The question is up to you. Are you happy?

I switched careers at age 28. Was making almost $100k a year in the late '70's, which was fairly good then. Realized that I enjoyed flying more and took two years off and retrained myself. The first few years at work were tough but it worked out in the end. Now the money is very good and I love my job.

I am very happy and thats what matters...

Joe A

To love what you do and be paid well for doing it. That’s rich.

A real good friend and me used to go gold panning in CA. Never found much. He took a couple of years off, couldn't talk about what he was doing. He was on the history channel last night. He went out prospecting for lost treasure. Found it. The USS Central America. Largest lost treasure find in history. He might be rich. They found almost 2 TONs of proof quality gold coins from the SF mint. Some have sold for $100Kea. They are advertised on tv a lot if you want to buy one.

He is back to doing what he was before he found gold, engineering. Made some presentations to my kids’ classes and to schools when he had time. Still does on occasion.

??..snowman..is that a ship? lol. anyway, bet it's a great feeling finding treasure..no matter what it is.
ryan

"Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea" is detailed story of the expedition. great reading

Just out of college at the age of 22 (late '60's), he started out buying/selling single family fixer-upper homes for a year or two. A foreclosure here/there. One foreclosure was a huge new house on 30+ acres in the Los Altos Hills for $180k, bought directly from the owner back in the early '70's (He tells of taking title at the owner's front door - he didn't really, but one of his favorite stories). He lived there until two years ago, sold it for $7+ million.

From fixer-uppers, he moved into buying up fruit orchards in the Santa Clara Valley for development.
Bought/sold businesses along the way. Gathered savvy on the stock market and made gobs 'o moolah during the Silicon Valley dot com frenzy.

He now loans money and works about as much as I do...6 - 8 hrs./week, except that he has far more zeros after his dollar figures.

Wow, I must be fricken' loaded then.:D
Don't tell my wife :eek:

I seriously love what I do. If I were independantly wealthy, I'd do it for free.

Hmm...Let's see.
You love your work, have 2 homes, have toys/perks, unmarried, and make ~$16+k/mo.
What's the "private practice"?
What is it that you don't have now that you figure the private practice will bring?