Sleep ● Career ● Health ● Friends ● Family - Pick 2

Sleep ● Career ● Health ● Friends ● Family

My mentor told me in most finance jobs, you get to pick any three of them you want.

In IB, you get to pick any two you want.

Thoughts?

31 Comments
 

Interesting question, will try to answer.

So, for a person in IB, career is a natural choice. Person studied hard, networked, prepared to break into this field. Not thinking about career would be a strange option. If it wasn't the point why then to choose to break into this industry. However, the definition of a career varies from person to person. So some, being a banker is a definition of successful career, for some PE, for some top groups etc. So, the career option will attract the ambitious side of a person.

Friends option should be further discussed. If most of your friends have the similar type of job to yours then it is a default option. If a friend works in a different industry, it will depend on a degree of a friendship, how close you are etc. Would your friend leave you if he/she was offered a job with good salary but long hours? Additionally, some people just don't have close friends, some just have acquitances.

Family point will also depend. Some prefer having family, but at the same time, know people who doesn't want to have one. Also, depending on the mindset for some people having a family is a must, and a person spends every available resource to the family. This is especially the case in developing countries where parents sacrifice their lives for the children.

Sleep and health are very important in the long-run but sometimes don't get the necessary attention. Having good health habits such as, healthy food and gym as far as I know is possible despite working a lot. Sleep is another story. Some people are used to sleeping little, for some even 12 hours are not enough.

So, I think in IB you can have career, friends (banker friends or former college friends), family (partner understands you and supports you + senior people do have a family), and good health habits (choosing what to eat is up to you). Only sleep seems like a challenging option.

 

At the end of the day I think this can very much be a sliding spectrum and as long as you are okay with how much effort you put in every category then you will be just fine.  

AKA if you have 20 mins call your parents.  If you have a bad week and cant work out work out harder next week,  If your career is slowing a bit turn on the afterburners.  

 

career and family + (close friends you see once a year + friends in similar line of work)

 

You can eat healthy and get 20 min of cardio in everyday...so health is a gimme. In my analyst stint, I'm focusing on sleep and career, and will see family on holidays and one-off occasions. Working extremely hard now so I can leave after my analyst stint is done. More time for friends when I'm not an analyst

Edit: Redbull helps you see family / friends more

 

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