i figured much of this out years ago. the biggest piece of advice i can wholeheartedly recommend is be explicit about your priorities. once you do that, everything falls into place, decisions become easy.

my wife is sometimes confused as to why i haven't taken certain jobs or career paths but when i explain to her the impact it would have on things that are more important to me, she seems to understand. about a year ago, i was reminded of this in reading william whyte's "the organization man", in particular the chapters about family. right then and there i made a decision, i backed out of some job offers and have been pleased.

take care of yourself, that's the most basic lesson of all, and that doesn't mean focusing strictly on finances (real or anticipated) or your career.