I think that whatever we do to support ourselves financially must provide us with some form of gratification beyond a paycheck. Some aspect of our work must be satisfying and emotionally rewarding, or it will amount to nothing more than a "job", with little self fulfillment. This leads to unhappiness and burnout.

My brother-in-law is a good example. He's a brick mason. For him, starting a new project is like an artist with a blank canvass. He's meticulous about perfectly straight lines, clean mortar joints, beautifully executed archways and intricate patterns. Sure, he is sought after and well paid....but the most important thing to him is being able to stand back and say "I did that".