You're right but it doesn't have to be mutually exclusive. You can have people and things. Sure, there are trade-offs, but it's doable. I'm 26 and my situation

You're right but it doesn't have to be mutually exclusive. You can have people and things. Sure, there are trade-offs, but it's doable. I'm 26 and my situation is nearly identical to the OP, with one big exception: My fiance and I share the same values. And what it really means is just, "do you want the same things out of life." And WRT this subject, we both feel strongly that the surest path to happiness in our careers (and to wealth) is to work for ourselves. It's been 2 years since we made the leap together and it's been successful, if off-the-plan. Her skills compliment mine (She's a great designer and a true people-person). She's done a lot of design and sales work, plus a lot of administrative stuff. We both think that in the long run we'd benefit from having pursuits outside our marriage and once we've reached a point where we can pay for what she brings to the table now at no extra charge, she'll lay the foundation for her own ideas, which we'll fund and persue as quickly as is prudent. There's been snags along the way. There will certainly be more of them. And I lived with a woman for a year and a half prior to meeting my soon-to-be wife and we had none of this shared-values chemistry and that eventually contributed to the hard choice of pursuing our separate paths. Mine led me here, and I couldn't be happier. People are far more important than money. But if you're young and not yet married, without children, without a mortgage, you should ask "do I want to make this sacrifice. Can I find a way to have both." Your life is short. And you get one shot. Don't settle.