Dreaming of leaving prestigious career behind and moving back home

I went to a top M7 MBA, worked hard and got an MBB offer. Joined my firm at a tier 2 city (think Dallas, HOU, ATL etc), I'm about 6 months in. I'm making more money than I thought I would ever make 10 years ago. I come from a blue collar background so I'm definitely a huge success compared to my peers in HS for example. I'm even doing well in my evals so far in consulting. 

Lately I keep daydreaming about leaving it all and moving back home to take a less stressful, less prestigious job where I can actually have a personal life, finding a wife and settling down. I know that if I keep grinding I'm on the path to making $500k or more in 4-5 years. I could potentially retire early. But I will have very little personal life. As it stands now I have a handful of friends in my current city, but we barely have time to even hang out given the 60-70 hour weeks and travel. 

I also left my long term girlfriend of 5 years to move to this new city and start over single and focus on my career--we had other issues but that was a big part of it. She wanted me to spend more time with her and I thought the relationship wouldnt survive the consulting grind. Now I often wish I'd stayed together with her and chosen a less stressful and time-consuming career. This grass wasn't greener. 

But would I be any happier if I threw the prestigious job away and built a life somewhere that wasn't 90% work? Maybe in 5 years I'd be regretting that I could be closing in on partner and an incredible lifestyle. 

What do people think? Anyone else experience this? Am I just going through a rough patch?

9 Comments
 

I think maybe you should just stay in your current situation, but you could always mix it up. 

Maybe buy a house and rent 1-2 bedrooms out to chicks. That would spice things up. 

Take a vacation, clear the mind. Or hit up the gym, pick up some new hobbies like Muay Thai or triathlon. 

"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
 

Rent rooms out to chicks… you really want to shag your tenants? Seems like additional stress down the line that OP doesn’t need

 
HardestOfHardos

Rent rooms out to chicks… you really want to shag your tenants? Seems like additional stress down the line that OP doesn't need

I don't think your ability to read is that great. I never said to hook up with his roommates. That would be a disaster. The guy said he was lacking in social life and this is an element that could help. Bring the social life to you. He can hook up with the chicks friends. I have done this before in NYC and interviewed about 30-40 chicks to move into 2 slots in a 4BR in the East Village. It was a great time. Highly recommended. 

"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
 

Fuck the rat race. Doesn’t mean shit if

1) you die of a heart attack when you’re 40 years old. But at least your company bio will be alllll about how hard of a worker you are, and nothing about you as a human 

2) your wife cheats on you because you’re never home, then takes half your bank account anyway. Oh, alimony will prob be based off your high income as well

 

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