>> If you have the privilege to choose what game to play, I recommend picking not by the rewards of the game – but based on how you like the rules of the game.

It's kinda both though isn't it? Sure we all want to play the game with the "right rules", but at the same time I also care deeply about the rewards - I want time with the family, I don't want to worry about money every night, and so on.

But I agree, rules first. You can live on less money, but bad jobs destroy the soul.

I would add this. Wherever you end up, understand that there are rules. They may not be intuitive. They may not be logical. But they exist. Don't assume. If you don't like the rules, or can't do the rules, change the game - you're not going to change the rules (and fighting to do so is exhausting.)

For reference, I've spent my whole career building boring Crud apps in a language you've never heard of. It's not sexy, but it's given me a great life - more than I would have hoped for.