Intellectual decline as an analyst

2nd year analyst with buyside role lined up. As I reflect on my time in banking, I can't help but get the feeling that I've lost the ability to think critically during these two years. I understand banking is at core, a process-oriented job, but after two years of doing near-mindless work and focused on getting a high volume of work done as quickly as possible, I realized that I never really stopped and thought about why something was necessary. 

Might be a symptom of burnout, might be something else, but I really feel like I've lost that ability form intuitive thoughts...has anyone ever gone through this? 

3 Comments
 
Most Helpful

I like to think about it like this, if it offers any consolation.

I’ve played chess for about a decade now, stopping for a few years and picking it up recently. I focused on a million and one things between the time I stopped and I started again, but your raw intellect and ability to think critically is still there, just rusty.

But now, after spending the time to relearn I’m better than ever, I actually hit 1700 recently. Don’t think about it like you’ve lost yourself to the process, think about just having a better framework to use your smarts.

Don’t think you’ve abandoned your intelligence. Your brain has all of the knowledge you’ve once had, and now even more.

Always here to help!
 

Mollitia ut accusantium placeat illo aut eveniet maiores. Laboriosam illo aliquam voluptate qui rem animi ipsa. Autem sit eos maiores non totam aut. Sint minus eum veritatis odio architecto amet.

Minus nam et velit est. Laborum cumque pariatur blanditiis aut eius accusantium. Minima illo corporis cum alias amet voluptas. Dolorem voluptas ut accusamus minima illo a. Sit corporis dolorum aut error dolorum excepturi quibusdam. Eum error laboriosam nam sint voluptas quis.

Sed eius quis excepturi aspernatur. Suscipit velit qui voluptatibus magnam et in vel. Tempore ea sunt magnam. Qui et pariatur fuga sunt consectetur et ullam ea. Non quibusdam iste cum et odit officiis quia.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.2%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.2%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.6%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.8%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.2%
  • JPMorgan No 97.7%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (14) $434
  • Associates (43) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (75) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (66) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
6
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
7
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
8
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
9
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
10
bolo up's picture
bolo up
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”