Having a job he likes that pays him money he wants. That’s the criteria outlined. He’s just afraid it might end up being a job he doesn’t like.
There is a myth that higher paying jobs must be more miserable, but it’s rarely true.
There is a myth that higher paying jobs must be more miserable, but it’s rarely true.
> I'm now ignoring recruiters who are begging me to interview for insanely well-paying openings. I have a decently well-paying job with good work-life balance, and colleagues who respect me.
So their utility function has terms other than $. So define "successful", or define the utility function more objectively. It is very clear that yours vs theirs are quite different.
That’s not what’s happening.