After retiring from the corporate world, I now work for myself: I founded and operate an IT support business. There is no longer 50 layers of BS between myself and my customers, in fact there are zero layers.
I’m making a shitpile less money than before, but near-zero stress, and the work is much more satisfying and self-fulfilling, and besides, I don’t really need the extra money anyway due to saving and investing. I also continue to do some computer programming for fun, putting most results into the public domain.
“I’m making a shitpile less money than before, but near-zero stress, and the work is much more satisfying and self-fulfilling, “
Exactly. I’ve got three or four small businesses going, the stress is way down, the creativity way up, no employees. I work my usual 80 hours, but it is almost all fun stuff. Rewarding.