[MattSayar]

So how did you get to fifty without burning out? The advice I've always seen is a mix of: have a healthy work/life balance, exercise, find satisfaction outside of work, enjoy people more than products, and make sure you actually like what you do and where you do it. Anything else?

[blisper]

In my personal experience, resisting the urge/pressure to get into management (vs. staying in engineering). Management in a larger setup invariably involves having political skills of some sort.

[jackbravo]

sounds like you have all the right parts identified. Now its only a matter of doing it =P, best of lucks!