I'm a "recovering" investment banker (I'm about to get my three-year chip!) and there's a lot in this article that's very interesting. Working on Wall St. and living in NYC can really warp your perspective on life and money. When making 10 times what the average family makes in a year is considered a bad year, something is very distorted. It must seem devastating for all of the bankers getting laid off or uncertain about their futures, but once the dust settles, they'll be okay if they've lived below their considerable means. It seems that the key to financial happiness is to live within your means. Perhaps if more people did that instead of cashing out the equity on their McMansions, there'd be a bunch more happiness to go around and this guy's firm wouldn't be in the headlines every week...<p>As for making your living by doing your calling, you either have to make some sacrifices or be very fortunate and have your calling happen to be something that's lucrative. Unless you work for a job that is minimally demanding, you most likely will only become very successful if you truly have some calling for it. Otherwise you'll probably tread water and have to find fulfillment in other parts of your life.<p>You start having real problems if you work at a demanding job that you don't have a calling for. I did that for years and it could be very difficult. I was always somewhat awed by the bankers I worked with who absolutely loved it and it clearly was their calling. Often, their third wives were very happy to enjoy the fruits of their labor.<p>Making the switch from Wall St. was difficult and it really took a little bit of time to put the whole money thing into perspective. Now, I've found a calling creating software and am optimistic that I'm one of the lucky ones whose calling can be lucrative. Now if we can only start generating revenue...