[asphaltgambler]

I've been pondering this as well, reflecting on my life choices, career(s) especially when I was young. It's very easy to be hard on oneself with 100% hindsight vision. I made those choices with the knowledge and desires at the time. Opportunities in the transportation industry seemed limitless. I knew older guys who were good technicians in the 60's/70's/early80's that had homes, families, money, and their own side gig(s) to also support sportsman level drag racing.

This period of time was also the dawn of electronics in automobiles, emission controls, there seemed to be so much technology that was about to be put into place.

So, in my young mind, I could achieve the same, and more. I did not finish college, I was too impatient with making something happen. Being impatient and young was not a good combination as I would often become frustrated when things would not go as planned, and I would abandon whatever project or goal and quickly move on to the next thing, both in my professional and unfortunately, my personal life as well.

My view was / is I would rather be regretful about things I've done in my old age, than things not ventured into.