Why would someone get a degree in a high demand field but choose a simpler job instead?

My uncle has a degree in computer science and is genuinely talented understands programming could easily get a higher paying job in tech. But instead he chose to be a math teacher at a local school and has been doing that for over 20 years. He says it’s comfortable and he likes having summers off. But I’ve always struggled to understand how someone can have a skill set like that and not want to “use it to its fullest” It feels like he threw away a big opportunity. I guess part of me wonders if I’m missing something. Is comfort and stability worth more than chasing the highest income or the most “impressive” career path? Society keeps telling us to maximize our skills and potential… but what if maximizing happiness looks different? Last night I was sitting scrolling on my ipad and thinking about how people always expect you to improve, get better etc but some are perfectly happy with being comfortable.

Has anyone here made a similar choice by taking a lower stress job even if you had the qualifications for something more demanding? How did you know it was the right call?