On paper, everything seemed to be falling into place for me. I was in my late 20s, living in the center of Manhattan, thriving at a top investment bank, dining at Michelin-starred restaurants, and traveling to stunning international destinations. This is why I had worked so hard through high school and college – to be able to live this “dream life.” But on the inside, something didn't feel right.

Work and money were at the heart of my struggles, despite the fact that I had what was considered a “good” job and ample savings. Most mornings, I'd hear my alarm and dread having to go into the office. My hours were long and unpredictable, often stretching into the late evenings, some early mornings, and most weekends. The grueling schedule meant missing friends' birthday parties, cancelling dates, and having little time to relax or recharge.

The actual nuts and bolts of my job were far from being glamorous. Even worse, the work I did on a day-to-day basis didn't align with my interests. This was definitely not how I had imagined my career unfolding. But ironically, at the same time that I was trying to figure out how to right the ship and change my situation, others were reaching out to me for advice on how to get on the same path I was on — leaving me confused about what, if anything, I should do to improve my job.

When it came to personal finance, I was no better off. As the child of immigrant parents, I had always been good at saving (sometimes to an extreme), and I certainly wasn't living paycheck to paycheck. Yet money stressed the heck out of me. In fact, any time I wasn't doing work, I was probably freaking out about some aspect of my finances. Along the way, I made all of the textbook money mistakes.

For starters, I was overwhelmed easily. I remember looking blankly at the 25 different investment options available in my 401(k) plan, without the faintest idea of how to even begin figuring out my investment strategy. After agonizing over the decision for months, I decided to throw in the towel and simply put my money equally into four mutual funds that “sounded good.”

I also sought financial guidance from the wrong people, like when I would listen to talking heads on TV to get clues on the direction of the stock market. Even worse, I'd use their often inaccurate predictions to time when I should move my money around. In short, rather than being in control of my finances, I let my finances control me.

Over the last decade, I've gradually made the necessary changes to pave a path that fits my interests, skills, and priorities. Today, I balance a rewarding career at Google with running a financial planning firm that helps others address the same concerns about money that I once faced. I finally feel at peace with both my career and finances.

But the process to get to where I am now certainly wasn't easy. Initially, I was scared to take action and experiment; and once I got going, I failed often. In retrospect, I realize that a lot of my struggles stemmed from viewing my professional and financial needs as isolated parts of my life, rather than two intertwined pieces. Through my work as a financial planner, I see that many of my clients also struggle to reconcile these two issues. I'm guessing that since you're reading this book, you might be in the same situation.

This book is the resource I wish I had in my 20s as I fumbled through trying to optimize my career and finances. Over the course of my writing, I consulted with a variety of experts on work and money who generously shared their insights, including career strategists, financial planners, entrepreneurs, Fortune 500 executives, motivational speakers, recruiters, life coaches, journalists, and bestselling authors. I also delved deep into the research on career and financial issues to look for common threads. All the while, I tried to connect my own journey and those of my financial planning clients with what I had learned from others.

While career and money issues are intrinsically linked, I recognize that a book combining these subjects is not exactly a beach read. In order to cover both topics without making you want to jump in front of a car, I've only provided the information you need to know to see the big picture and take action, rather than bogging you down with all of the minute details. In addition to introducing concepts to you, this book will occasionally use stories from my own or other people's experiences. Although the stories are based on actual events, certain details, such as the names of people, groups, and companies, may have been changed to maintain the privacy of the individual and/or not disclose confidential information.

Consider yourself warned, however, that this book is an active read. In particular, I'll be asking you to answer some questions about your needs and values that you might need to think long and hard about. I'll also provide you with a series of exercises focused on your career and financial situations. I encourage you to put in the time to do this legwork so that you can create a truly customized roadmap for achieving your goals.

I hope you find this book helps you balance your professional and financial decisions for greater stability, satisfaction, and peace. While the road ahead may not always be easy, I can assure you that the payoff is worth it. Because you can work your money, not your life.

Now let me show you how.