When does practical success become a prison? Franklin's industry meets Thoreau's simplicity.

Career & Life Balance
Portrait of Benjamin Franklin
Portrait of Henry David Thoreau

Benjamin FranklinvsHenry David Thoreau

The Question

I'm earning $180,000 a year as a product manager at a tech startup in Austin. On paper, my life looks great. In reality, I work 60+ hours a week, haven't taken a real vacation in three years, and had a panic attack in my car before a board presentation last month. My husband and I just inherited a small farmhouse in Vermont from his grandmother. It needs work, but it's paid off. Part of me fantasizes about quitting everything, moving there, and starting a small CSA farm. I've been reading about permaculture. We have enough savings to last 18 months. My parents think I'm having a breakdown. My boss says I'm "on track for VP" if I stick it out two more years. My husband says he'll support whatever I decide, which somehow makes it harder. I know the "smart" move is probably to stay, pay off student loans faster, and max out retirement. But I wake up every morning dreading my inbox. Is this a mid-life crisis I'll regret, or should I trust this pull toward a simpler life?

Portrait of Benjamin Franklin

"Industry and steady effort build the foundation for true freedom"

An investment in knowledge pays the best interest. Small, consistent habits compound into great change. Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise. The VP track offers security that farming cannot guarantee.

52 votes
Portrait of Henry David Thoreau

"Most people live lives of quiet desperation—simplify before it's too late"

The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. Simplify, simplify. I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life. Your panic attack is your soul crying out for authenticity.

44 votes

96 votes total