We recently pointed out the counterfactual of there being “too many” men studying in Yeshiva and Kollel (follow the link).
There is a known story the Netziv told about himself, where his parents wished him to be a tailor, since he was unsuccessful in his studies, and he made a firm decision to apply himself and was allowed to return to studying Torah. When later in life he published one of his Torah works, he imagined the path not taken, having become a shoemaker, instead of writing his destined works, and coming to heaven a kosher Jew, who thought he had done all he could be asked, only to be asked where his Sefer was.
I heard a contemporary Torah great remarked some will come to heaven at the end of their lives with their Torah works only to be asked: Where are your shoes?!