As a technologist, I’ve started to compare my career to that of a professional athlete. My utility and pay multiplier is defined by WAR (wins added vs generic replacement player), to use baseball terminology. Also, my WAR will decline with age without continuous reinvention and luck. A minority of players become coaches/managers. In other words, at some point I will be out of the big leagues. I shouldn’t pretend that my prime earning years will last indefinitely. I am expecting and planning early retirement, at least out of the fast lane.