You have no interests you would pursue if you were free to spend your time as you wish? I enjoy my work, but there’s a dozen interests I can think of, off-hand, that I would happily enjoy before ever going back to work, given the option.

I like hotrodding cars, but not full time. I take a break from programming to work on my cars now and then.

Fair enough. I have lots of interests, and develop new ones all the time. I’d love to commit more time to my extended family. I have artist and athletic goals I’d spend more time on. I’d probably also go back to school and also do some community work. Programming is challenging and always provides a means of growth, so I could understand not wanting to walk away from it, if you have a way of avoiding burnout.

I haven't burned out from it for 45 years, so doubt that's much of a risk :-)

I could fill ten lifetimes with all the things I want to do other than work. The world is so interesting and there are so many joyous activities I'd like to master, music I want to really hear, books I want to take the time to read and understand properly, history I want to see then ruins of, cultures I'd like to experience, artistic works I want to create. I struggle to keep all these distractions at bay in order to be capable of keeping my job.

I don't want to discourage anyone who loves working and loves their job, but I also wouldn't want anyone to look back on their life and see an emptiness of the richness the world has to offer.

I see my work is an enabler of life experience, but I'm also aware others see their work as the meaning of their lives. Make sure you're happy with wherever you fit on the scale (which it sounds like you are, but maybe look a bit harder at things outside of golf, gardening and grey-haired tourism).

For me, the dopamine hit when I solve a difficult problem solved can be amazing. Though, I find that if I don’t balance it out with other stuff (like golf, travelling, etc.) I tend to burn out a bit. As someone who has solved some incredibly difficult problems, how do you maintain a balance?

Sometimes I just want to work with my hands rather than my head. Then I just go to my car with my tools and work on it.

But it's still creating things, just a different way.

I believe that people were made to work, struggle, and achieve. Idleness and purposelessness kills.

I retired very early. I still write apps and websites, because I have programmed since I was a kid and enjoy it.

I also sail and run and read. But still enjoy programming.

Ok, so you like work. Does that mean you only like work that other people tell you to do? Hobbies are work that you do because you want to, not because you have to.You can have an extremely busy and fulfilling life doing work in exactly the way you like to do it, with no taskmaster. There are plenty of people who 'retire' and do this.

It seems like you maybe took their personal preference as an attack or command?

Yes, sorry this is definitely not fully directed at parent post. I was in fact having an actual conversation with my real life parent recently in which they expressed a similar sentiment and it is baffling to me. Parent post, more politely - can you explain whether you would consider self-directed work to be valid 'work' or not? If not, why? Legitimately trying to understand.