I Was An Ivy Educated HF Quant Now I’m Unemployed And Alone In The Mountains How Did I Get Here?

Summary

In this personal reflection, the speaker recounts quitting a prestigious $435,000-a-year job after realizing the hollow nature of high-paying, stressful careers. They discuss how their passion for art and creativity was overshadowed by the practical need for financial security, leading them to pursue a lucrative but unsatisfying career in tech. After saving diligently for two decades, they retire to the mountains, planning to focus on creative endeavors and travel the world. Despite concerns about losing their creative edge, they are determined to explore new passions and document their journey.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker quit a prestigious $435,000/year job to pursue personal freedom and creative passions.
• 😀 Despite having an Ivy League education and high-paying career, the speaker realized that many people work jobs they don’t enjoy just for the money.
• 😀 The speaker’s early love for art and creativity was overshadowed by the necessity to earn money through stressful, high-demand, and non-creative jobs.
• 😀 The decision to pursue financial stability over passion was rooted in growing up in a lower-class family with a father who didn’t value money as a means to happiness.
• 😀 The speaker describes the realities of capitalism, where high-paying jobs often involve doing work that others don’t want to do because it is stressful, boring, or complicated.
• 😀 Acknowledging that many ‘creative’ jobs like video game development involve little actual creativity, as most employees are given predefined tasks with minimal input into the design process.
• 😀 After two decades of saving diligently and living frugally, the speaker built a nest egg of around $4 million, enabling them to leave their career and follow their passion.
• 😀 The difficulty in leaving a high-paying career stems from the comfort and security it offers, despite a lack of personal fulfillment.
• 😀 The speaker’s goal is to document their journey of self-exploration, focusing on creative endeavors and traveling the world at their own pace.
• 😀 While the speaker hopes to still have the creative talent to create meaningful art, they are committed to exercising their creative muscles and embracing new opportunities.
• 😀 The speaker aims to inspire others to break free from societal pressures and follow their true passions, whether that involves financial security or creative freedom.

Q & A

Why did the speaker quit their prestigious job?

The speaker quit their prestigious job because they realized that many high-paying jobs are often stressful, complicated, and unfulfilling. Despite the salary, these jobs don’t align with their passion for creativity and artistic expression.

What was the speaker's initial passion before entering the corporate world?

The speaker's initial passion was art, particularly drawing comic strips and creating intricate storylines. They dreamed of becoming an artist and working in the creative field.

How did the speaker's upbringing influence their career choices?

The speaker’s father, who valued non-materialistic ideals, raised them in a lower-income environment. This perspective led the speaker to initially reject the importance of money but later recognize its necessity for achieving personal freedom.

What was the speaker's realization about money and career choices?

The speaker came to understand that money is essential for securing the freedom to pursue creative projects. They realized that to achieve this, they needed to take on a high-paying but stressful and uncreative job.

How does the speaker view high-paying jobs in the context of capitalism?

The speaker believes that high-paying jobs often involve tasks that others don't want to do because they are stressful, complicated, or boring. This is the core of how supply and demand works in the free market.

What job did the speaker ultimately take to achieve financial freedom?

The speaker took a job in software engineering, specifically working on ballistic missile defense systems. This job paid well but was not fulfilling creatively.

Why does the speaker mention video game engineering as an example?

The speaker uses video game engineering as an example to show how even creative industries like game development often do not allow for creative input. Despite the high demand, salaries in the field are low due to oversupply of people wanting to work in it.

How did the speaker prepare financially for their transition out of corporate life?

The speaker meticulously saved and invested their money, focusing on maximizing retirement accounts and investing in index funds. After two decades of disciplined saving, they accumulated enough wealth to consider retiring and pursuing passion projects.

What does the speaker hope to achieve after leaving their corporate job?

The speaker hopes to focus on creative endeavors, such as art, writing, and slow travel across the world. They want to document their journey and continue exercising their creative abilities.

What challenge does the speaker face in transitioning to a more creative lifestyle?

The speaker faces the challenge of whether they can still create at a high level, as many creative individuals peak early in life. Despite this, they are determined to keep pushing their creative boundaries and stay proud of their work.