OP: I
infer from your phrasing that you are saying that our poor choice of careers is the reason that we want to retire early and that if we had just chosen better we would not be counting the days to ER.
Hogwash!
Nothing went wrong, went south, etc. It was A-OK.
Additional comments:
I chose my career when I was young and stupid. I am much older and just as stupid now.
The career choice was a means to an end: earn a living, raise a family and provide for retirement. It worked for me. I enjoyed (most of) it.
I have been changing from the moment I was born, getting tired of working and becoming intolerant of BS is just one more change.