It details the misery of those who have top notch jobs. Since the details mirrored my own experiences at a big law firm in Washington, DC and was my impetus for creating Career Counseling Connecticut, I found myself absorbed.
I realize that those who are struggling in their careers from a financial perspective and are also unhappy with their job activities may take out their fake violins. But while the misery of the financially successful is not as bad as others, it is unique.
These types did what they thought was the “right thing”. They worked really hard in a practical profession and rose high enough to feel that their practical goals were accomplished. They then discovered that their practical goals did not necessarily lead to personal happiness. Many feel trapped and many feel that they can’t complain because their career path was their choice and, by normal standards, they have little to complain about.
At my 25th law school reunion, most of the attorneys at my table of 10 earned over a million dollars a year. These are partners at large firms in New York, Washington, DC and Los Angeles. Every one (no exaggeration) was divorced or functionally divorced (one of my married classmates has a girlfriend but assured me that he is not cheating since his wife has a boyfriend!) But I am not even discussing their misery in relation to their personal lives. Instead, most every one bemoaned how much they work. One classmate said the reunion was his first day off that year (including weekends). The reunion was in May.
If you are talented enough to get to the top of your profession, then you are talented enough to switch careers. We can help.