Just like pro sports such as football, where athletes have little trouble landing themselves lucrative jobs in broadcasting when they retire, some esports competitors finding that life gets easier (and the money gets better) once they hang up their mouse and keyboard.
While this is obviously an extreme case, one taking place in a market that looks like it's lost its mind, Portrait magazine (translated and republished by ongamers) has the story of Wei "CaoMei" Han-Dong, a former League of Legends star who has probably had a better three years than you have.
In 2011, as a trainee pro player, CaoMei was making $491 a month. Today, having retired and moved into streaming, he has a contract that pays him over $800,000 a year. To play League of Legends on the internet, talk over the top of it and take advantage of the fact he's a rather handsome young man.
The story goes on to discuss the fact that many of China's top esports competitors are doing the same thing, drawn by the easier lifestyle and massive salaries.
Nice work if you can get it.
点金游戏 | 深入解读中国电子竞技业 [Portrait, via ongamers]