Many Americans would accept a job offer that pays over $500,000 a year without batting an eye.

But for married doctors Mel and Babu, the decision isn't that simple. The 33-year-olds currently earn about $270,000 a year with Mel working as a full-time physician and Babu finishing up training, the couple recently told Ramit Sethi on his "I Will Teach You to be Rich" podcast. The couple's last names were not used.

Babu is deciding between a few different full-time job offers for when his training is complete. The highest one would pay him around $42,000 a month, bringing the couple's total gross income to over $700,000 a year. The problem is, it would require the couple to move, so Mel would have to find a new job.

At first glance, it might seem like a small price to pay to earn more than enough money, especially since the offer includes job search support for Mel. The couple would be able to quickly meet their financial goals of retiring in their 40s and having $10 million invested. 

Babu has another offer, though, that would see him earning a smaller, but still large salary of around $30,000 a month. Taking this job would allow the couple to remain in their current location and let Mel stay at her job, which she would prefer. The couple initially relocated for Babu to complete his training. Now that he's almost finished, Mel is keen to stay put for a while.

Importantly, they can meet their goals either way, Sethi pointed out. So, should they feel compelled to take the highest salary available anyway?

"What if you both earn enough?" Sethi asked on the podcast. 

Here's why Mel and Babu are struggling with the decision and the factors Sethi said are most important to consider.

'Master your money psychology'

Sethi laid a lot of praise on Mel and Babu throughout the podcast episode because of the methodical and disciplined way they think about money. The couple spends about "three to four hours a day" talking about money, they told Sethi. 

And despite already having a relatively high income, they choose to live frugally, spending just $2,350 a month on rent — around 10% of their monthly income. They don't plan to increase that even if Babu takes the higher salary offer. 

"The two of you excel in structured ways of thinking," Sethi told them. "This [decision] is becoming difficult because this is the first time that maximization purely based on numbers may not be the only way to look at the solution."

What it really comes down to is their "money psychology," as Sethi called it. The decision isn't just about the dollar figures, it's about the attitudes and fears they already have regarding money.

The higher income would allow Mel and Babu to save and invest even more to hit their $10 million net worth goal as quickly as possible. That would help them achieve other goals too, such as taking care of their parents and retiring early.

But even in that scenario, it appeared to Sethi that Mel would still be stressed out about money. She told Sethi that despite the couple having over $300,000 in the bank between savings and investments, she's still nervous it's not enough.

"What I see that's missing is a true rich life vision," Sethi said. "You're really adept at the numbers and projecting, no doubts about that. But what is it all for? What does $120,000 in savings get you? What does $10 million get you? You might think it'll make you feel safe, but that's not really compelling."

Seeing the projections for each salary offer in their spreadsheet helped put Mel and Babu at ease about having their immediate financial needs met. But they still worry about the "what ifs," which make it hard to quit chasing a higher salary, even if they'd be comfortable on a lower one.

"Even though the numbers look great on paper, life happens," Mel said. "I think that's why we feel so much pressure to get to our goal as quickly as possible."

Designing their rich life: 'A savings account cannot be the end goal'

There are always things that can come up in the future, such as a medical emergency or job loss. But life isn't all about being in the best possible financial position, Sethi told Babu and Mel.

"I see this [$10 million] number, and I think, 'I can't wait 12 years to finally begin feeling good. I can't wait 12 years to live my rich life,'" Sethi said.

He reminded the couple of the accomplishments they've already achieved — earning excellent GPAs in college, completing medical school and obtaining incredibly competitive job offers. "What other things do you need before you give yourself permission to finally accept that your rich life starts now?" Sethi asked.

Ultimately, Sethi can't make the decision for Mel and Babu. But he encouraged them to do some self reflection to identify the things in life that bring them the most joy and figure out how to maximize those moments, rather than just maximizing their net worth.

"Yes, you can save enough to build a financial fortress, but a fortress or a savings account cannot be the end goal," Sethi said. "You've got to enjoy the journey because as Mel said, 'tomorrow's not guaranteed.'" 

Want to land your dream job in 2024? Take CNBC's new online course How to Ace Your Job Interview to learn what hiring managers are really looking for, body language techniques, what to say and not to say, and the best way to talk about pay. Get started today and save 50% with discount code EARLYBIRD.