According to monster.com of lifetime career earnings, software engineers can expect to make $4,360,000 over the span of a 45-year career. This assumes a starting salary of $57,900, and a salary of $105,000 after 20+ years.

Instead of doing that, building a business can eventually make more than $5 million which is much more efficient, as well as more beneficial to the people you're providing for.

It's the higher risk option, but has unlimited potential, whereas with the salaried career over an entire lifetime will never hope to achieve a similar rate of return for time and energy invested.

On top of building a succesfful business, you can write about how you did it, and make even more money by selling what you write. (e.g. "How To Make $5 Million [without working 9-5]")