[brudgers]

This is an existential crisis.

Acheiving midlife crisis requires actually quitting your socially acceptable job to work on interesting problems without the requirement to be well paid.

So long as being well paid is a criterion, you're stuck doing what other people are interested in. Alas, most other people are mostly interested in making money. While making money is useful, making money is among the less interesting things a person can make...as you know.

What does being well paid actually mean?

Is it measured mostly in money and social standing or autonomy?

Good luck.