"Doing what you love" is a total new-age garbage scam, only possible because we (most of us on HN) collectively live in the wealthiest, most powerful empire the world has ever seen, and nearly all of the important work (food, defense, fuel, manufacturing, etc.) is done by lower class citizens who don't know what an API is. Sure, the management of the empire requires critically talented minds, but how many roughnecks know what C++ is, and how many executive vice presidents know how to operate an oil rig?
Don't do what you love, do something that allows you and your family (or you and your community if you're not up to the task of having a family) to build resilience, and then love your life outside of the work you do to provide for it. If that's making 200 Gs per year for 10 years slinging Javascript and then getting out of debt with the bank, do that. Don't worry so much about "loving your career", I promise you no migrant farm workers harvesting your berries love their career, and yet I doubt they wake up with internal mental crises because they haven't achieved self-actualization at work.
Don't do what you love, do something that allows you and your family (or you and your community if you're not up to the task of having a family) to build resilience, and then love your life outside of the work you do to provide for it. If that's making 200 Gs per year for 10 years slinging Javascript and then getting out of debt with the bank, do that. Don't worry so much about "loving your career", I promise you no migrant farm workers harvesting your berries love their career, and yet I doubt they wake up with internal mental crises because they haven't achieved self-actualization at work.