I have been a skilled tradesman for over 30 years. Have had side hustles since i was a teenager, so i know what it means to go the extra mile to achieve some personal peace and a healthy work/ life balance. I have been in leadership positions many times over the years, and know what management entails.
Am meeting the owners in an hour to tell them i do not want to be in charge of anybody except myself. They will not pay me enough, and our people principles do not align enough to allow for compromise. Retirement is 5 years away and they can have me as long as the checks are good.
My suggestion to all the young people who are struggling: There will always be a struggle. Try to find a healthy balance, work it hard in your 20s-30s, become enough of an expert in your field that you maintain marketable skills and never let the bastards get you.