Genuine question for highly paid fish: Are you happy with your life? What are the negative aspects that come with the high salary?

I see a lot of people making $300k-500k+/yr and curious to hear some unfiltered opinions about how your life is going. I know sometimes I think it would be nice to be making bank but I imagine there are things which come with the territory that I don’t consider.

(Including your salary would be helpful.)

My life style hasn't changed much, but I am happy that my income has enabled me to help others more easily. I currently support the college education of 13 orphans.

I am a happy partner at 35. My income is solid.

I have no concerns about money, and as a result can be generous. I'm happy with the choices I've made and have a fulfilling life. However, I have exceptionally limited discretionary time.

I spend a good chunk of time working, spend evenings with my young kids (we have 4), and when they're asleep I am often getting more work done. I usually find time 5 or 6 times a week for a run, and am on the board of directors for my church. I have an amazing spouse who stays home with the family and makes sure our house stays intact.

After all this, I'm done. I don't get any time to play games (civilization is.. Was. A hobby). If something interesting comes up, I likely can't pursue it. And, I watch next to no tv or sports or pop culture.

All in all, I'm happy and wouldn't give up the list above. But, I would love the chance to breathe occasionally!

I think once you get to a certain income level, more money won’t necessarily increase your happiness (there’s a study on this). I am about $500k now and started to feel this way around $300-$350k. Even at $500k, we always want more and I have this sense that this rat race will never end unless I make a conscious decision and leave this industry. My happiness comes from outside of work and I’ve decided to take a pay cut to have more WBL. My hours aren’t so bad but I need less pressure so I can focus more on other aspects of my life. After spending 10 months not traveling, I don’t think I can travel frequently for work again.

$325k salary; $100k+ in bonuses.

Happy? Hardly. Currently on vacation and wracked with guilt for not working. Coming from humble upbringings, it is hard to justify earning this much when I see others also working 16hr days and given an hourly wage. The guilt can be crippling. As can be the incessant work and feeling like I'm not doing enough. There is no real down time, and often no intrinsic satisfaction if I can't tie it back to "helping people" in some way.

I thought I was happy making 400k at 40, but actually I'm happier making 160k at 50 with less pressure and more time.

Wow. What I would do for half of what some of you make!!! I’ve been saving up for my own modest house for the last three years...... still have a ways to go lol one day I’ll get there 🤞🏼

When you don't have money, you think it will bring happiness. When you have it, then realize not much changes. Sure nice cars, big house, but after novelty wears out its all the same.
Money does buy freedom, that's more valuable then the material things.

I do think having more $ = more freedom and fewer problems. I’m more of a workaholic than most of my friends even in the same industry/in a HCOL city like NYC, because I learned that money solves most problems. These are all the things I’ve done and hated: sharing an apt as a fresh grad, having to clean my own apt (I’m very particular about things being extra clean and organized), public transportation (extreme OCD & germaphobia) and flying coach. Having experienced the discomfort associated with all this, I spend most of my $$$ to outsource these tasks. The freedom and mental well being is worth more than luxury bags, cars, fine jewelry etc.

The growing divide between rich and poor clearly extends to partners and their employees. Give us a raise.

So many responses so I’m sure it’s been covered but the short of it is this: there is at least one study out there that shows there is very little correlation between wealth and happiness above a certain middle class income threshold which probably varies by city. When you make more money, you trade financial concerns for additional work stresss and responsibility. What’s important to you? Figure that out and go hard after it whether it’s work, family, independence, whatever... it’s pretty simple actually once you know yourself and what you truly value. That’s the hard part.

Seems that no one who replied is in advertising. my dad always said “if you want to make a lot of money, get in the money business.” boy was he right.

Dang I was making 60k in one of the highest HCOL cities in the US living off an air mattress... and still worked 80 hour weeks... what am I doing wrong😅😅😅

We used to earn 235k combined when we just got married and now 800k plus combined, of which husband makes a lion share. I don’t think we are less stressful now only because we earn more. Vice versus. I do constantly struggle with whether I should continue to work as I feel like my share of income is not enough for offset our additional tax plus all the additional cost (nanny etc). And my job is so demanding that it stops us from having a second kid. At the same time, I don’t think it is fair or fun to quit working and only rely on my husband to be the only bread earner. Also as we make more, we seem to want more — a better school (private) and a bigger house at a nicer location. So we constantly remind ourselves that we are happy where we are and should keep our living style.

I think people always find "something" to complain about or have dissatisfaction no matter what. Last year I made over 500 and probably worked less than 20 hours a week due to childcare changes as a result of covid (a portion of that was money earned in 2019 as I'm paid on delay from production, but even in 2019 l made 350 working 30-35 hrs a week with two work from home days). But, for perspective it isn't salary, and can vacillate pending multiple factors, so think 250-600 as a reasonable range of outcomes in a given year.

What's great: little to no stress about money and funneling plenty towards retirement, more time for family, and time for hobbies (exercise, golf), plenty of autonomy/no micromanagement at work.

What's not great: My pay is production based not salary, so there's the need to always keep things going. Also, the wonder of if I worked 50-60 hrs a week, would I make double, and is that worth it? Am I a lazy POS for not doing that or am I making a cost benefit of valuing other things in life too? And in my case frustration, with large company bureaucracy and the constant itch to start my own company (which would require capital, harder work, and risk - essentially rocking the boat of a good thing I have going).

I obviously understand virtually anyone reading this probably rolls their eyes at any dissatisfaction over 300-500+ tied to a sub 40 hour work week. I know I am fortunate to have figured out how to be successful in what I do without killing myself and am NOT complaining and certainly not ungrateful.

My point un posting this is that there will always be something to question or wonder about, and comparing yourself to others or overly worrying about your choices isn't productive, and it's just important to understand your own priorities in life and make the decisions that give you the best "overall utility score" based on those priorities.

And, in doing that analysis, if you find you are unhappy, I think people who take the risk and vet on themselves for change rarely regret it (yes I know I could/should apply this to myself as it relates to starting my own company).

Earning ~$100k untaxed - the money just seems to disappear - deseprrtalty need to work on financial habits

Hubby and I are both 31, and making over $600k combined, plus $200k+ from investments in a decent year. I would say yes, we’re very happy and having money to do what we wanted is a big part of it. Eventually we’ll also want children so having the funds to help with that will be important so that we can maintain our lifestyle and both our careers. We plan to retire by 38-40 and then live off our investments. Haven’t seen too many negatives yet.

37 and $500k...life is great! My high income has let me save up a good chunk. Bc of that + being tired of the grind has got me thinking about doing something entirely different that is stress free and pays decently and has benefits.

Well actually . . . Oh? “Highly paid? Never mind

I am so jealous of what the high earners here make. I am standing at the bottom looking up, wondering what I can do to get there.

I'm at the lower end of this and have been surprised that this income (with kids) does not go as far as I thought it would go. In my late 20s I believed 200k with a family would be more money than I'd ever need. Don't get me wrong, I'm blessed and fortunate - not overlooking this fact, but have learned I was niave pre kids about how far money goes with a family.

Things I’ve learned in this thread: 1. Big money is in IB, finance, law or B4 partnership. 2. We make $220k/year and I don’t feel financially stable. 3. Why is there such a big jump from SM/director to partner!?

It sounds hokey but I have found that practicing gratitude, volunteering to do pro bono, and community engagement has completely changed my attitude toward my income and life.

For years I compared myself to those with more. I was never happy, even when my income and bonuses increased and increased. Finally I realized that I have enough for me and my family and that there are more important things in life.

I hope everyone can find their “enough.”