If one flies for a living, it is reasonable to assume that this person finds some meaning in flying. Otherwise why do it in the first place? Can't be for the money. There's much less stressful ways of making much more money.
Life always doesn't give pleasant options. It will be very Utopian to imagine that most people earn a living doing what they like. Earning a living is not an option. A380 Capt doesn't enjoy driving a bus but they are doing it now. If you happen to earn a living doing what you like it's a bonus. Besides one likes flying is no guarantee of anyone's professional competence. There are pilots who love flying but are mediocre and there are pilots who were basically attracted to it because they had money to become one and considered the salary of airline pilot as a good investment. The basic education with which one becomes a pilot there is no other field to make much more money. The thread is about acquiring and maintaining unassisted skills so let's not add philosophy to it.