Anyone else feel like you've lost your touch?

Care to add more details? Please don't melt down on us.

You stepped out of fantasy world, YEARS where you were told you were the best. Now you're in the real world and realize it doesn't care about you.

Yes - working 6am to midnight (not assuming you do that, but just saying in case) is no way to live -- more than a few weeks.

https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/burnout-life-choices

If you're depressed then that's another story, but just wanted to point out that it isn't a strictly harder work = better relationship

I still work super hard often and I'm still trying to decide what balance of work and life is right for me. Seconding a comment to you in another thread - looking back through your past thread titles is pretty funny, I gotta say. Time to make a change.

When professionals get older/more senior it becomes more difficult to achieve at the same pace. I remember like it was yesterday when I became a BB AVP or when I made VP later on - it felt "special". Nowadays, beside the title inflation across industries, in places like London or NYC you will also have a lot more competition. The analysts who work for me now know a lot more compared to what I knew years ago.

Honestly I can relate. I disagree to some extent with those above who assert that it is a result of the real world being objectively "harder" or more "unforgiving". I believe that it could be that careers in this industry can drain you and leave you feeling empty if you don't absolutely love what you're doing (or if you don't have an insatiable desire for money). For people who got into finance as a hobby and couldn't care less about being "rich" materially I think that motivation will often wain. Eventually you hit a point where your motivation to succeed no longer exceeds your disdain for the career. Therefore I would say your shortcomings may be due to a loss of motivation and not ability. I've experienced the phenomenon at various points in my life (not just with finance) where my performance just dropped in something as I grew to hate it. You may find that switching to a fresh career (maybe more relaxed) or focusing on things like family first will help you regain a sense of control and achievement.

-Or as many some people already mentioned I could be wrong and this could be a product of you finally tasting the real world. Either way best of luck!

Pizz:

I was valedictorian of my HS, got into Ivy, graduated with honors there, and got into a HF, but found that the real world is kicking my ass. I've always felt like I could take on any challenges, but can't seem to find the motivation to take them on anymore.

What happened to me?

You might just not give a shit about what you're currently doing or who you are doing it with/for. It's a weakness of mine for sure - but if I'm constantly demotivated by my surroundings, my performance suffers.

me too... you are not alone.

One thing to consider is potentially changing from the HF business. This is going to hurt some people's feelings on here but being a successful hedge fund analyst has a lot to do with luck. You can't always control Trump's tweets, the rest of the market, and commodity price swings no matter how smart you are.

In fact, some of the smartest HF people that I've met have had their funds blow up. In general, I find career paths where luck is a smaller element more satisfying, especially if you're someone that's used to working hard and then seeing results. In the HF world, you could work your ass off and still get your face smashed into the pavement for no reason at all.

Maybe, this isn't your underlying issue but just a thought.

Take out a sheet of paper and start writing down, in whatever order it comes to you, the things that matter to you - this should be in your own words, whatever those might mean and i wouldn't limit them. It could be really specific, like buying a house, or just broad categories like 'health'; whatever works for you.

Then, split out on another piece of paper write down your current situation including all of the pros, cons and things you'd like to change. Again, this should be somewhat aligned with the above but really just an accounting of your current status and all of the things that, once again, immediately come to mind.

Once complete, compare the two above and start linking things together. Ideally, you should start to see what does and doesn't match up. I.e. health is very important to you, but you work 100 hours a week and have no time outside of work - that sort of thing.

It's really, really, really important that when you do this you don't 'skip ahead' to predate the outcome - like when you take a personality test and try and game it to match what you perceive you are to others, or others perceive you to be. I've found doing this really helps to push you to understand what is and isn't important, letting you pull the levers accordingly.

For what it's worth, most people have been in the same place as you at different points in their lives, careers, etc. Largely my own experience was that it took me quite a few years after college to realize that me, and only me, can choose what I want to be and what makes me happy. Everyone is winging it and we are all trying to figure it out at the same time, with varying degrees of success. For most, this is all part of the process of figuring out who you want to be and who you are. Take time to be introspective, honest and work on yourself and you'll be better off in the long run.

Game's the same, just got more fierce.

You're in the real world. Moreover, HFs are very fast-paced, where it's common to feel like you're behind and making mistakes until you get the deal done or your investment play works as you expect or you manage to convince your IC your idea merits more than a 0.5% position size. There is often no constant feedback loop, which can make it difficult to discern how well you're performing. You also have to set your own goals and standards...which can be difficult if you come from an environment where they are laid out for you.

I don't know about your HF, but in many ways you are responsible for bringing new ideas, thoughts, and analysis. No one is going to tell you what to do and pat you on the back when you do it. Things are just expected. I really don't think college prepares you for this type of culture anymore.

Have you tried setting your own goals? Have you sought feedback sessions with your PM?

When you let society spell out for you the definition of success. You're bound to hit the wall that you've hit.

Find something meaningful that you like to do as a hobby, and add it to your life.

None of this stuff is really significant in the long run; those pitchbooks you've spent all weekend working on? Useless, the models you had to go back 800 times to fix? Useless...that time you made your MD laugh and earn some respect from other managers? Useless, he's thinking about how much his wife spent on shoes this year...

I have a certain distaste for lazy people; especially ones who complain about their circumstances with a shit workethic.

But I have also developed an annoyance to people who became a puppet to the system, they smiled when they had to, chuckled when they needed to, studied, worked, and bought what they are supposed to; and in the end are shocked by not feeling what they thought they should feel...there was nothing organic about you in the first place.

Be an individual who decided to pursue a career in finance; don't become the career trying to pose as an individual.

Life is peaks and valleys, this sounds like your coming downhill for the first time from a long climb up. Most people have a tough time realizing they are nothing special, but you clearly are as indicated by your accomplishments by a young age. Don't let a small bump in the road have a negative impact on your attitude. Daily grind sharpens the axe, keep working hard and show you have some sack.

Not to sound trite, but do one thing each day that scares you. You need to get out of the rut you're in. No better way to do this than to move out of your comfort zone. Make each day your new normal.

Can't loose your touch if you don't have one in the first place. I was fine from day 1.https://media3.giphy.com/media/oUC9sqUzlalJC/giphy.gif" alt="bill murray " />

Sounds like you're getting a little burned out from working so hard and not getting the rewards you are expecting. Don't worry about it. Success is as much a matter of timing and circumstance as it is hard work. Lot of successful people we know today wouldn't be where they are at if it weren't for the confluence of the right conditions which made the opportunity available.

A problem with the way the Millennial generation was raised as an overemphasis on academic achievement as a correlation of success. Parents push kids to get "A's" in school and do X, Y, Z extracurricular activity, and there's a trophy at every corner for every small accomplishment. So you're smart - good for you. In the real world, success is not so linear. You can't expect the world to reward you for every positive thing you do. That reward expectation for jumping through their artificial hoops is a fabrication of the academic setting.

This translates to adult life in that we are tricked into thinking that if we do X, Y, Z, some "boss" figure will see our accomplishment as worthy of reward and give us more money or status because we did the right thing like a trained puppy. In reality, companies have their own agenda in competition with yours. Your "boss's" job is to pay you as little as he can get away with for the maximum productivity out of you - so the company owners can have more for themselves. It's a zero sum game.

I think the best way to break the conditioning of this mindset is to not expect so much out of life. Focus on yourself and what you think is best for you. Do not bargain with something beyond your control. Think like they do.