I doubt this will be seen as there is no notification in HN but this is kind of what I was saying in my comment. the problem is a bit subtle if you think about it, in order to get paid more (& I mean significantly more) you'd have to be much better than others or hit some kind of a niche. issue is that if you are good then you don't necessarily want to stop working (maybe just stop on somebody else's schedule). Now that is fine but our ability to enjoy life or even enjoy work goes down significantly with age almost akin to a 1/x curve. so you are really trading your best years for some money that you may enjoy in later years, because trust me unless you hit some startup jackpot you arn't early retiring under 40. Plus you'd want a family before that at some point.
So then I say a better strategy is to do work that pays above market but you still enjoy instead of something significantly higher paying job that you dont enjoy. Just 2c from a middle aged techie.
It's probably the youngish HN demographic, but I'm not sure where this idea comes from that old people don't enjoy life as much as young people do. It's kind of--insulting I guess, like my brain's ability to feel joy has gotten attenuated at some 1/x curve??? Who told you that's what happens?
The one thing you probably can't 100% count on having the ability to do when you get old is work, which is why it's so important to "make hay while the sun shines" as they say--max that salary while you can. Especially in the tech industry where there's already so much ageism. I am not counting on my ability to pass an interview or actual physical do work, beyond like 60 or so, but still need to financially prepare to live to 90. I think some people on HN just assume they'll be capable of working up until their final day, so why save?
So then I say a better strategy is to do work that pays above market but you still enjoy instead of something significantly higher paying job that you dont enjoy. Just 2c from a middle aged techie.