Am I the only young professional working for a Fortune 500 company that is willing to chase opportunity wherever it takes me? Does no one else aspire to make a 7 figure salary? How many opportunities does one have in SD to find this kind of job?

First it moved me to Boston, now it’s about to move me to another less desireable area than SD/OC. I sure miss surfing Trestles and warm weather in January, but my personal satisfaction at having my career rocketing ahead, and the subsequent peace of mind the high salary brings my family totally outweighs the merits of paying the sunshine tax. I used to subscribe to the theory that I would do whatever it took to stay in SoCal my whole life. It’s amazing how fast I changed my tune once somebody “showed me the money”. Personal satisfaction in my career, and the welfare of my family, are now much more important to me than where I live.

In summary: High-paying ($200K – up) salaried jobs are very few and far between in SoCal. Consider what your true priorities are, and then create a strategic action plan to accomplish them.