Deaths Draw Attention to Wall Street’s Grueling Pace

> You can’t really stand out because most of what you’re doing does not require original thinking. So the only way you can distinguish yourself is by sheer endurance.

Several years ago, when I was weighing junior roles in trading and banking, a private equity manager with whom I consulted advised: "nobody became a millionaire by being a grunt".

Hard work is important, but it shouldn't be your chief differentiator. On a broader level, I've always found firms that rely on over-working their junior staff to (a) have rotten pathways for internal advancement and (b) a sore bias towards throwing grunts, versus technology, at process problems.

Absolutely on point.

What always amazes me about these "super-lemmings" is that they are so unaware that they are being thoroughly exploited. They don't understand basic economics, that if you have zero leisure time, all of your earnings are for nothing.

I'm sure their goals are some variation of: "I'll work 120 hour weeks for 5 years straight to make a seven figure nest egg, then retire off the interest forever."

This single variable optimization is very childish for somebody supposedly schooled in economics. Very few human decisions are based on a single variable, as we are fragile creatures with a large number of physical, emotional and mental needs that need to be satisfied on a daily basis.

Let this be a warning to all the SV hopefuls: don't be a lemming. Don't sacrifice rationality for idealism. There are severe consequences.

I just finished the longest stint of work that I've had in my short career. Probably 80 hours for two weeks. I didn't really keep track.

I have mixed feelings. I got a lot done. The quality of work that happened around 8-10pm was pretty low, but it got done. I did no physical activity and my stress levels were through the roof, which led to some moments of intense mental anguish. On the other hand, I felt a great sense of accomplishment and knowing that I am capable of working that diligently on something is satisfying.

So I understand why bankers work these hours and even defend them. I also understand why someone might feel like killing themselves after working >80 hours for months or years on end.

These three cases seem to be ill-linked in the correlation/causation department. One was a clear medical condition; another a suicide; and the third was linked to an event involved a relapse of substance abuse. Three deaths of this nature could easily occur in any industry with a presence in a major city like nY, sf, london, tokyo, hong kong, paris etc. How many creatives list similar CODs ? Heath ledger, amy winehouse, peaches geldof and many other creative types at varying levels of success. We can look high-risk activities and see near-suicidal behaviour in the extreme sports athletes (RIP dean potter and 250 others http://base-jumping.eu/base-jumping-fatality-list/). And similar medical related deaths and accidents occur in athletes even in standard sports (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/healt...).

Which is no apology for mis-management. Its just perhaps a larger picture issue than any single industry or particular niche. Glory and all that.