I think a lot of people go through life with money being the prime objective of working so you can provide for your family.
Towards the end of your career, (or working life if you prefer), some of us are lucky enough to find a job that, whilst paying less, sometimes substantially, than our previous jobs we feel more content in what we are doing. I am one of those people. Worked in engineering of one branch or another for over 40 years and provided well for my family only to see most of my efforts distributed, (unfairly in my opinion), to another person. I am now in a job where the pay is about 1/3 less than my last 'full time' job but my contentment has soared massively. I am more relaxed and happy that I have time for other things that I wish to do at my leisure rather than as a chore. Things like gardening, pottering in my shed or simply sitting at the table doing a jigsaw with my wife on a cold winter evening.