When I get jealous of people, I use that envy as a guidepost. Here's how it led me to quit my prestigious Big Law job.

• Cece Xie quit her six-figure lawyer job and became a writer. 
• She says Big Law's unpredictable hours and strong personalities could be mentally challenging.
• Xie says jealousy is a useful guidepost to navigate her career and true desires in life.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Cece Xie, a former Big Law associate at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and Morrison & Foerster LLP. The following has been edited for length and clarity.