I completely agree that role models are important to kids and that how a person chooses to live does set an example for their kids. However it does depend on exactly what a person’s definition of “great things” includes. That’s something that will vary by individual.

My dad worked his entire career in the executive jobs circle that you’re so fond of. Having seen it up close for the first 20 years of my life, I ended up choosing a different way and I’ve never once regretted that choice. For me, great things means something different than it did to him when he was my age back in the 1980s.

Different strokes. My initial job choice was also that of a commissioned officer in the military. Based on my experiences I daresay that even today someone starting out that way probably still has somewhat different priorities and different requirements than someone who started out on the corporate path. Fortunately, our world needs both kinds of people.