After reading the salary, I’ve decided that I must refuse. The reasons I have to refuse a salary like that is I would be able to do what I’ve always wanted to do — get a wonderful mistress, put her up in an apartment, buy her nice things. . . . With the salary you have offered, I could actually do that, and I know what would happen to me. I’d worry about her, what she’s doing; I’d get into arguments when I come home, and so on. All this bother would make me uncomfortable and unhappy. I wouldn’t be able to do physics well, and it would be a big mess. What I’ve always wanted to do would be bad for me, so I’ve decided that I can’t accept your offer.
- Richard Feynman
I am speechless, I went through a similar exercise three weeks back and used almost similar approach to reach same conclusion. No wonder, he is my hero. I have a huge influence of him and definitely his writing helped my though process to reach a proper decision.
PS: There were a lot of other reasoning involved in my decision.
