Jessica Jackson was afraid of heights when she first started her job as a wind turbine service technician — now, she spends most of her days working 300 feet in the air.

Jackson, 37, is a technician at Vestas, a wind turbine manufacturer, in Bee County, Texas, and earns $73,000 per year.

Climbing the turbine tower “isn’t as scary as you’d think,” she tells CNBC Make It. The tallest turbine on the wind farm Jackson works on is about 350 feet above the ground. It takes her less than 10 minutes to get to the top.

“Once you’re up there, you get to see the best views: You’re watching birds fly, eagles, hawks,” she says. “You get to see planes fly by. You get to see as far as you can see. It’s beautiful.”

Jackson has one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. The Labor Department reports that wind turbine service technicians have one of the highest rates of injury and illness of all occupations.

It’s also the fastest-growing job in the U.S., with employment in the sector expected to almost double over the next decade.

“Working in this field is hard, but it’s rewarding,” says Jackson. “I love what I’m doing, so it makes the job not seem like a job as much.”

Here’s how Jackson earns $73,000 a year as a wind turbine service technician in Texas.

Before she became a wind tech, Jackson was a stay-at-home mom for 10 years.

After she and her husband separated in 2019, when her youngest child started school full time the following year, Jackson decided to return to the workforce. But she was worried her opportunities — and earning potential — would be limited without a bachelor’s degree.

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She enrolled in college online part-time in 2017 but didn’t finish her bachelor’s degree in environmental science from the University of Arizona until 2022.

“Not having a college degree [yet] and being a single mom was hard,” says Jackson, who has four children between the ages of 10 and 21. “I was getting passed up for jobs that I had the experience and skills for only because I didn’t have that degree.”

Jackson’s ex-husband was working as a wind tech and recommended her for a job at Blattner Energy, a renewable energy contractor in northern Texas, installing tower wiring.

While you don’t need a bachelor’s degree to become a wind turbine service technician, some jobs might require you to complete a 2-year technical program or apprenticeship. Others, like Blattner Energy and Vestas, will provide on-the-job training for new hires.

Vestas’ training covers best practices for the turbine’s electrical equipment, technical procedures like bolt torque and tensioning as well as first aid and safety protocols.

Jackson quickly fell in love with the hands-on aspects of servicing the turbines, the quiet peace of working in the wind.

“It felt good knowing that when a turbine was fixed or ran more smoothly, you did that, just seeing the immediate results of your efforts,” she says.

Working in a field that aims to help the environment was another perk that attracted her to the job.

“Wind turbines produce clean energy that goes to a grid, which then powers your homes, businesses, cell phones, TVs .. it’s awesome,” says Jackson. “I tell my kids all the time: Do something you love, but also do something that helps others and helps the environment.”

That job introduced Jackson to Vestas, where she started working in February 2020.

Jackson gets to work at 7 a.m. and ends her shift by 5:30 p.m. She works five days a week.

Every day on the job is different but starts with a problem.

“What I’m working on changes every day depending on what error code, or problem with the turbine, you’re coming in to,” Jackson explains. “The wind turbines are smart, they’re basically computers and constantly communicating to us what is going on with them.”

Comparable to cars, wind turbines have sensitive electronic systems, generators, pumps and other critical components that are susceptible to freezing or breaking down. Jackson’s job is to inspect, maintain and repair such parts as needed to keep the turbines running and producing power.

Vestas has 66 turbines on the farm where Jackson works. She’s typically responsible for one turbine per shift, but some days, it could be several.

The hardest part of her job is the climb. Jackson has to scale a narrow, metal ladder inside the turbine and pull herself through a hatch at the top to access the turbine’s nacelle, which sits atop the tower and contains the machine’s main parts. It’s a vertical climb nearly 30 stories tall.

“Cutting any corners with safety could be the reason why I don’t go home that day,” says Jackson, who wears gloves, glasses, a helmet, harness and other protective equipment on the job. “Once you’re up there, you’re in your office and ready to work. Everything else is easier.“

She might have been scared of heights when she first started, but after practicing the same climb nearly every day, sometimes multiple times in the same afternoon, Jackson says she started to trust her equipment and “got a lot more comfortable climbing such high heights.”

Jackson plans to work as a wind turbine service technician until she retires in her 70s, if not sooner.

The job might be physically demanding, but Jackson says spending so much time outside on the farm — and climbing the towers — has helped her feel “stronger and healthier.”

She’s working toward getting promoted to a level-three technician at Vestas, a role that pays about $80,000 a year, then will train to become a lead technician after that, a role that pays about $100,000 a year.

“Having this job has given me financial stability and freedom, enabling me to afford activities that will make my children happy, like signing up for a basketball league, while still saving money every month,” she says.

As Jackson continues to climb the ranks in her career — both literally and figuratively — she hopes more women and non-degree holders will join her field.

“I’m extremely grateful for my job, I love what I do,” she adds. “If I was doing something else, I probably would not be as happy.”

Do you have a creative or nontraditional career path? We’d love to hear from you! Fill out this form to be considered for a future episode of “On the Job.”

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Chris Pyle spends the entirety of his workdays wearing a white tank top and boxer shorts, sitting in a recliner.

It’s an unusual setting for a mechanic, but a profitable one. Pyle started answering strangers’ questions about their gas and diesel engines on JustAnswer as a side hustle in October 2006.

It was quickly lucrative: He made $500 in his first month, then doubled it in November, then doubled it again. He quit his full-time $75,000-per-year job at Ford Motors when JustAnswer outpaced his salary in 2012, Pyle says.

Pyle made $170,500 in 2023, an average of $14,200 per month, on JustAnswer, according to documents reviewed by CNBC Make It. His monthly income is more than three times as much as the national median monthly side hustle earnings and mechanic’s salary combined.

The job has also shaped his life: He and his wife bought a 34-acre plot of land for $130,000 in Dickson County, Tennessee, where he lives with his family. Pyle also bought an RV and is building a second home, largely by himself, on the property — all funded by his JustAnswer work.

While he works eight to 10 hours per day, seven days per week, he sets his own schedule, allowing him to be present for his family, he says.

“I was a Cub Scout master for eight years … I was a soccer coach,” Pyle, 45, tells Make It. “I could log off right now and go play a video game with my son, or go swim in the pool.”

Here’s how Pyle built his clientele and stays successful on JustAnswer.

Pyle discovered the side hustle organically: Ford hired and trained him as a transmission tech, and funded his certifications. He was virtually researching how to fix a transmission and found an answer supplied by another mechanic on Just Answer, he says.

He signed up and started answering a handful of questions in the afternoon after work, he says. He liked the challenge of diagnosing a motor he “couldn’t see, touch or smell,” and realized he had a knack for virtually helping people solve their mechanical problems, he says.

After he made $1,000 in his second month on JustAnswer, he took his wife to the mall, gave her half of the earnings and said, “Do not come back with any cash in your hand,” Pyle recalls.

He spent his half in 15 minutes at Bass Pro Shop, he adds.

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As Pyle’s earnings became more consistent, he realized he could use the side hustle to fund more than just mall runs, he says. He started spending more time on the platform. By 2012, he was spending three hours answering close to 40 questions per day, he says.

“For six years, my paycheck was very consistent working here,” Pyle says. “I was like, ‘Well, if I throw in some more hours, that [check] will increase.’”

Pyle’s JustAnswer paycheck remains consistent and has increased every year. He has the most work in the summers, he says, when people are mowing their lawns and traveling.

His schedule remains flexible in that he can log on and off whenever he wants — but because he is paid by the answer, he still has to work at least 40 to 60 hours a week to maintain his income, he says. He works every single day, including Christmas and birthdays.

Pyle doesn’t mind the tradeoffs. His working hours on JustAnswer have helped him build a career, home and life without a boss, he says.

His earnings also support his wife, who quit her nursing job, and their two sons, who she homeschools, Pyle says. While he has to file his own taxes and pay for his family’s medical insurance, he also can write off things like his phone, internet, his HP laptop and 10% of his utilities bill, he says.

There are some cons, though. Despite his 12 years working on the site, Pyle is not an actual JustAnswer employee. The platform reviews its “experts” on a weekly basis, and their grade affects how much they make per answer. The company does not openly share the criteria, but Pyle says his answers and customer service skills usually receive a high rating.

Still, he has no plans to drastically change his day-to-day work, he says. Once Pyle’s house is finished, he wants to cut back on his JustAnswer work, but he’ll likely still be online at least 30 hours per week, he says.

“I have zero plans to go back for a real job, unless I’m the boss,” Pyle says. “Between my work attire and the environment that I work in, [life] is pretty good.”

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Growing up, I felt anxious and overwhelmed. My career path is one that I never could have expected when I was that constantly worried kid. 

Today, I’ve written 10 books and journals about happiness, gratitude, habits and resilience. My goal is to help other people who struggle with those negative spirals tune out the noise and help people develop a more positive, resilient mindset. 

I have a two minute, science-backed, ruthlessly simple system that helps me get on track whenever I start to feel my anxiety spike. 

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This practice is called Rose, Rose, Thorn, Bud. I do it solo, or with friends and with my family, and it makes me feel happier, and more at peace, every single day.

Here’s how it works: 

I start by writing down my first Rose. It’s something I’m grateful for from the day, no matter how small. This could be something like getting to a meeting late but the boss getting there even later. Or the half hour of silence I got when both my kids were napping.

My second Rose is another small win or tiny pleasure from the day, like how cold and refreshing the shower was at the end of my run, or when my favorite song came on the radio. 

Science shows that acknowledging these “roses” are good for our overall well-being. 

In 2003, psychologists Robert Emmons and Michael McCullough published a foundational study called “Counting Blessings Versus Burdens.” In their research, they found that after a 10-week period, the test groups who wrote down “gratitudes” weren’t just happier but also physically healthier, versus the students who wrote down “hassles” or “events.”

Next it’s time for a Thorn: something that didn’t go well, a moment of suffering, or the hardest part of the day. This could be something like still not hearing back from the doctor, getting into a fight with a family member or falling into a social media hole.

We need space to vent, process, be heard and move through the emotion.

Thorns are good for us in a different way. Think of sharing thorns as helping to clarify and ultimately let go of what challenges us. 

Writing about emotional experiences, including negative ones, improves well-being and reduces stress. When you are coping with trauma, sharing negative emotions can help the healing process, research shows. 

Finally, a Bud: something to anticipate and get excited about. It can be tonight, this weekend or even fifty years from now! 

This could be making a stack of pancakes on Saturday. When my dad’s surgery finally gets scheduled. Renting a villa in Morocco when I turn a hundred.

A 2005 paper from psychologists Sonja Lyubormirsky, Kennon Sheldon, and David Schkade called “Pursuing Happiness,” found setting and anticipating goals and events makes us happier.

I have found that doing this habit every day is like wiping a wet cloth over the blackboard of my mind. It’s a routine that helps me connect, share and reflect. Since I started doing it, I have felt so much more content. 

I hope it does the same for you.

Neil Pasricha is a leading authority on intentional living. He is a New York Times bestselling author of 10 books and journals, including ”The Happiness Equation″ and ”Two Minute Evenings.” He hosts the award-winning podcast 3 Books, and has given speeches at TED Talks and SXSW. Follow him on Twitter.

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European workplaces are known for having generous paid time off policies, some of which encourage taking weeks at a time away during summer.

Embracing that mindset was a big transition for Alex Ingrim, 36, who grew up in the U.S. but has spent the last 17 years living and working across France, the UK, Malta and now Italy.

“I’ve grown up with the American perspective that your career is really important,” Ingrim tells CNBC Make It. “And then I’ve worked within European companies where they encourage: Hey, make sure you spend time with your family. Take all of your holidays — don’t leave holidays on the table just to show that you’re a hard worker. That’s not going to get you anywhere here.”

Leaving lots of vacation days unused is “not respected or valued,” he adds. “You just look like someone who is not taking enough time off.”

Ingrim has worked for financial service companies across Europe, which typically provided 25 vacation days per year on top of around 10 public holidays.

He’s currently the president and co-founder of Chase Buchanan USA based in Florence, where he provides financial guidance to roughly 70 clients on moving from the U.S. to Europe.

Helping clients adjust to a new work culture comes with the territory. One thing Ingrim often tells clients is that discussing work in social settings isn’t as common.

“If you go to a party in the U.S., one of the first things people do is ask each other what they do for work,” Ingrim explains. In Europe, “I’ve been at parties for three hours, and I don’t know what anybody does for a job. We have neighbors [and] I have no idea what they do for work.”

Work is a small part of your life and identity, Ingrim says: “You talk about other things at parties that are usually a little bit more interesting, like food or vacations or sports, whatever it may be — but you talk about your interests personally, not what you’re doing at work.”

The social norm reflects an overall culture that prioritizes life outside of work more so than the typical U.S perspective.

“It’s not as culturally acceptable to put your career ahead of your family and other priorities in life” like hobbies, travel and other pastimes, Ingrim says.

Overall, he says he’s happier living in Italy than in the U.S. He started his time living internationally when a college study-abroad trip to France led him to meet his wife, Louisa. Deciding to live in Europe to be together “was a great choice,” he says.

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Around six years ago, married couple Christina, 37, and Noah, 35, took $10,000 out of the bank.

The money had been sitting idle in an old personal account of Christina’s, but a documentary on the bank’s practices prompted the couple to get the money out of there, they told self-made millionaire and money expert Ramit Sethi on a recent episode of his “I Will Teach You to be Rich” podcast. Their last names were not used.

After the massive withdrawal, the money continued to sit — in cash — in their closet for another three years. They couldn’t come to an agreement over what to do with it.

The situation is a perfect example of Christina and Noah’s main problem: They have differing beliefs around money that often lead to taking no action at all.

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Christina is anxious about their long-term financial health but also wants to upgrade their lifestyle by buying a home or paying for better child care. Noah, on the other hand, is comfortable with what they have and hesitant to spend any money beyond what they absolutely need to.

“I think you have a dramatic miscalibration with what a lot of money means,” Sethi told them. “And because of that, you are always going to feel bad.”

Their disconnect has left them anxious about their financial health, combative with each other around spending, and indecisive on major money moves such as buying a house. 

Here are Christina and Noah’s biggest pain points and how Sethi addresses them.

Based on their numbers, Christina and Noah are objectively doing pretty well, which Sethi was quick to point out. The couple said they have a net worth of around $860,000 with no debt and earn a combined $300,000 a year.

Despite these facts, Christina still feels anxious about the couple’s finances for two main reasons: She wants to spend more in certain areas, such as on better child care or the house of her dreams, but she also wants to ensure they’re saving enough for retirement.

Noah questions whether they really need to spend additional money pretty much whenever Christina poses an idea, which adds to her anxiety about whether they’re doing the “right” thing with their money.

“It feels like we’re spending too much,” Christina said. “And maybe other people are cool with that and just overspending their budget and not saving and investing a ton, but it feels like we’re doing something wrong.”

Sethi asked Christina if she would feel better if their annual income was higher. She might, she said, but she wouldn’t necessarily buy those nicer things.

“Money is deeply emotional. It’s deeply political. But sometimes you just need to take an honest look at the numbers,” Sethi told her.

Based on their numbers, Christina shouldn’t be so worried, Sethi said. She and Noah have built up enough of a buffer to get them through a number of hard times, should a layoff or emergency expense come up.

“The single factor that matters here with Christina is that she’s afraid,” Sethi said. “And no amount of money in the bank, no spreadsheet, no income, no net worth number will solve that emotional problem.”

Noah’s money vigilance has helped the couple amass a healthy amount in savings and investments, but it’s so extreme that Christina feels like she has to persuade him to spend money on things that are meaningful and within their budget, such as family vacations.

“I don’t really value spending money a ton,” Noah said. “I grew up with frugal parents, and they didn’t spend money.”

Sethi asked if Noah enjoyed the family vacations and other things Christina has had to persuade him to spend money on. He admitted that he does.

So the question is, Why doesn’t he trust that they can loosen up a bit, lower the tension and enjoy the life they’ve worked hard for?

“In your mind, you’re not the dream squasher. You’re the responsible one,” Sethi told him. 

But in reality, Noah has been a dream crusher, Sethi and the couple both acknowledged. He’s well intentioned, of course, but at the rate they’re currently investing, they’ll have over $11 million by the time they retire. 

“Do we even need $11 million? I don’t think the two of you need it,” Sethi said. “You can’t even spend the money you have right now.”

Ultimately, the couple realized there are relationship issues they plan to address in couples therapy. But Sethi also helped them see that they don’t need to compare themselves to anyone else. They can work together to create a shared vision for the future and know they have a solid safety net should their situation change.

“Our spending isn’t the problem,” Noah said in a follow-up video. “Instead, it’s how my frugality and spending habits have negatively impacted our relationship and contributed to Christina’s financial insecurity.”

Check out the full episode here.

Want to be more successful and confident with your money? Take CNBC Make It’s new online course. Our expert instructors will help you master your money and discover practical strategies to boost your savings, reduce debt and grow your wealth — in a way that works best for you. Enroll in ”Achieve Financial Wellness: Be Happier, Wealthier & More Financially Secure″ to start your journey to financial freedom today! Get a 30% discount with the coupon code EARLYBIRD until Sept. 2, 2024. 

Plus, sign up for CNBC Make It’s newsletter to get tips and tricks for success at work, with money and in life.