When I was 40 I got a job managing one section of a government research lab in So Cal. Similar to NASA. Spent 6 years with total freedom to buy and build some of the most exotic technology on the planet, I mean this was like working in that movie "the martian". The scientists were all young geniuses who needed me to make their experiments succeed, they were totally dependent on my and I delivered and got the reputation of being a miracle man. I never felt so proud or so necessary. Needless to say, it came to an end because of sleazy government politics.
It's very rare to look back in your life and say "wow, I left something meaningful behind". I had worked in software and digital tech for the rest of my career but those fields are a bit ephemeral....this other job I was building real hardware technology that was uncovering novel science. It was absolutely random chance that I got the job at all and at the time I remember thinking I'd better grab it, despite the relatively low government pay.
Anyway that, and my kids who are amazing, are the only 2 things that really will be left of me someday.
It's very rare to look back in your life and say "wow, I left something meaningful behind". I had worked in software and digital tech for the rest of my career but those fields are a bit ephemeral....this other job I was building real hardware technology that was uncovering novel science. It was absolutely random chance that I got the job at all and at the time I remember thinking I'd better grab it, despite the relatively low government pay.
Anyway that, and my kids who are amazing, are the only 2 things that really will be left of me someday.