My biggest flaw is I'm not a 501 programmer and I will accidentally choose an opportunity that lights my passion but doesn't pay my bills. I've done that in the past and to be clear it was very painful and soul crushing and something I do not want to repeat again in my life.

I know more than most people that more money will not make you happy.. I've been in tech for 30 years and I've had all sorts of levels of compensation, failures and successes. Always the differentiators have been: The people I work with, the passion I feel for the problems we are trying to solve and the acknowledgment I get for my contribution.

Money is just a version of acknowledgement but clearly not the most soul fulfilling type. The respect of my peers and the opportunity to learn and work on solving big problems are much more rewarding. But to do all those things I need to pay my bills and put some away for my later years when I wont have the same earning power.