Young people are told they can do anything, which actually leads to unhappiness as experience their limitations through trial and error. By the time one is in their mid-thirties, you know your limits, know what you're good at, and what brings you joy, so you stop wasting your time on the unnecessary (* excluding the super-genius VC masters of the universe growth mindset hackers among us).
Well I'm nearly 60 and I don't think I know what I'm good at.
I know what I'm good at of the things I've tried, but there's so much I haven't tried.
I'm pretty sure there are things I'd be better at than what I do, but I'm good enough at what I do to earn a pretty good living so that is what I do. I also realize that I'm in a field where even mediocre ability is outlandishly well rewarded, and I try to keep that in mind. There are a lot of people working harder than I do and better and what they do than I am but who are earning a lot less.
I've also accepted that I'll never be able to try everything, and there are some roads I didn't take when I had the chance that are now permanently closed off.
If we can just last a bit longer, you and I, age extension tech may give us an additional 20 to 30 years of healthy living.
If that happens, then in that 30 year period.. anything could happen! More age extension tech, perhaps! Or copying minds to silicon. And if we get that, then it gives time to figure out the reverse.
We're so close to potential immortality. It's as if we're in a desert and we smell water. Is it a mirage, or a lake??
tl;dr self actualization brings happiness