I can relate. I just read this at 3am while trying to stop wondering what to do with my life. I had the childhood dream of being a professor, and after a short stint in industry, when someone gave me the chance to do a PhD I took it. Life got in the way and got my PhD at 36 years old. Nobody guided me, and did not optimize my publication schedule, so it is impossible to land a job in academia. Now I am postdoc 39, non hirable bc I'm old and my cv compares badly to anyone elses. No clue how to provide for my family.
Last month we helped clean the room of a colleague after he "passed away" after 10 years of post doc.
Another colleague got a job at 36 as a bare programmer after a very successful PhD where he wrote books and was invited to conferences. At 40 he rage quit this job after a bout of frustration and we haven't heard from him since.
Luckily they didn't have kids.
Wouldn't I have kids I would definitely follow their path.
Last month we helped clean the room of a colleague after he "passed away" after 10 years of post doc.
Another colleague got a job at 36 as a bare programmer after a very successful PhD where he wrote books and was invited to conferences. At 40 he rage quit this job after a bout of frustration and we haven't heard from him since.
Luckily they didn't have kids. Wouldn't I have kids I would definitely follow their path.