I gave up my $800k/yr Google AI job in the hope of having a baby. 

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses the author's journey of quitting their high-paying job at Google, going through personal and professional challenges, and ultimately finding happiness and fulfillment in starting a family.

🙋 Q&A

[01] Quitting Google and Pursuing Personal Goals

1. What led the author to quit their job at Google?

• The author was experiencing burnout, exhaustion, and health issues from the demanding work at Google.
• They witnessed the declining work culture and treatment of junior employees, which they felt they could no longer be a part of.
• The author decided to prioritize their own well-being and personal goals, such as starting a family.

2. How did the author's life change after quitting Google?

• The author sold their house in Redwood City and bought a 3-acre orange farm in the Sierra foothills, where they could rest and heal.
• They took an extended medical leave and disability leave from Google, during which they focused on improving their physical and mental health.
• The author used this time to pursue their dream of having a child, exploring various methods and ultimately succeeding in getting pregnant.

[02] Finding Happiness and Fulfillment

1. What role did the author's dreams and intuition play in their life decisions?

• The author believed that dreams are valuable computations that can guide our decisions, similar to how artificial neural networks can generate and use dreams.
• The author followed their dreams and intuition when choosing their partner, which led them to a fulfilling relationship and the ability to have a child.
• The author trusted their instincts, followed their dreams, and treated others with the same care they wanted for themselves, which ultimately led to their "happily ever after."

2. How did the author's perspective on life and priorities change after having a child?

• The author describes their child as the most valuable part of their body, more important than their brain, blood, or heart.
• The author is now devoted to raising their child to be able to thrive and make good decisions, drawing on the lessons they learned from their own life experiences.
• The author believes that their child's well-being and happiness is the most important thing, and they are willing to sacrifice anything for their child's well-being.