Optimal Finance Daily · Thursday, September 10, 2026
Joshua Fields Millburn observed that many high-earning corporate executives he knew were unhappy and suffered from significant health problems like obesity, cancer, and heart attacks, often linked to stress. He noted that their careers seemed to alter them emotionally and physically, leaving them lonely despite their success.
“They'd explode with anger over insignificant inconveniences, they'd scowl with furrowed brows and complain constantly as if the world was conspiring against them, or they'd feign sham optimism, which fooled no one.”
“I'm talking serious health issues: obesity, gout, cancer, heart attacks, high blood pressure. You name it.”
“A co-worker, a good friend of mine on a similar trajectory, had his first heart attack when I was 28. He'd just turned 30.”