I think that's right, and it is how I feel as well. I find enjoyment and fulfillment in my passion projects, or making things used by friends and family in ways

I think that's right, and it is how I feel as well. I find enjoyment and fulfillment in my passion projects, or making things used by friends and family in ways that they love (home videos on Plex have made me an all star), and that's enough for me. Getting my Arduino to blink for the first time is far more fulfilling than any line of code I've written for work, and while I've liked and sometimes loved my jobs so far (and been lucky in that way), I am well aware that I am a "resource" and must limit how much it impacts me accordingly. Work in the private sector is a means to me having the funds to do the things I want in my private life.