People are unhappy in their careers when the thing they want and the work it takes to get it are out of sync, not because they climbed the wrong ladder.

ambition How much to take on and how hard to push: superlinear returns to effort, focus, slack time, and procrastination.

happiness What makes a life go well: whether it is meaning, love, virtue, enough money, or simply expecting less.

motivation What makes effort feel worth it: the neuroscience of wanting to act, apathy, dopamine, and habit.