Would you rather have just done work you enjoyed?

[IamDavin]

I would like to get some different perspectives from those that have reached FI. 

Say someone is 30 years old and getting a late start on FI, and had about 10 years to go of working a job they weren’t crazy about.

After reading MMM posts and others it seems as though those that are FI continue to work doing things they enjoy.

My question: Is the 10 years spent in a career that drains the person worth it for FI, or would that person be better off just lowering their expenses and doing work they enjoy now.. even if that means they may never be “financially independent”?

Just living a simple low cost lifestyle and doing things they enjoy. (downside would probably be occasionally being stressed about finances. Not having the peace of mind FI probably brings.)

[avrex]

This sounds like the 'starving artist' dilemma.

I think if you can find a 'job' that provides you with a reasonable level of happiness (even if it's low paying), then yes, there's no need to rush to FI.

********

For my personal situation....

I am not financially independent yet (but I'm almost there).
I have lots of interests....., i.e. things I'd rather be doing with my time.
However, none of these 'interests' would ever pay me a salary.

Therefore I must continue to work at something that is 'draining' and doesn't interest me.

The good news, is that I will achieve freedom soon.  In my case, the sacrifice is worth it.

[Mr. Green]

There's so many details that, depending on what they were, could change one's answer to that question. A lot of it depends on what you want. Some folks just want to be able to do work they enjoy. Personally, I want FREEDOM. I want FI so what I do is 100% at my discretion. So I wanted the job that got me there the quickest. If you just wanted enjoyable work I suppose it would still matter how much less the enjoyable work pays but if you didn't necessarily care about FI then maybe a job that drains you for a decade isn't worth it. It's kinda hard to say without more detail.

[Financial.Velociraptor]

I didn't perform in a way that accelerated my earnings until I found something I could partly enjoy and otherwise tolerate.  So yeah, enjoying the journey should be an important consideration.

[Bolshevik Artizan]

I spent 23 years doing something I disliked (10 years family pressure and 10 years supporting wife and her extended family) and wish I hadn't. However, as the things I love pay almost nothing at all without hefty moral compromise... it's complicated. I think in the end I still wish I hadn't done the unlikeable job, since it also isn't very well respected. Anyway, done now and 46 years old, God willing another 20-30 years to make a difference doing the things I love...

[forummm]

I haven't gotten to FI yet. And I wish I knew the answer to this question for myself. For me at least, life is too complicated to know what the right path was. This one is working out OK, even if I really dislike certain aspects of it. And if I'd taken a different path, there would be things about it that I would have disliked too, and would always have a part of me that regretted not going on the path I did take. The grass is always greener.

Just consider your options and then make your best judgment. That's all any of us can do. And you're already a leg up on most people because you are considering all of these things. Good luck to you, whatever route you take!

[bobechs]

Employers are usually not willing to pay much for work that is generally regarded as enjoyable -- they seem to feel they shouldn't, perhaps because they have no difficulty filling positions even at low compensation levels.  If the work is easy too, the applicants might work for free or near to it.

They have a harder time with work that calls for special talents, expensive education and qualifying experience.  It gets even harder when the work itself is also dirty, or dangerous, or soul-crushing drudgery.  Without changing the job fundamentally (or automating it out of existence) the path of least resistance is to pay more to draw people into the career.  This tends to draw people who either love the high pay so they can spend it immediately or people who plan to bank it and be gone when they have made their nut.

That last group are incipient mustachians, whether they know it or not. 

It would be nice if there was a fourth category; people with easy-to-get, high-paying, satisfying -or at least fun- jobs.  Maybe a princess-unicorn jockey, or making hats out of rainbow kitten fur and selling them on etsy to eager millionaires.

[azure975]

If I were able to find work that I enjoyed that was lower paying, I would prefer to do that and work longer. However, I have not been able to find that despite changing careers several times. People who enjoy their jobs are lucky.

[Frankies Girl]

I did work at a lower wage at a job I enjoyed...for a while. After so long, even if you started out okay, it gets old fast when you're just plodding along and it is a matter of "have to" rather than "want to."

[steveo]

I did work at a lower wage at a job I enjoyed...for a while. After so long, even if you started out okay, it gets old fast when you're just plodding along and it is a matter of "have to" rather than "want to."

This is my concern about doing work that I enjoy. I think I'd still prefer not to go to work at all.

[arebelspy]

I would not work a job I didn't enjoy, except in the case people I was responsible for were starving.  This possibility seems extremely implausible to me (i.e. I could find a job I did enjoy, to provide, before having to resort to that).

If I could FIRE in 2 years from a job I didn't like, or 10 from a job I did... I would not work a job I didn't enjoy.  Literally trading years of my life for mere money is not something I'm willing to do, except in the most extreme of circumstances.

[Dee18]

Making hats out of rainbow kitten fur.....now that's a job I wouldn't take, no matter how great the pay. 

[retired?]

Had this conversation recently.  Higher pay usually requires dealing with more stress (aside from a greater skill set).

I met with old friends from grad school.  One asked, knowing I had taken the stressful more $$ route, if I would choose that again.  I think I replied that I would have taken 1/2 pay for a non-stress job.

I quit after 13 years in industry.  I think I would have preferred a job that I was willing to do for 30 years and which paid 13/30 the amount.  i.e. Same total pay, more enjoyable, less stress and therefore probably better health.  It's somewhat ironic.  The high paying job allowed me to quit, but I'd like to stay busy.  As I consider other, less stressful jobs, I have to lie about previous income since no one believes I will stay with the lower pay.  No one accepts that $$ is not the most important factor and that you want good co-workers and an interesting place to work.

It's the old "find a job you love and you'll never work a day in your life".  I'd work to 70+ in the right role. 

[mxt0133]

Had this conversation recently.  Higher pay usually requires dealing with more stress (aside from a greater skill set).

I met with old friends from grad school.  One asked, knowing I had taken the stressful more $$ route, if I would choose that again.  I think I replied that I would have taken 1/2 pay for a non-stress job.

I quit after 13 years in industry.  I think I would have preferred a job that I was willing to do for 30 years and which paid 13/30 the amount.  i.e. Same total pay, more enjoyable, less stress and therefore probably better health.  It's somewhat ironic.  The high paying job allowed me to quit, but I'd like to stay busy.  As I consider other, less stressful jobs, I have to lie about previous income since no one believes I will stay with the lower pay.  No one accepts that $$ is not the most important factor and that you want good co-workers and an interesting place to work.

It's the old "find a job you love and you'll never work a day in your life".  I'd work to 70+ in the right role.

The problem is sometime you can't always work until the age you want to.  Happened to my dad, was happy working 30 low stress hours a week.  Until health conditions forced him to stop.  Luckily he has has enough to stop before full retirement age and has my mom whole will keep working for another year or two.

[Cassie]

Both my Dad and my FIL worked jobs they disliked for 30+ years but they were both such happy men that you would have never known it. I found out from the wives when I was an adult.  They both found satisfaction in helping others, hobbies, volunteer work, etc. I have had some jobs I hated but was lucky enough to finally get the education to work in a job I loved. While I always loved the job sometimes I hated the bureaucracy of the state.  LIfe is about trade-offs and you have to decide for yourself what it is that you are willing to do. 

[deborah]

For a lot of us, I think that the job was enjoyable - at first. And then office politics got in the way and management, and the work environment became less and less enjoyable, until it was a real struggle to keep on. I don't think I would have had a different career, just a shorter one (it took me a while to realise I could have retired years before I did).

[Dee18]

Every time I see the heading of this thread I think how lucky I have been to make a good income at work I have truly enjoyed.  This is why I often cringe at the "college (or grad school) isn't worth it" comments I sometimes see on MMM.  Without my graduate degree I could have probably gone to work in corporate America, made a as much money as I have in what would have been a soul sucking job for me, and then retired.  Thanks to my graduate degree, that I pursued not for money but because I thought it seemed interesting at the time, I have had an interesting career that has led me to the very pleasant position of being a SWAMI, with a comfortable financial position.

[forummm]

For a lot of us, I think that the job was enjoyable - at first. And then office politics got in the way and management, and the work environment became less and less enjoyable, until it was a real struggle to keep on. I don't think I would have had a different career, just a shorter one (it took me a while to realise I could have retired years before I did).

Or you thought it was going to be enjoyable. But that never quite happened like you thought it would. And all the other negatives (bad management, bureaucracy, countervailing forces, etc) just defeated you.

[2Birds1Stone]

I would have to at least enjoy some aspects of my job to continue doing it. If I get bored with something I tend to seek new opportunities. The bigger the pile of FU money and the larger the skill set I have the more interesting opportunities seem to present themselves.

I feel extremely lucky that I enjoy 75% of my job and get compensated relatively highly for my work. I expect to get bored in 1-2 more years in this role, at which time I will try to change my gig a bit.

[justajane]

I did work at a lower wage at a job I enjoyed...for a while. After so long, even if you started out okay, it gets old fast when you're just plodding along and it is a matter of "have to" rather than "want to."

This is my thought process. Just because you love something doesn't mean you're going to love doing it all day every day. Or that you will enjoy it 10 years out. Or that the low pay won't eventually affect your morale, even though you are Mustachian and can live on that diminished amount.

I pursued graduate school because I loved reading and talking about ideas. By the end of it (a decade of my life), I was tired of all that bullshit. The low stipend didn't bother me as much as the fact that I read and talked about ideas all damned day long. It started to wear on me. Even good things get old when you have to do them.

[mskyle]

I feel like a lot of people assume there is some sort of inverse correlation between a job's enjoyableness/difficulty and its salary, but that just hasn't been my experience. I've had good-paying jobs that were fun, bad-paying jobs that were miserable, and everything else in between.

Right now I'm getting paid more than I ever have and I would say I like my job about as much as any full-time job I've ever had. I don't work any harder or work longer hours than I did at the job I had five years ago, which I didn't particularly like and which paid about 60% of what I earn now. Oh and that other job required a masters' degree; my current job does not! Probably my worst job was my first job out of college, which was very poorly paid, mentally and physically difficult, required lots of work outside of regular hours, and had the worst boss ever. I mean I know I was young and I was supposed to be paying my dues, but it was ridiculous.

I used to have a part-time job that I loved even though it didn't pay very well, but I wouldn't have wanted to work at that place full-time because that would have meant getting involved with a lot of higher-level organizational politics that I could see were a disaster from my part-time position.

I guess if someone offered me a low-paying job that I really loved doing and a higher-paid job that I hated doing, I would actually have to make that choice... but it's never come down to that for me.

[effigy98]

I would take the highest paid job I could tolerate and FI sooner, if it passes the cannot tolerate threshold, switch to something else. Money gives you freedom and better opportunities down the road. There are very few people who enjoy their job (that would do it for free), being happy is a very unreasonable standard for most people to judge their jobs with.

[Cannot Wait!]

The best thing about living the MMM way is that you are actually contemplating these questions rather than buying into mainstream norms.  MMM lived frugally and worked at a high paying job until he didn't want to do that anymore.  He learned about investing,  he found other work that was more enjoyable to him (his house building co.).  That fell apart with his partner.  He found other work in the form of carpentry which he now enjoys.  When he doesn't enjoy that anymore, he will find something else that he enjoys and it will undoubtedly make him money.  Just like writing the blog did.  He never said to do something you hate just for the sake of making money.  He said to be smart with your time and money and figure out what truly makes you happy (odds are it won't be consumerism!).  Be healthy, learn skills, be creative, be flexible, appreciate and take care of Mother Nature. 
Enjoy your life as much as you can today.  It's more important to live frugally and know how to invest than to make a huge salary.  You never know what life is going to throw at you.  Imagine working at a toxic job for 10 years then dying.    Or putting off kids till you got to a certain dollar figure, then have it be too late.  Or have your marriage breakdown because your priority was making money.  Or spending your best years in a cubicle rather than out in the playground that is this earth. 
Prioritize what is most important to you in life and get at that.
 

[rob/d]

 I make note that jobs 1,2 and 4 of mine were all enjoyable to begin with but after a few years changed into something else , to a degree at which I would leave .
 12 years ,8 years and 14 years for job 1, 2 and 4.  9 weeks for job 3 ! My goodness job 3 was crap.
 My brother keeps a job  only as long as he likes it and drops a bad job within seconds of not liking it. I thought I was right and he was wrong but,nope ,he's the one with a smile on his face and loves his work as a truck driver .His theory , every job has a sell by date , pay attention ,work happy.

[Moustachienne]

The best thing about living the MMM way is that you are actually contemplating these questions rather than buying into mainstream norms.  MMM lived frugally and worked at a high paying job until he didn't want to do that anymore.  He learned about investing,  he found other work that was more enjoyable to him (his house building co.).  That fell apart with his partner.  He found other work in the form of carpentry which he now enjoys.  When he doesn't enjoy that anymore, he will find something else that he enjoys and it will undoubtedly make him money.  Just like writing the blog did.  He never said to do something you hate just for the sake of making money.  He said to be smart with your time and money and figure out what truly makes you happy (odds are it won't be consumerism!).  Be healthy, learn skills, be creative, be flexible, appreciate and take care of Mother Nature. 
Enjoy your life as much as you can today.  It's more important to live frugally and know how to invest than to make a huge salary.  You never know what life is going to throw at you.  Imagine working at a toxic job for 10 years then dying.    Or putting off kids till you got to a certain dollar figure, then have it be too late.  Or have your marriage breakdown because your priority was making money.  Or spending your best years in a cubicle rather than out in the playground that is this earth. 
Prioritize what is most important to you in life and get at that.

I love this comment.

[soccerluvof4]

Having my own business it was fun in the beginning but as it grew, more and more employees meant more and more headaches I started to hate it. I stuck around way to long but that was more because I was a spender. Had i known what i know now 10 years and gone.

[jim555]

Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and hunker down to get the money to FIRE with.  I would rather get it out of the way.  If working a job I enjoyed meant not retiring until 65-67 I would rather just suck it up and get out at 49, which is what I did.

[dude]

I think I'd rather work at a sub-optimal job that pays really well in order to be free from work entirely, than to have taken the ideal job and worked it forever.  For me, the ideal job is as a climbing guide (rock/ice/mountaineering), but nobody gets into that game to get rich.  Some do reasonably well, though most generally have supportive spouses who make good money and have good benefits. Guiding is physically tough work, and most guides I know don't have any kind of retirement plan.  I prefer the security (however illusory that may be in this day and age) to the uncertainty, so that's just my personality. I had the great fortuity to stumble into my career 18+ years ago.  With 3 years to go, I'll have worked for a living (more or less, not counting time in the military and college/summer jobs) for only 22 years or so, with the benefit of a pension, excellent reasonably priced health care for life, a 401k (that was generously matched) and Social Security. Then I'm free to do the dream job (climbing guide, maybe throw in some ski patrol, personal training, dive instructor,  other random fun stuff) until I feel like it's become a job and then I can just live a life of leisure.

[IamDavin]

Thanks for the posts so far everyone!  It's great to get here your perspective esp. if you're FI and have the experience.

I wanted to add that thanks to another person on the forum I got the book: Job Free: Four Ways to Quit the Rat Race and Achieve Financial Freedom on Your Terms

It talks about these different paths and the pros, cons, and who is suited for each.

1.  Extreme saving - sounds like most on here
2. Unjobbing/freelancing - Project by project basis with things you enjoy, this is what I'm leaning towards
3. Lifestyle business - where you run a solo company to live off profits
4. Start Up Business - goal is to sell and become FIRE

It's a good read for any reading this that are not FI yet and contemplating which path to take.

Thanks again for the feedback and if anyone else would like to share their story/experience, please do. 

[Metric Mouse]

I can't imagine working a job I didn't enjoy just for money...

[azure975]

I can't imagine working a job I didn't enjoy just for money...

What if there are no jobs you enjoy?

[arebelspy]

I can't imagine working a job I didn't enjoy just for money...

What if there are no jobs you enjoy?

Then I wouldn't do them.

[arebelspy]

I can't imagine working a job I didn't enjoy just for money...

but if you knew you could retire or just be FI in 10 years and never have to work again vs. say working 30 years longer in a job you liked would that change your mind? I'd probably try to find a compromise but if there was that big a gap I'd probably do the high paying crappy job (even if located in a crappy area) and try to become FI in 5 years instead of 10.

If you can FI in half your theoretical time on the expensive job (i.e. you propose 10, then suddenly say you could do it in 5), why not the same with the enjoyable job (i.e. you propose 30, why not say "I'd do it in 15")?

[deborah]

I can't imagine working a job I didn't enjoy just for money...

but if you knew you could retire or just be FI in 10 years and never have to work again vs. say working 30 years longer in a job you liked would that change your mind? I'd probably try to find a compromise but if there was that big a gap I'd probably do the high paying crappy job (even if located in a crappy area) and try to become FI in 5 years instead of 10.

Once, at work, we had a class on career planning. We looked at what was important to us - our core values, our skills... - and worked out how much our current job satisfied those needs. Then we looked at future jobs - the ultimate, the dream job, and the next rung up to the ultimate , and how those would satisfy our needs.

The facilitator noted that for a lot of people, the next job wouldn't be as good a fit as either the ultimate job or our current job, and that this could cause us to remain on that rung, because it is hard to be as productive if you don't like the work as much.

It appears to me that if you are not liking a job, 5 years can appear to be a longer time that 10 years at a job which is a better fit.

[BFGirl]

The nice thing about working a shorter time at the crappy job is that you are FI quicker.  Then you can pursue the job you love and when it becomes crappy, you can quit :)  Even dream jobs can become a nightmare due to personnel or other changes in the workplace.

[Metric Mouse]

I can't imagine working a job I didn't enjoy just for money...

but if you knew you could retire or just be FI in 10 years and never have to work again vs. say working 30 years longer in a job you liked would that change your mind? I'd probably try to find a compromise but if there was that big a gap I'd probably do the high paying crappy job (even if located in a crappy area) and try to become FI in 5 years instead of 10.

It would not be worth working a soul-sucking job for a decade. Financial Independence does not rate so highly on my list of life goals that I would 'write off' a decade of my happiness for a few hundred thousand USD.

[forummm]

I can't imagine working a job I didn't enjoy just for money...

but if you knew you could retire or just be FI in 10 years and never have to work again vs. say working 30 years longer in a job you liked would that change your mind? I'd probably try to find a compromise but if there was that big a gap I'd probably do the high paying crappy job (even if located in a crappy area) and try to become FI in 5 years instead of 10.

It would not be worth working a soul-sucking job for a decade. Financial Independence does not rate so highly on my list of life goals that I would 'write off' a decade of my happiness for a few hundred thousand USD.

If the difference after 10 years was only a few hundred grand, given 10 years of investing the savings, the difference in pay between the jobs probably wasn't very much.

[Livewell]

I wouldn't ever do a job a hate, however I think most people will never find a job they love.  You can love parts of it but it's so rare to come across someone that loves everything about their job. 

I would add to those reading this trying to figure out their next steps that I believe a leveraged job is something to consider for a mustachian.  I've worked a commission only job for some time, which long before I discovered this site taught me the value of time, living on no income, and living below ones means.  I think these types of jobs (typically sales) can also be ones where you set your own schedule, have minimum management overhead, where you are not in an office all day, and if your successful very high paying.  Yes it's not perfect and I still want to FIRE, however this job gives me a sense of freedom and enpowerment I enjoy.  For those less sales inclined but still technical, there are  sales engineering roles out there that enjoy similar benefits (although not as leveraged for upside).

[Livewell]

Also like to add Todd Tresidder has a good podcast on following your passion (or not) at https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-financial-mentor-podcast/id716934852?mt=2&i=285074504

[bluecollarmusician]

Another interesting facet to this question is that we don't generally have a 100% like vs. 100% dislike option. 
What about staying in a job you like 80% of?

What about learning to like the good things about a job you don't particularly care for?

And one last thought- money might help you sleep better, but it doesn't keep you warm at night (although it might pay the heat bill ;) )

What I mean is-not having money can make you unhappy--- but don't fantasize that FI will make you happy.  All it does is give you some freedom from *having to* work. 

[Metric Mouse]

Another interesting facet to this question is that we don't generally have a 100% like vs. 100% dislike option. 
What about staying in a job you like 80% of?

What about learning to like the good things about a job you don't particularly care for?

And one last thought- money might help you sleep better, but it doesn't keep you warm at night (although it might pay the heat bill ;) )

What I mean is-not having money can make you unhappy--- but don't fantasize that FI will make you happy.  All it does is give you some freedom from unwanted work.  If you can have freedom from unwanted work by doing something you like why wouldn't you do that?

In my view, I would say a job I like 80% of is pretty good. There are things about being retired that I don't like - dishes, laundry, washing windows, driving in traffic, waiting in lines. I would agree not every single task one has to do in life is perfectly pleasant, and people who think that changes when you're FI are going to be disappointed.

[mak1277]

I don't think I can imagine a job that I would enjoy doing...eventually (sooner than later) I would stop liking whatever it was I was doing simply due to the fact that I was forced to do it.  Fact is, I just don't like working.

Therefore, my goal is to get to FIRE so I can do more of the things I do like to do...whenever I want to do them (as opposed to now when I can pretty much only pursue my hobbies two days a week and on vacation).

[BFGirl]

I don't think I can imagine a job that I would enjoy doing...eventually (sooner than later) I would stop liking whatever it was I was doing simply due to the fact that I was forced to do it.  Fact is, I just don't like working.

Therefore, my goal is to get to FIRE so I can do more of the things I do like to do...whenever I want to do them (as opposed to now when I can pretty much only pursue my hobbies two days a week and on vacation).

Me too.  :)

[forummm]

Another interesting facet to this question is that we don't generally have a 100% like vs. 100% dislike option. 
What about staying in a job you like 80% of? 

And there's also the risk factor of making a job change. You don't know if you'll like it 50% or 85%. I have things I like and dislike about my job. Some of those dislikes are going to stay the same at another job (like I have to show up there all the time and wear certain clothes and pretend to like people) and some are going to be replaced with new dislikes I can't predict. It's so hard to know whether switching is the right move or not.

[Bikeguy]

Interesting discussion.

I am FI, and am choosing to keep working because I enjoy my job.  So, it is possible.   

I worked at several sub optimal jobs before this one.

When something really excites me, I will leave. 

The stress is definitely decreased with FI.

I can't imagine having a choice of a job I like and a job I don't and ever picking the one I don't for the extra money.

[Urchina]

I made this decision as an undergrad. I chose a major and a career path with modest (if you're lucky) pay but excellent karma (public health). I consciously chose a life of frugality so that I could pursue this beloved but famously low-paid career.

It turns out that I have an aptitude for a section of my field that results on a living wage,  but it took me several years to find it. I love my work and plan to work for years yet. FI is a goal but RE is not. I'm so glad my entire working career has been in a field where I feel positive about my contributions to the community I live in.

[randymarsh]

This is where FU money comes in handy. It's much quicker to save up enough money that allows you a lot of flexibility in choosing the job you want than saving for full FI.

My last job was perfect if you had cash saved up but were trying to downshift for a bit. Low pay, but great life benefits. 15 days PTO + 2 weeks Christmas + 1 week spring break + federal holidays + 3 days Thanksgiving + 2 weeks summer break. Pension plan with the ability to do a 401k or 403b. $200/month for FSA and Aflac if you opted out of medical insurance. Nice office.

[avrex]

Another interesting facet to this question is that we don't generally have a 100% like vs. 100% dislike option. 
What about staying in a job you like 80% of?

I've had jobs that I've liked 70% and jobs that I've only liked 30%...

... but, I know I will like FIRE 100% 

[Mmm_Donuts]

I think about this question a lot. Actually, I've been wrapping my head around it and restructuring my life around this for the past 20 years.

I went to art school, fully intending to be a starving artist. Then I got offered a job doing commercial art, and took it, due to panic and stresses (mostly external) over money. I guess I thought I could do art in my spare time. Well, the commercial gig took over my life and I soon felt I had to dedicate body and soul to it.

A few years later I felt like the old artist me was slipping. The drive and passion I felt in making art was waning away. My solution at the time was to go freelance, so I could do both, and set my own schedule. When I was in a commercial job, I could give it my all, but in my down time I could create my own work. Well, that worked out ok, but I also had dreams of FI so oftentimes, money drove most of my choices, and trumped the time I could have taken to do artistic work.

Fast forward to today, and I've had a few successes and now consider myself an emerging artist (and am considered this by my peers in the field.) so I do have a career ahead of me, albeit a low earning one. I foresee myself doing what I love for the next 20 years. However I'm still slightly tied to the commercial work. We are not 100% FI yet so there are certain gigs that I enjoy that I'll take on if I feel lacking in cash.

It's been such a struggle to balance these two needs - the need to create and the need to earn money. I'm so close now to shutting the doors on ALL commercial work. I have a big project that I'm working on, my own project, and in the meantime the commercial gigs are winding down. I am looking forward to the day when I can do 100% my own work, maybe in the next couple of years. But I would not have been able to do this if I had focused on commercial work exclusively for the entire 20 years. It would have eaten my soul, and in retirement I'd have nothing left. As it stands now, it feels like I'm just ramping up, just getting started on a career I can pour my heart into and enjoy the hell out of.

[bluecollarmusician]

mmm_donuts....
sounds like you have found a good balance.