I too used to focus on money first. Eventually realised that it didn't make me truly happy. I weaned myself off the money first way of thinking by reducing my

I too used to focus on money first. Eventually realised that it didn't make me truly happy. I weaned myself off the money first way of thinking by reducing my living costs so that I could actually save some money, invest it in real estate. These days I can choose which projects I take on. The funny thing is that since I am not desperate to get any contract, I end up earning more and enjoying the work and the people I work for. Living in high-cost of living areas, like the Bay Area, keeps you running on that money treadmill. You might want to consider moving to a city with lower cost of living.