The Way of the Wall Street Warrior

CHAPTER 28Writing Checks Your Body Can't Cash: Mismanaging Your Life

You may think life is going to get more and more awesome for you now that you've achieved your career goals. You have more money to feed your habits. You have a better title to put on your Tinder profile and you have minions to boss around. But look into those sunken eyes of your peers. There is no free lunch in this world, and you'll realize that you're not only married to your job, you're melded to it. So consider yourself forewarned.

Be careful what you wish for. Rising to the top brings with it the Winner's Curse. Just like in an auction, the winner usually overpays to reach the top. In fact, to win, you have to overpay. You'll overpay in time, health, and family, but hopefully not your soul. Anyone playing the game faces this dilemma. To win, one must do more than anyone else, but doing more than anyone else is economically irrational.

Work and life are just one big game so don't take them too seriously. Even though being stoic is a prerequisite to surviving in high-intensity industries, you need to know when to cry, “Uncle.” As you build your career, particularly on Wall Street, it's important to self-regulate because no one else will do it for you. Don't be that dog who gets a bowl of food put in front of it and doesn't know when to stop eating. Building careers are lifelong marathons, and your health is the only vehicle to get you to the top. So don't write checks your body can't cash and take care ...