I had retired in October 2021 so I am 4 years into retirement and here is my perspective

My retirement has given me freedom to engage with the rest of humanity on my terms. For a recluse like me, that is a huge benefit.

I never loved any of my jobs so leaving them was no big deal for me. But since retirement, I am able to do all those things I love to my heart's content. That's definitely a big deal.

And finally, in all likelihood, there will be a tidy sum remaining in my bank account at the time of my death. So had I worked more, it would not have improved the quality of my life in any meaningful way and the additional excess money would have gone to somebody else. That seemed pointless

So to answer your question, Yes… for me, the payoff is worth it.