Quit IB and become a Cowboy? Thoughts?

Yes

As good an exit as any

Don't glorify the old country. I used to think something similar, as my grandparents & great-uncles all used to tell me nostalgic stories about the old country and how happy it made them to work directly with the soil/earth and feel the Sicilian sun above them. They made it sound like our family had glorious acres and acres of golden vineyards that produced some of the best wine in Italy. 

Anyways, I finally took a visit to my roots, when I was 18 and it was horrible. Think 20 people in a five bedroom, decrepit house with dirt floors. Moreover, of the 20 people in the house, at least 4 or so give the distinct impression that they're fucking each other, and they're all cousins/siblings. The food wasn't even that good. It was all very makeshift and they tended to just eat stew with whatever veggies/fruits/meats they happened to have laying around at the time. Got a few moldy tomatoes and some spoiled pork? Toss it all in some chicken broth and let it soak, it'll be fine. 

Made me realize, as sentimental as the old timers are about the "old country", at the end of the day they still said F that and moved to America.

Toby Keith nods approvingly

I grew up on a large farm and think about this a lot. There is something to be said for being outside everyday and working the land. I have a cousin who left a PM job at Citadel to go back to his family farm. They also trade a ton of derivatives to hedge their crops/livestock so it actually makes sense. 

Time to write "Quitting IB to become a Cowboy is Paradise"

Turn off Yellowstone for a few months and see if you have the same feelings.

I grew up on a farm with a ton of animals and I can confidently say that it sucks ass. It's a bottomless pit that destroys your body and well-being. No days off, hard manual labor everyday, endless water/feed/veterinarian bills. Animals destroying the barn that you have to constantly rebuild, cleaning the barn, building and maintaining fencing to protect against predators. Can't have a nice car in a real farm because it will get filthy, you can't store one on your property either because mice will ruin it. You'll always smell horrible. It is not what any media makes it out to be. I never want to own any animals ever again apart from a cat/dog.

It sounds like you just need a long vacation and a break from the city life because trust me, you don't want to actually be responsible for a ranch/farm.

Most prestigious exit option

beth dutton is that you

nah, you'll regret it

you'll be better off moving into CorpDev in a city that has some cowboy culture. on the weekends and after work you could visit friends/ranches/events and feel the cowboy culture without getting your hands dirty

Yeebitdaw brother do it

You're going to smell cow shit all day 

I'm not american (or am a citizen now but wasn't for the longest time), so I don't understand the over glorification of the rural lifestyle at all.  There is a reason why people, when presented with the opportunity throughout history, fucking bolted for the cities to work in shitty conditions, over running a farm.  I suppose if you're a landowner with significant holdings it might be different, but just some regular ranch?  Nah, not for me.  Glorifying nothing but misery and difficulty.  

I've worked at a ranch for a few summers and it was the best experiences of my life by far

Worked as a hand on a 2000 acre ~200 head cow/calf operation in the Midwest for a little over a month this year before starting a new gig, and I did it for similar reasons as you've outlined. 

I got to know the family I stayed with very well, and I can tell you that while it's difficult work and there are essentially no days off (dependent on what you grow/raise, however), the pride in the land and the ability to pass something so meaningful down to the next generations makes it worthwhile for them (I was told this directly). It's a duty, and it's a very difficult duty, but a very worthwhile and selfless one. 

My parents, even with the creature comforts of the new world, always talk about their home and that agriculture-based living with reverence, and my mom always wonders why they left that behind. The $$$ in America comes with many more strings attached than most families understand when they decide to make the move from the motherland. 

Yes.

Why not just save and buy a small ranch/cabin out in Montana or Wyoming? Vacation there and it'll fulfill your cowboying needs.

I mean I left finance to join the Army, granted I wasn't in IB but probably would have still joined even if I was

My advice, for what it's worth which isn't much since I'm just some guy on the internet, consider doing your 2 years as an analyst so in case you want to pivot back to finance later on, you've got a resume and could apply to MBA as a way to transition

This is a pretty extreme move, and granted the rural lifestyle just isn't for me personally, but do you just need a vacation from burnout maybe or do you see this as a true calling? Not trying to call you out here if you have a genuine desire, and you don't need to answer that question to me, but just something to consider for yourself as you make your decision

Considered a similar move but surprised no one has mentioned $. Cowboys / farm hands make like 40k / year, which is a pretty drastic change. Also add living in a bunkhouse with 8 other dudes

You would not be the first, and won't be the last, IB Analyst to find out that this is not the life for you. Think long and hard before you actually quit, but don't feel like you have to stay in IB if you really don't want to.

Know a couple guys who were in IB/S&T for < a year and then quit to join the Army and USMC. Figured out they wanted a different life. You could feel the same way. I have met a ton of people who are really happy with their lives working sub-$100k jobs with no chance of ever earning more. And met plenty of bankers, consultants, doctors, lawyers who hate their lives.