I am lost on the next step - Need Advice
I am currently at a MF as ASO and while I tried to ignore my feelings, I am currently pretty unhappy with my current role to a point where I suspect I have a mild depression (losing my taste in food I loved before, energy is pretty low in general, sometimes dark thoughts, etc.). This has led me to thinking about quitting.
However, what makes it tougher to quit or find a new role is that I am currently in a group with good culture/good pay and at a good political standing (potential nod to promotion) while working at interesting deals (though hours are rougher due to its large nature)
Ideally I would like to stay for few years until I hit the next step and then exit to a chiller role. I do realize that if I downstream now to MM/LMM PE or Corp Dev, I would be potentially hindering my career progression and learning curve so early in life.
For any of the more senior professionals who have gone through this (life should be good on paper but you feel drained to a point where you want to quit), do you suggest pushing through the trenches and ultimately downstream to higher position or potentially risk career progression for (potential) mental health betterment.
Take two years and go to business school?
that would be very fun, though the opportunity cost of +$500k would be too high
if anything you could learn more going "downstream"... better comp is not worth depression
Maybe you are right, as until now I always chased $$$ and prestige (mostly because MF gets the largest/complex deals, thus more learning opportunity hence). But good food for thought
It seems like it's pressure/stress related. Early signs of this is you're performing at work, but you're letting everything else around you flounder. Try to balance things more to the non-work parts of life (read about the pies of life..relationhips..family.
Do the obvious things and make it your number #1 priority this week: sleep, drink lots of water...clear... have a balanced vitamin intake, probable dose higher to the good-mood ones like Vitamin C. Spend time in the sun, relax or think about things non-work related. Works well if you are creative.
Other powerful tips... think about things you are thankful for or are grateful for having. Bring a smile to the face to the next few people you random run across this week. Highlight your daily proud of yourself moments and don't pick over your blemishes, we all have them.
Start there and let us know how it's been going. Once your in a less tense mood we can evaluate career path decisions you seem to be contemplating.
Thanks man this is helpful. What you have listed are things I know but like always I lose sight of these things and need a constant reminder that there is more to work in life.
I'm still deciding what to do but now it is more clear that I can only make a good decision once I'm at a better shape.
Sounds like a wise decision. It's all obvious advice...just remember its a marathon not a sprint. You don't have to be 100% dialed in every week. Frankly not possible, given today's work practices and demands.
It's funny, I could see my younger self skipping over this advice and camping it as generic or hippy stuff. Only when I actually started keeping my self accountable to actually doing this stuff, did I see an improvement in other areas of life, including my career.
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