To me, it's all about lifestyle design and being intentional & thoughtful with your decisions. That's not to say you won't make mistakes, but getting to know yourself, your goals, and course correcting when you do.
I guess I'm semi-retired in a way, in that I'm FI at my current spending level but am working because one day soon I want a horse, and a dog, and a baby or two, oh and a husband somewhere in there, I guess!
Looking to the future, I had two equally feasible options. I could a) slave at a corporation for 5-6 years, living as mustachian as possible and saving every single cent to reach my FIRE number and then potentially be done forever or b) choose an occupation that perhaps was not as stable income-wise but would offer me independence & the freedom to work as little or as much as I wanted. I initially chose A, but after the course of a few months, felt chained and miserable, as if my time and my life were not my own. Partially it had to do with the occupation (lots of regulatory and compliance red tape) but also I just realized it wasn't the right choice for ME and the lifestyle I wanted.
So, now I'm pursuing path B. Most opt not to pursue this path because the income is not guaranteed, since it is 100% commissions (real estate agent). However, I have the freedom to create my business how I want it to be. I can pursue whichever opportunities I choose, freely. I can travel without having to worry about emptying my vacation bank. Furthermore, I feel that this can be something I do for the rest of my working life... rather than being chained to it for 5 years.
Like my signature says... it's about the journey, not the destination. I didn't want to spend 5 years of my life being unhappy, even if it meant I could never work again afterwards. It's not really my style. So I made the decision that was right for me.
At the end of the day, it's your life, and the beauty of it is you have the power to direct it the way you want. Sometimes, you just have to jump and do what you think will make you happiest :)