Ah, this seems to be the root of the problem: trying to min/max life. This is a problem I associate with a purely empirical/rational worldview, which is the current societal norm and is therefore encouraged as the ultimate.
I'd like to posit that "back in the day", people's lives had reached a max in their 20's after they finished school, got a job (unionized and/or indefinite contract), got married, bought a house, started having kids, etc.
Nowadays, school will take longer because you need it to make a decent living - there's too many low paid jobs. Second, to get married and buy a house and such, you need a decent income. To get that, you either need a high education and live in an area where you can use that, or work multiple jobs and have no time for a social life, or be lucky and get a middle class paying jobs in an affordable area.
So it's not just a personal choice from ambition, like you're suggesting, but it's also that the previous generation had it easier. They had the option to work where they live, to buy a house off of that money, and do it all before their 30's.
They later get two internship offers: one from a no name local place where the internship is data science (which they want), but the other is at Googazon Faceple chasing birds off the property. The student inevitably has a meltdown, because they want the prestige of a big four.
This isn't to say that there is inherently anything wrong with trying to min/max life. You'll have a better time (to a point) when you make more money. But let's not forget that if you're spending 5 years in misery for little gain, that's 5 years you aren't getting back.
You only get one life. Enjoy it.
What I mean is that you don't always have to hit max to be satisfied. Don't get so bogged down in the details that you come up for air after you've hit 50.
My cousin lives in Texas, where I had a glimpse of what it was like back in the day. Her 2000 sqft house cost 200k, and she paid it off on a 50k salary. She lives very well, and has no financial worries; life is a bit boring for her.
If I were to buy the equivalent house in my current city, it would cost 20x as much. And it's not just housing that's skyrocketed, it's every aspect of modern day living.
It's truly a multi-decade goal, and min maxing is important to being able to achieve it.
I'm not a min/maxing person, but I do find value out of min/maxing, especially with local optima.
Min/maxing is a great tool in combination with strong personalized value systems, feelings, and a determined will to make your life your own.
I see no problem with trying to min/max life, unless you're philosophically opposed to the systemic issues that a min/maxing society generates.