I am retired from IT and I loved my job. I have discovered that I am so lucky in so many ways that I got to do the one thing that I was good at, and the one thing I loved. And it paid well.

I don't have sources but I've read a lot of stories about how there can be a lot of overlap between math people, music people, creative people, computer people.

I am retired now and get to mess around with my guitar until the day I fall over dead. I already died -- twice, technically, heart attack + stroke x2. My brain is mostly mush. But hey, there's a lot of worse ways to spend your dying days, you know? I'm not complaining.

Where I lucked out was the great insurance at work, including disability income insurance. My retiring/dying/not dying gift to myself was a Rickenbacker bass. I am still the world's shittiest guitar player, but I don't care because I love it. I listen to music all day and all night. I always did that at work too, it just doesn't go away.

I don't know what to say about sustaining yourself with your musical career. I have a couple of friends who finally after decades make income from music. One makes enough from royalties to supplement his regular job income a little bit. Another one is a gigging vocalist and pianist. Most of his income comes from church gigs, but an increasing amount comes from session vocals.

The only advice I have is, if you're good at it, then IT isn't the worst field to be in. The pay is high and jobs are plentiful.

The thing is, it's far better to despise your high paying shit job than to despise your minimum wage shit job. You can finance your true passion.