Yes. Married, kids and literally walking our dog currently. Not sure why you're acting as though maximizing salary prevents everything else you mentioned. Almost every job I've taken has not only paid more but created better work life balance.
Let's relate this to Shrew....how would him staying at Penn State alter any of that? He wouldn't try as hard?
The reality is people put into their job what they want. Sounds like you weren't cut out for the work you were doing and had to take a step down hurting your children's financial future due to your own shortcomings. The reality is the people messing up their kids are the ones unable to lead by
Dude- the balance (or as close as one can get) is the key and if you have that great.
On one's way up the ladder salary growth is essential. At some point the tradeoffs are not worth it. Many of my former peers are on 2nd/3rd marriages. Have kids who have been in therapy for most of their lives. Some married young assistants after affairs and had elementary aged kids in their mid 50s-60s. But they are rich.
As for my "shortcomings" my kids didn't suffer.
My son went to Dartmouth.
My daughter died in her bed at Wake.
Their grades and activities earned them places in highly competitive schools where they thrived. And we could manage the money side just fine despite me no longer being a business titan.
I have no regrets in how they were raised and their lives were not negatively impacted by changing careers. In fact the opposite. After travelling at least 3 days a week for their young lives, I rarely missed dinner at home for the next 17 years. That's much better than Smith & Wollensky (at least for me).
The view from the Little League dugout as a coach is exceptionally different from that of the stands and better than a sky box with all you can eat and drink for a pro game. I coached for a total of 7 years. Wouldn't trade a minute.
We are financially sound and both me and my wife work in education...which is a very different prism than what we did in Advertising/Digital Marketing. They are less than honest fields, filled with less than honest people. It is the nature of the game.
Ethics matter more than cash. I believe Shrew is an ethical guy, but ended up in a wonderfully "tough" situation that he never could've imagined 2 years ago.
(Former) Coach seems like a guy who took the full picture into account- including family. It is foolish to believe that he just decided everything on his own for the bigger paycheck, as some would surmise. I was hoping that we'd be the one to provide that long term stability, both financially and personally, and that PSU would benefit from it. But ND beat us. Good for them.
Job hopping, moving, travelling, is not always healthy. People that have been to close to the top of the mountain know how perilous the climb and descent can be. A 7 year contract, hopefully with some frontloaded money, in his home state and near his parents is too good to pass up.
Many people who chase money end up empty. And many of those who have it aren't always "happy." My first cousin (who is my age and stole my intended first name at birth) earns 8 figures and is a top executive at a major social media platform. I wouldn't trade places with him.
You do you. I'll gladly stay where I am- shortcomings and all......