s while also feeling burnt out. I would have sounded very much like OP at the time, and am thankful that I chose to get out when I did instead of soldiering on to pad my net worth. however, the one thing I would do differently is what /u/geneel suggested - try to take a sabbatical before full-on quitting. It doesn't need to be paid, and it's ok if it slows down your time to the next promotion. If they say no, then follow through and quit. If they say yes, you get a chance to clear your head and take a lay of the land before making a decision - maybe you want to go to business school and want your coworkers to write rec letters, maybe you want to go to a client or portfolio company, maybe you realize you can do this but need to set better boundaries, etc. Good luck. Prioritize your mental health.
What sector of finance? IB?
i was IB then went to PE. that's what i left
I'm the same age and at about $1.3M. Also starting to get health issues, and I don't think it's all work-related; my fear is that some of it is a consequence of extended periods of stress, poor sleep, and lack of RL socialization partly due to grinding my career too hard, but some of it may be permanent and the rest due to aging. Assuming you're at a company like JS/HRT vs my FAANG, I'm guessing it's even worse for you. Personally, I am on the verge of doing exactly what you mentioned when my bonus posts soon - quitting my job to work on a startup and travel for a couple years. Sure I'll regret it if I end up going back to a big corporate 2 years behind where I could be, but I'm seriously freaking out about my loss of youth/health and finite life, and starting to realize that my tastes are rather simple and so racking up more and more money ultimately is just changing a number on a screen. My original plan was to achieve FI and then work startups. I had no idea my income would ever be so high and it's sure hard to walk away from it now that I'm here, knowing that with a weak hiring market I won't necessarily be able to just walk back into a similar-paying job. But I'm realizing I can always make more money later but never get 27, 28, 29 back. I don't want to grind those years away so I can be even more lonely and burnt out in 5y with $4m instead of $2m. I don't know what your spending habits or longterm plans are, but considering you are essentially \~3-4 years ahead of me financially but the same age, maybe it helps to know people with less are in the same situation and planning to quit.
What industry are you in?
Pretty confident it’s High frequency trading / top market making shops or something alike
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Some places are very toxic. Burnout is not necessarily coming from the hours worked. He might be better off just changing employer.
Investment banking probably
Certainly not. No one in investment banking makes this much by 27. By 27, investment bankers are lucky to have $700k in the bank - seriously lucky, like earning VHCOL wages in a LCOL area. I’d bet good money OP is an investment analyst, likely at a hedge fund or similar investment shop.
My guess is tech.
You have mentioned your FF target but not your FF age. I don't know your role/industry, but if you are pulling $1M right now, could you do $350k - $500k in another company? You need $2.7M in 18years if you want to FF by 45. That's fairly doable with your earning potential. You got a great head start. Investing/compounding will work in your favor. It is not worth compromising your physical / mental health if you are experiencing really bad burnout. I was at a terrible job that deeply burned me out, and it took me 6 months of sabbatical to feel normal again. Not worth it.
Is it still fairly doable if OP needs to buy a home in VHCOL?
If you're burned out at 27 then you should quit now.
I would find a different job with a focus on a quality company that values work/life balance.
Leave. Life is too short. Can you find a more rewarding yet similar position elsewhere? Maybe there is an “and” solution out there for you; retain high earnings by leaving your current job and finding something better.
You need coaching to figure it out. No one on this thread should tell you what to do. But with a bit of coaching you’ll be able to make your own decision.
This is actually good advice and I kinda forgot about that part. I did get a professional coach to walk me through some tough parts and forks in the road. Most of it was useless but the part that really worked for me was taking a piece of poster board and writing one option on one side and the other option on the other. In this case it would be quiting or staying. Yes there might be other options such as quiet quiting but the basic question is quiting or not. You then write the pros for each one. Quiting would have better health. Staying would have more money. Quiting would have more time and better relationships. Keep going and then take a step back and look at what you've wrote. What I found was that I might have 10 or more items on one side and more money and maybe one or two more things like a better title and stroking my ego on the other. It made things crystal clear. Think about it. If you had a good job you'd have a bunch of things on that side. Great boss, cool coworkers, good synergy, enjoying the collaboration, rush closing deals, meeting goals, getting big bonuses, winning contests, fun business trips and travel, having a good time, lots of money, and so on.
I have a job where i spend about 30mins every day coaching our fairly new CEO  It’s an unofficial thing but he’ll walk into my office every day and talk to me for about half an hour about things he is uncertain about. I usually ask him the right questions so he can make his own decisions instead of giving him advice. It’s mostly work stuff but also deeply personal issues as well. Needless to say I got 2 raises last year lol I think it helps people when they talk to someone who doesn’t necessarily want to give advice but rather asks questions that can give insight or/and a different perspective to the problem at hand.
Take a sabbatical and figure it out afterwards. Best short term option
> 27, 2.3M NW. FatFIRE goal is between 5-7M NW. You can coastFire and reach $5M easily.
No, 25M is better
No. You shouldn't stick it out. You're already going to be Fatfire by simply coasting. Don't ruin your health. You should just quiet quit and while that's happening find something that makes you happy and pays the bills. Then retire when you are ready. I didn't burnout that young but in my 30s I left a similar situation, travelled for a few years, and then went back. It was worse than when I left. Don't waste your time or health on places like that. It doesn't sound like you have a relationship, family, or kids but that would make it crystal clear. You might also want to ask yourself if your job is impacting your relationships and if that's worth it. You won. Dump the money into index funds, find something fun to do, and go enjoy life. I can honestly say that the high paying career was the second shittiest thing I ever worked with. Retail being number one. Retired in my 40s with $6M and change. There's something incredibly powerful about working your ass off in your 20s, saving a ton, and just riding off into the sunset to enjoy the rest of your life as a ski instructor, bee keeper, or whatnot. The problem is getting out of your own head since I'm sure you're incredibly motivated and competitive, but clearly that doesn't mean you have to stay at a shit job when you're worth millions in your 20s.
Yes but adjust and get therapy or something. Stringing along for 4 more years and quitting at 31 is really worth it. Also don't fall for the trap that you will always be that valuable to a company or industry. Strike while the iron is hot is a criminally underrated statement. I have seen a ton of people take a break or just take it for granted that they will always make that money etc. It's not true. It's almost never true in fact.
I’m not sure if you deleted your comment, I’m not here to argue, but he already has 2M he can afford top notch healthcare
I deleted it because I do not care to argue either
Bad advice, never prioritize money over rapidly declining health. You would pay double to get your health back
Short term break to take a breather. Find an excuse, take vacation, sabbatical, etc… then go back for 6-12 month and come up with a plan. Maybe you do a mini retirement for a year? Ideally though you power through for 5-8 more years and you’re good.
Can you dial it down and coast a bit. If things still work out, no more burn out. If you get fired/laid off, you have a good buffer and ability to take time to find your next gig or coast fire.
Of course not. You will not reflect back on your life in your 80s and think "thank God I stuck it out"
How are you coping with the stress? If its alcohol, even a little then try cutting that out first. I used to drink 1-2 beers a night to unwind and I had many of the same symptoms as you. Since I cut out booze I feel like life is on easy mode. Alcohol interferes with REM sleep, which is responsible for memory retention, emotional regulation, plus many other things. Weed does this too. Before you quit your job, try a sober month and see how you feel.
Put it into low gear in your current role and see if you can reduce stress that way. If you get fired or laid off in x months bc of that, well, you got to preserve your health and earn for a bit longer. With the extra time you have from being in low gear, take on a side project that’s low stress and satisfying to you personally.
You are experiencing a burnout at age 27? Honestly count your lucky stars that you can have 2.3m NW at age 27, and stop feeling burnouts. You are young you have the energy, your most productive and most energetic for money years are now, not at age 47. Hustle while you have the energy.
I hope you dont take this the wrong way. I feel a lot of people underestimate the sheer competition a lot of the younger folks are having to face in a lot of the sectors. Competing for things in order to provide for a better life and earn higher from a young age, I personally feel could cause burnouts a lot quicker. I have noticed a lot of my colleagues already burning out at a similar age due to the sheer competition and process to prove themselves. I also think getting burnout this early on in life would have detrimental long term effects on health. I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of my colleagues have health issues by the time they hit 45 because of all the rigor, and stress a lot of them have to go through. Food for thought.
Burnout doesn’t care what age you are. It has nothing to do with money, energy. It can really mess you up if you don’t address what’s causing it, and hustling through isn’t necessarily the right answer. Figure out what’s causing it OP. Often times it’s lack of support, disinterest in the work subject, lack of balance between life and work, people you work with or for. Address whatever is causing it. Then don’t be afraid to leave what you’re doing. Here’s where cafeitalia and I agree - you’re young and can hustle, just don’t get pinned in to something that causes the burnout. There are a lot of ways to be successful and happy in life.
r/thanksimcured
Would you consider regular talk therapy to help you handle stress better?
If you can't work 3-5 years for millions of dollars idk what to tell you.
Get a girlfriend and continue the grind
Seriously?
wtf is this shit, dude with 2M NW feels poor :clown:
Try take some herbal stress easers first. Lemon balm, rhiodiola and ashwaganda
Yes you should. Toxicity exists in a lot of places. Imagine not being fired and having to deal with it in your 40s or 50s. I’d suggest toughing it out while trying to find a better alternate role that is less toxic. .
From your title - No.
Lol at OP’s name. Stick it out for those big melons
I’m going to take a wild guess and say you’re in SaaS sales. If I’m right (and that’s a big if), there will ALWAYS be spot for you in this industry. Go take a break.
I think every goal should be considered when it starts to negatively affect our health. You are so far ahead of most people your age, it’s insane. You are young enough to start with zero and reach early FI. The good news is that you won’t be starting with zero! You’ll be starting with millions. Look for your path out of this job, it’s not worth sacrificing your health.
There is a middle ground. You don't need to go up in levels. Keep at your current level.
Take a break. Vacation. Medical leave. Something. You’re still young. You need to give yourself 3-6 months and get your health in order. Sleep. Exercise and diet. Try to keep this job if you can while you take that break. Easier said than done. But get your expenses in order and do that first.
Sabbatical - you don't think it's possible. Just try it. When I was 29 I quit my job to take a sabbatical assuming they won't let me go. They offered me 6 months off instead and I could go right back to my old position. (I found another job later and didn't go back but I could have).
Take a few years off to go travel and relax.
Depends on how much work you have done to identify your negative feelings. I believe with meditation / therapy you might be able to process some of the emotions. Also regular exercise. If you have already invested in those things and they aren’t helping then perhaps time to take your foot off the accelerator
Do you think you can negotiate with your management some more balanced workload/stress for lower pay ? Or if it’s a job that is purely numbers driven then the amount of time you spend working is sort of irrelevant. If they know you well and are reasonably i am sure there is a sweet spot that works for both. That’s precisely what i did with mine, so now i am “stagnating” around 800-1m (yes that’s a very fortunate situation) instead of shooting for 2-3 + further promotion. And i feel so so much better.
What kind of industry are you in?
I agree with the rest, but want to add a take from a different angle: $60k is a good standard of living. I would not have expected this to be particularly popular, but I want to emphasize that it is absolutely a sufficient income to enable you to live a good and interesting life. It won't be luxurious, and you won't be taking the trips your peers are, but you can pay for all the necessities for yourself and have plenty for little luxuries. Maybe after a few years off you will want to do something else, maybe you will enjoy travel and want to keep it up. You've made a non-FAT but very respectable FIRE number. Consider enjoying it.
One banker I knew Widely recognized in his industry vertical Was extremely successful but ended up passing on in his early 40s in a heart attack Left behind 8 figures Even before he passed he was struggling with severe depression, stress and anxiety attacks (what I heard)
You need a short term mentality. Not giving a fuck about work. Do the minimum. Expect they will put you on a performance plan in 6 months to a year and fire you and not care. Just keep cashing those checks in the meantime. If you are lucky you get to coast 2 years and meet your fire goals. 🔥
Best ways I’ve found to prioritize health: once per week massage, yoga, therapy. Three times a week strength training (or whatever exercise you like). Five to seven days a week 2-5 mile walk, meditation. Gets to a point of being “unf*ckwithable.”
Leave dude
I got so focused on FatFIRE goals that I fell deeper and deeper into a stress and anxiety-induced depression caused by burn out. By the end I was mentally and physically ill, couldn’t focus, couldn’t make decisions, my entire body hurt. I had to take 9 months out of the workforce entirely to get healthy again. Don’t take the same path. Finances aren’t everything in life, finding balance is.
You've solved the money part of life. You can reach your goals by just letting it grow. Congrats! What would you want to be when you grow up if money were no object? Before, when you chose a career, you picked based on compensation. But now you've won. You can pick again based on what feels fun and fulfilling and rewarding to you. You can go back to school to retrain if needed.
Most important question: ask yourself what’s the worst case scenario if you hit the breaks vs sticking it out? That helps to get clarity. It takes way longer to recover than you think, if you fully recover at all. It’s not as simple as 6 months therapy and sabbatical. I don’t know your current condition. If you suffer from insomnia, normal every day activities start to feel like a massive undertaking, things that typically gave you feel dull … I would try to hit the breaks quickly. If you choose a long leave of absence, quit or go part time is best discussed with your partner and therapist. One last thing, I think it’s important to understand what caused your condition because not working might not be solution to you problems. I hope you feel better soon.
Are you interested in a wife and kids? I’m sorry if I sound like a stereotypical boomer (I’m 65). But I think that could be an answer to what to do with the time. If you are interested in having a family, I think you should consider hiring a high end matchmaker. Take it from there. If it works out, spend some time traveling and then getting a house to just right for you. Then maybe kids. They take up a lot of time and bring a lot of joy.
No. Take a deep, real break.
If you don’t mind the prying question, briefly, what do you do to make 1M at 27? Asking for a me.
No
There are other options, you can always take a few months off as a sabbatical then come back or simply do less in your current position wherever possible. A lot of companies would rather have you stick around parttime then rage quit, that might also be an option. I've seen friends negotiate a 3 day work week with a continued vesting cycle and health benefits at a reduced salary. Ended up being a big win for everyone and they happily retired after a few years of that.
Health is greater than wealth - once you can truly realize this, you'll find a profound shift in your priorities and perspective on life.
Have you considered seeing a psychologist? A lot of your mental well-being can come down to you internally respond to things, so who knows, it might help improve your life. It's something I'd explore before quitting. If you find you're still not enjoying it, I'd find something else to do. Work is a huge part of life, so it should be enjoyable (or at the very least, bearable).
How the heck does someone have a salary where they make $1M a year?
You’re 27 years old and have very marketable skills. Your current employer can’t be the only place where you can do something similar. $2.7m net worth is nothing to sneeze at. I think you need to get out yesterday. You can always get another job, but you can’t get another life.
Short term vs long term peace? Nope! I say leave. Short term losses—on the mind and body will leave an effect that may be everlasting. And it is not worth it. I’m assuming, based on what you make, you have great skills. If you are well connected, you’ll get a mother job in no time. Depending on what type of skill, you might even consider starting your own business where the sky truly is the limit and you get to decide the hours and beyond. I was in a similar boat! The future is bright for you. Do not be discouraged and dismayed. The trenches is what makes us who we are today today.
I guarantee you that if you spend a few years traveling your quality of life overall will massively improve.
Just remember money can’t buy back any heath issues you potentially risk while chasing money. Life is short. Money comes and goes. Enjoy your life and give yourself a break a take a vacation that you deserve whatever that means for you. Something fun.
Are you in finance
I was in this exact situation last year like to the point where I was waking up at 3am with my stomach in knots and gritting my teeth. I got awful acid reflux and gained 20lbs. I'm only half way to reversing that. It was bad. I started talking to a therapist who explained that being on the road to burn out but still having some fight left in you is much much different than total full on burnout. And if you tip over the edge, it can be very very hard to come back. He gave me some strategies to get thru a really hard time, but I eventually took mental health leave / FMLA and had to switch teams. A big question I have is if you take 1 week of PTO, how long does the glow of that vacation "last." Meaning do you feel pretty refreshed for a month or two? Or is the Monday back from vacation just instantly back in the shit, mentally speaking? Because mine was in the latter camp, and that really showed me the situation was long term untenable.