你会辞掉高薪工作去追求理想吗

    詹姆斯•刘的回答，游戏公司BoxCat创始人

    我放弃了工资达六位数的外派管理工作。当时我不仅有每天的日常生活补助、公费公寓、一间大办公室，还有几名下属可供差遣。但我宁愿陪在家人身边。在成长过程中，生活告诉我，我必须有耀眼的成就，似乎这就是人生和宇宙存在的终极目标。于是，为了成功，我曾经一直坚持不懈，努力工作，愿意付出任何代价。

    27岁那年，我独坐在一栋商住综合楼的22层，下面便是香港会展中心。我的住宿费用由公司支付。我有按国际标准发放的日常生活补贴，足够我享受任何我想要的美食。

    我的办公室在三星（Samsung）大厦的21层，可以一览维多利亚港的美景。我手下还有三个人可供差遣，我可以让他们帮我去冲咖啡（如果我想的话），或者把我的所有任务全部分配给他们完成。我们的公司文化与结构非常有趣。我当时有多个头衔：分公司经理、项目经理、技术总监、首席工程师和系统架构师等。

    但如果没有人分享，赚再多钱又有什么意义？我有工资和奖金。吃穿住行都不需要自己掏钱。如果我想要任何设备或技术，几封电子邮件就可以搞定。

    在“漫长的成功之路上”，我忽视了友情、亲情，甚至失去了爱情。没有人能够听我吐露心声。

    因为权力等级的存在，与团队成员说心事会非常奇怪。

    “你不想听我个人的问题？！你被炒了。”

    当然，这只是开玩笑，但也凸显出我当时那种尴尬的处境。我能想象，我只会得到一些“惟命是从”的回答，只会听到我想要听的话，而不是我需要听的话。去酒吧或夜店，同样让我感觉肤浅，甚至让我感到更加孤独。

    “什么？你也不愿意听？你也被炒了！”

    而这种情况也显示出，掌握权力会让你的大脑陷入混乱。这是一次危险的旅程，有人会被权力冲昏头脑。我也不例外。不论我向谁求助，得到的只是一些肤浅的回应。那么，既然拥有了金钱、权力、成功、尊敬和声望，为什么我就是不幸福呢？

    此时我才意识到，金钱、成功和权力并没有人们宣扬的那么美好。但除非我拥有了这一切，否则我永远也不会理解这种观点。孤单。沉默。孤独。纵有财富千千万，无人听我诉衷肠。

    这种身心疲惫的感觉持续了几个月后，我接到了弟弟的电话。当时是香港时间凌晨4点。

    Answer by James Liu, founder at BoxCat

    I left a six-figure, ex-pat, management position with daily per-diem, paid for apartment, an entire office, and several employees I was in charge of. I would rather be close to family. While growing up, life gave me the impression that I had to be sky-high successful. As if it were the ultimate attainment for life and the universe. So I went for it, worked hard for it, and did whatever it took to succeed.

    At 27, I was sitting alone on the 22nd floor of a residential complex right above the Hong Kong convention center. My housing was paid for by the company. I had international per-diem, which could cover any food I might desire.

    I had an office in the Samsung building on the 21st floor that had a view of Victoria Harbor. I had three other people I could boss around, ask them to fetch me coffee (if I wanted too), or completely delegate all my tasks to them. We had an interesting company culture and structure. I had several titles at that time: branch manager, project manager, technical lead, principle engineer and systems architect.

    But what’s the point of making a ton of money if you have no one to share it with? I had salary and bonus. I had no need to spend my own money on shelter, food or travel. Any equipment or technology needed was just a few emails away from acquiring them.

    During my “long road to success,” I had neglected my friends, my family, and even lost girlfriends. I had very few people I could talk to.

    Talking to a team member was strange because of the power hierarchy.

    “You won’t listen to my personal problems?! You’re fired!”

    Just kidding of course, but it highlights the awkwardness. I imagine I would just get the “yes-man” approach of what I wanted to hear, not what I needed to hear. Hitting up a bar or nightclub also felt superficial and gave an even greater sense of loneliness.

    “What? You won’t listen either? You’re fired too!”

    But it highlights how being in power can mess with your head. It’s a dangerous trip and some become drunk with power. I am no exception. Everywhere I turned, I’d find only a superficial replacement. So, money, power, success, respect, and even prestige, why am I not happy?

    This is when I realized that money, success and power isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. But it was also a perspective I would not have understood unless I had sat there. Alone. Mute. Lonely. With a pile of money I could cry in, but never get a response.

    Later on, a few months after these deep unnerving feelings, I got a phone call from my little brother. It was 4 AM in Hong Kong.