Originally Posted by Unregistered

I assume you're young considering the tenor of your question. I also assume you expect me to say double starred first, Harvard Law working at Cravath.

My answer would be a happy one. I've come to realise that regardless of how much you're paid, money cannot be a substitute for finding meaning in your work. Find your happiness, even if that means rejecting a big firm or international firm offer in a practice area that you are not interested in.

For instance, if you dread M&A, don't do it. Even working on a record deal won't make you happy. Even if your partners pop champagne to celebrate, you won't be happy. Your family will be happy when you pay them a proportion of your bonus, but you won't be happy. Even earning $2m a year and bragging about it won't make you happy if you dread what you do.

But if you find meaning in your work, you will naturally be motivated by that meaning that you ascribe to it. Don't focus on the money. Money is temporary. Skills on the other hand will stay with you. Make excellence your goal and you will find money easily. You will also have no shortage of job offers. Everyone wants to hire someone who is happy, loves what they do and is good at what they do.